Balloon Command

Battle of Britain "Wings of Victory"
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Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

Balloon Command, like Anti-Aircraft Command has too long been NEGLECTED in this historical WAR simulation.
It is my intention to also pay Balloon Command some proper attention, as to historical, and decent mine laying defense!

After testing the BoB2_v2.13_full that PV supplied last October.
and playing the LW Campaign, which I won on August 26, 1940, by destroying the RAF factories, and trying for 3 : 1 odds with my Escorts against RAF Intercepts & Patrols,
and waiting for an Installer to be made for testing,
I started to reform and re-deploy Balloon Command, which is not as historical as it should be. :roll:
Some real important fighter factories are not protected at all by Barrage Balloon defense. :roll:
Also many Balloon Flights are not deployed in places that make good defensive sense. :(

I should know because I have assaulted the Targets for 2 years, now.. flying under the POOR weather clouds.
I know all of the optimal bomber approach angles for bomb laying attacks on all Targets, for optimum effective bomb lay! Yes I do! :twisted:

Hell's Belles! I re-built most all of the Targets, and I know how they are laid out, East-West_North-South.
Optimal Approach angle of attack upon the enemy Target is essential for success.
Not only for air level bombers, but also for ground infantry rifle men in reality.

I lay my mines (barrage balloons) to discourage the bombers from making best approach low level attacks on the Targets.
Also.. I know the LW Command Artificial Intelligence, and that pattern of attacks on Targets that the AI always takes. (always.. just kick down the south door).
I shall plant my mines on these well known path ways, too.
I do know where they are, and how the LW Command AI places the attack Dogleg Way Points. (which I always change for optimal approach angles when I take Command!)
I lay some of my mines upon my favorite optimal approach angles of attack, too.
Make it harder for an intelligent human being to bomb it at low level, god damn it!


It is not my intention to favor the RAF or the LuftWaffe.
It is my intention to recreate history. (to see my ever elusive Goddess Of Truth)
Where I cannot find definitive history, and exact deployments of all units, then I shall use common sense military tactics to deploy units,
to plug up the mystery holes.

--------

Another consideration is the methods that Barrage Balloons were used to SNAG aircraft.

1. The "Screen" mine field.
Optimal method.
May kill some aircraft before they can drop bombs on Target.

2. The "Net" mine field.
Not optimal method.
Laid just behind the Target it may catch some enemies that passed thru the Screen.
(Yeah! I know! Too late for bomb drop)
However, the Stuka dive bombers can always dive over and beyond the Screen, even if it is very close to Target.
BUT.. after the dive bombers bomb low.. they have to come up and turn out and away... from Target.
The back door "Net" is there to try and SNAG some of these dive bombing dare-devils when they try to egress for home! :twisted:

As always.. the best Defenses are laid out in layers.

Balloon Command was just such a layer of defense. After primarily.. Fighter Command, and secondarily.. AA Command.
I intend to try and give Balloon Command better historical justice than it had before in BoB1 and BoBII.


NOTE!

I am currently incapable of producing new Barrage Balloon Flights.
BoBII is currently historically short in south England of 180 balloons. (20 Flights of 9 balloons per Flight)

I am able to look at the current Organization Table,
and see which Barrage Balloon Flights are not placed well, and NOT doing a damned thing for the DEFENCE OF BRITAIN!
This shall no longer be!
So... Balloon Command Commander Stickman is going to give some new marching orders!

I shall type in a lot and a lot, and a lot, and a lot.... of new Barrage Balloon Flight coordinates in the MAINWLD file,
batch in a new mainwld.bf file with Geoff's sweet Battle Fields Tool,
to get a better Barrage Balloon defense, thereof.

This WILL be done! I am tired of the stupid BULL SCHEISSE!

-------------------------------------------------------------

Don't none of ya'll ever accuse me of being only a LuftWaffe nazi lover.
Just because I tend to take care of the (previously neglected) Germans as per BoBII.
My makes for AA Command and now.. Balloon Command is all for the British benefit.

There is always 2 sides to every fight.
The war winners always write the "real" books that define history thereafter.
For BoBII... that is supposed to TRULY reflect and simulate history,
I only worship the elusive Goddess Of Truth.

Also... when when I see shitty defensive fortifications, I want the damned holes plugged up & reinforced!
Plus... I have little tolerance for absolute stupidity.

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Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

When I was asking questions about Anti-Aircraft Command 3 or 4 years ago... a British fellow supplied me this map.
Thank you! :)

Image

Well... that got me interested & wondering what could be done better as per Balloon Command.
First I had to hammer and tinker about with AA Command.

Now that I finished AA Command, my sights are now laid upon Balloon Command for attention.
Always had this picture in the back of my mind for later use.

After we BDG guys finished v2.13, I went about looking for new info about Balloon Command.
Found four different sites that seem to be reliable, as to my pursuit of the elusive Goddess of Truth.
They all agree with each other. :)

This is history, not politics.
In politics you will find all kinds of
HALF TRUTHS!
OUT RIGHT LIES!
MIS-INFORMATION!
and other cow-pie PROPAGANDA!

