Re: [MV] WWII Barrage Balloon

Rob Root (root99@earthlink.net)
Sat, 25 Jul 1998 16:10:42 -0700

RKiser8375@aol.com wrote:
>
> Rob,
>
> What is this thing? How big is it? I am definitely interested.
>
> Rob Kiser

Rob (and list):

I got enough replies on the Barrage Balloon that I felt it was warranted
to just post it to the list:

Here's the exact text of the ad, as appeared in today's (25 July Seattle
Times:

World War II Barrage Balloon, orig WWII packing, as new, $500. Buckskin
pants worn by Alan Ladd in movie, "Shane", $500.00. (206) 824-4403

Best of luck...let me know how it comes out...

> What is this thing?

Oh boy, with all the expertise on this list, you're asking the wrong
guy, but from photos, I gather they tethered these balloons over areas
they wanted to protect from very low level air raids. The ones I have
seen are sort of like a stumpy blimp in shape, complete with three
inflatable fins. I'm not sure if the balloon itself or the tethering
cable was supposed to be the deterrent...

> How big is it?

Not sure. Hard to gauge from photos, but a guess is 75 ft long X 40ft
in diameter... In other words, BIG!

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