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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Shooting Down a Kite Balloon

A biplane flys above a blimp that has caught fire
Description: Painting, Oil on Wood; By Bruce Ungerland; 1971; Framed Dimensions 50H X 43W
Accession #: 2003-082-02
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Kite balloons were aerodynamically shaped non-rigid gas bags which carried a basket below for an observer.  In the Navy, they were flown off of ships to help detect U-boats.  The observer in the basket had a telephone line that ran in the balloon’s tether to the ship below.

Topic
Document Type
  • Art
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War I 1917-1918
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  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials