Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1

Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 cover

Description

Tethered balloons reached their zenith as a means of providing a stationary observation platform above the battlefield during World War I. It took a special breed of daredevil to take on such odds deep in enemy lines in order to destroy a balloon, with Balloon specialists such as Willy Coppens, Pierre Bourjade and Michel Coiffard rising to the challenge. This book covers the story of these 'balloon busters' from both sides in World War 1 through a mix of first-hand accounts and expert analysis, which compares tactics, theatres of operation, aircraft types and the overall odds for success.

Table of Contents

A Not-So-Easy Target (development of the kite balloon)/The Art of Balloon Busting (anti-balloon measures and weapons, 1914–1917)/Balloon Fever (the aces and their exploits, 1916–1918)/Exuent Omnes (the eclipse of balloon observation and of the balloon buster, 1918–45)/Appendices: Aces's Scores (including balloons destroyed in a single sortie)

Product details

Published Jul 13 2005
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 96
ISBN 9781841768779
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 108 b/w; 40 col
Dimensions 248 x 184 mm
Series Aircraft of the Aces
Short code ACE 66
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Jon Guttman

Jon Guttman, a resident of Leesburg, Virginia, is…

Illustrator

Harry Dempsey

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