Barrage Balloon transport
Barrage balloons had first appeared at the end of the first world war as ‘aprons’ to combat the emergence of fledgeling war-machines in the air, both Zeppelins and biplanes. By 1939, attack and combat from the air was serious business so the balloons re-appeared as a very necessary aerial defence. A major factory for their manufacture was Number One Balloon Centre, Kidbrooke, south London, and specialist transport was devised to make carriage completely self-contained – a winch-lorry to convey the balloon in its deflated state, and a coupled trailer carrying enough hydrogen cylinders to initially fill the balloon, and to re-prime as necessary for changing height of the overall barrage flank.
No Comments
Add a comment about this page