Landships II

Jim Lawrie · Corporal

Not Great War - Were spotter balloons used in The Russian Civil War or China's Warlord Period?

JamesAPrattIII · Lieutenant-Colonel

I have read where the Reds did use spotter balloons in the Russian Civil War

MikeMeech · Sergeant

Jim Lawrie wrote:
My Google-Fu has failed me, does anyone know offhand if these were utilised in those wars? I sort of suspect that they were outdated by then but they were using some strange and obsolete stuff in those conflicts.

Hi

The German Army was still using observation balloons during the siege of Leningrad during WW2, so not quite outdated. I suspect that they were used during the Russian Civil War as the Russian army had balloon units during WW1 and whatever side had these units they would have been used.

I don't know if any had been supplied to China.

Mike

JamesAPrattIII · Lieutenant-Colonel

The Red use of observation balloons is mentioned in the axishistoryfroum.com in the The Soviet Union at war 1917-1945 section a post (from the Soviet Empire) Chronology of Naval warfare during the Russian civil war Baltic Sea Onega Ladoga

I know the French used observation balloons in 1939 and the Germans used some in WW II. I think the Soviets also made some use of them in WW II but I am not sure.

JamesAPrattIII · Lieutenant-Colonel

This is from info gathered by August G Blume on Armored trains that I got some time ago at UT Dallas:
March 1919
Red Southern Front

Red AT (Armored Train) Chernomerets with balloon unit
AT Volyva (Volga or Freedom ) #23 with 23rd VO (Vozdushniy Otryad Field Aeronautical Detachment or Unit) 7-24 May 1919 made 73 ascents 201 hours
AT #9 with 3rd VO 7 August-17 September 1919 239 hours . July 1919 at Kharkov vs Whites
AT #10 with one Balloon unit
AT #17? or #4? Smert ili Pobeda (Death or Victory) with one balloon unit
AT Roza Luxemberg with one balloon unit
AT Kraniy Sibirysk with one balloon unit
AT Ataman Churkin with one balloon unit

JamesAPrattIII · Lieutenant-Colonel

more from the above and Osprey book on RCW armor

During 1918-1921 the Red Army ATs used balloons of German Parseval and French Cacquet types. They were carried on special flatcars, which were kept 5-10 km from the front lins. Paresevals could reach 1000m, Cacquets could reach 1300m. Both had a minimal working altitude of 400-500 m. Depending on weather conditions and their optical instruments observers could see objects within a 50-60 km radius. The period from July-September 1919 saw Reds most heavy use of balloon detachments. ATs 87%, Flotillas 78%, Fortified Areas 70%, and Divisions 59% Balloon detachment trains operated at some distance from supporting AT so as not to give away their position. Aircraft were sometimes carried in cars at rear ot f the AT, but were not often used.

It is quite probable that Whites, Poles, Germans, Czechs and others used balloons with armored trains, but so far none have been identified???

I hope this is of some use or interest

Jim Lawrie · Corporal

Thank you very much, this is ideal.