Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1918 — Kite Balloons Form Very Important Part of Naval and Military War Forces [ARTICLE]

Kite Balloons Form Very Important Part of Naval and Military War Forces

“The observation balloon has been one of the important discoveries of the year,” observes a writer in Aviation, who continues: “Its value is indicated by the rapid growth of both personnel and” craft. It is found today on every front, and almost every mile of that front, for the excellent reason that it has proved indispensable to the modern army in the field. “The observation kite balloon, as at present used, was the invention of Captain von Sigsfeld and Major von Parseval of the German army, and the craft was constructed by the Parseval Airship company. The British army got its first idea of the kite balloon from the Belgians. Early rn 1915 Squadron Wing) Commander Maitland was so much impressed by the excellent service it was giving the Belgian artillery that he laid a proposal for similar equipment before the board of admiralty. This was adopted, orders for the construction of the craft were placed and the British K-B made its first appearance in the war area in the early spring of 1915. “As then constructed by the British, the balloon was found to be considerably more reliable than the spherical, being steadier and more airworthy, and therefore more accurate in observation. . w - “The great success of the first craft led to a demand for more, and the British naval authorities made experiments with them on ships at sea. More and more urgent grew the demand from both branches of the service, until today kite balloons form an important part of both naval and military forces. “The work of these craft js too widely recognized to need repetition, further’than to mention the danger to which a captive balloon is exposed from hostile airplanes. There is often not time enough to draw the balloon to th,e ground when an enemy machine appears, and the only, protection is a friendly airplane, or the ever-ready parachute.”