The Ship Model Forum

1:700 and 1:600 scale versions of these Kite Balloons are available HERE in my CLASSIC AIRSHIPS shop. There are separate designs for printing in either "Fine Detail Plastic" or "Versatile Plastic" (nylon.) Simple assembly instructions and mounting suggestions are in the shop together with historical notes by Lennart Ege.

These balloons were used in considerable numbers as battlefield lookouts and artillery spotters. Early in WW1, cruisers in the navies of several countries were equipped with kite balloons to detect enemy submarines and protect the cruisers against their attacks. It soon became standard practice for the kite balloon to stay completely steady in the air at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 m, even in winds of up to 65 km/hr (40 m.p.h.)

A pair of these Kite Balloons in 1:1250 scale is also available in my CLASSIC AIRSHIPS shop HERE.



Happy modelling!

Derek

Interesting!

I have seen several photos of British cruisers with balloons, also of Russian ones. Do you have seen photos of German cruisers with a kite balloon?

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I have not managed to find any pictures of the Parseval-Sigsfeld balloons actually in use on German warships but my own library is very small and my lack of German hinders my searches on the internet.

On the one hand I have to ask if it was possible that the German Navy did not make good use of them given their volume production in Augsburg and how they were openly copied by the allied nations?

On the other hand, was it possible that Admiral von Pohl for example, was satisfied that scouting by the Zeppelin fleet satisfactorily fulfilled the need without having individual ships equipped with balloons? It's just a thought.

I found this photo of HMS Melbourne and HMS Southampton with a balloon, which looks somehow similar:



For sure, that is a balloon of the Royal Navy. Do you know the type of balloon?

(also a nice photo showing that warships at that time had the rails removed when ready for action)

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