Yes.. as a young Montana boy I did pick up many a cow-pie crap, and throw them up in the air.. flying like Frisbees, and shoot them with Shot Guns! :D
They are actually quite hard & stout, 3 months after the flies suck out all the juices,
and can be burned as fuel on a camp fire. :D
I know Bull-Buffalo-?()^ when I smell it or see it!

Fortunately Balloon Command during the summer of 1940
has no political enemies, and it's existence is accepted to be a true reality. By most folk.

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Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

Here are some resources:

http://www.bbrclub.org/1940%20Status.htm

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/U ... -VIII.html

This one is the most detailed as to Flight stations:

http://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/unite ... mmand.html

I have found some other sites too.
Enough information that I need.
Have already re-deployed Balloon Flights at Sheerness, Dover, Tilbury, Purfleet, Brooklands, and now working on protecting the factories on the west side of London.

Will finish the rest of England,
time permitting when I am not at work or baby sitting my grand-children.

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Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

BoBII is not only a prop-head Air Combat Simulator, it is also a War Simulator.

I will confess.. that I am more of a War Gamer than a prop head Air Combat flier.
When I see that BoBII is historically short of 180 balloons (20 Flights)
then I need to look at the current Organization Chart, and see who is worthless to the War Game, and not doing a damned thing at all, but taking up wasted space?
Anyone sitting around doing nothing to contribute to a proper war game defense, will be reassigned new positions.
No more slackers!

I started with Dover Docks and Sheerness Docks.
Rowan got these places backwards wrong. Sheerness Naval Base had 40 balloons (4-5 Flights) while Dover Docks only had 24 balloons (3 Flights if each flight only 8 balloons).

Originally looked like this. Text gives numbers as should be. Red Arrow will be re-located to Dover water-borne, and yellow arrow Flight will be transferred to Sheerness:

Image

I read that a Flight of barrage balloons consisted of either 8 or 9 balloons.
Typical British Imperial armed forces organization. Never a STRICT & STANDARD organization like Napoleon developed and the Americans, Germans and Russians copied.
A flexible "typical" organization based on needs and numbers available, based on needs of The Empire.
When the WWII Germans lost so many men that they started calling their basic unit of maneuver the Battalion,
as being now called a Kampf Gruppe, then you know that they are losing men and are forced to become under-strength ad-hoc "flexible". :D :twisted:

In BoBII a Flight of barrage balloons is always made up of (full strength) 9 balloons.
The center balloon always holding the coordinates in MAINWLD as to where the Flight is placed.

Here I transferred a Dover Flight to be water-borne. Center balloon anchored on the west end of the south breakwater.
I know not EXACTLY where the water borne balloons were placed in 1940.
This is where I would place them. Front and Center from Calais! :P

The dots represent actual individual balloon locations, best that I can see are placed here.
For Dover, I placed only one "Screen" type minefield and two "Net" type minefields.
The radars not very protected, but the only good way to bomb radars into oblivion is with low level Do17 attacks.
And that usually takes 3 Raids to do, provided you know how best to approach the Target for best bomb lay, and expecting "bomb-lay over-shoot". :wink:

Usually I do not attack the Radars.
I want the RAF to see me coming. "COME OUT & FIGHT!" :twisted: "Do not hide within your fortress! Or run away up into Scotland!"
I don't bomb the airfields either. I want the RAF to use them and "COME OUT & FIGHT!"
My bombers are always well escorted, usually at 3:1 or.. on a bad Raid.. at 2:1 fighter to fighter odds in my favor.
The Battle of Britain was a WAR OF ATTRITION, which the Germans should have won.
Luckily for us all, the WWII Germans were ruled by a bunch of stupid Nazis!
Never bothered to bomb the ALL IMPORTANT fighter aircraft FACTORIES. :roll:

Image

After those transfers I looked around.... and saw two balloon Flights stuck in the middle of NO-WHERE, doing absolutely nothing! :evil:
I ordered them to relocate to Sheerness, (pick up some barges to anchor the balloons as water-borne) where they were historically, and might be of some decent use!

Image

I laid this Barrage Balloon defense rather tight around the Naval Base.
"Come on in at low level, you rotten Nazi bastards!"
As always.. my intention is to kill aircraft anyway that I can. :twisted:

Image

During those re-deployments, I know that Rowaon originally placed 3 Flights around Brooklands Hawker factory.
Not well placed, I must say.
My evil nazi bomber KICK DOWN THE DOOR! nasty habits, found that defense to be sadly lacking! :D
I have redeployed two of the Flights to provide a bit more intelligent mine laying defence.
Both.. to discourage LW Artificial Intelligence attacks, and also how I usually attack Brooklands, which is from the North East,
to HAMMER it godly!

I have found MY (historical) Brooklands a hard Target to destroy 100%.
After I bomb it 4 or 5 times and destroy 80% of the buildings there...
the Brits (wisely) say.. "Abandon Brooklands, and disperse it's Production."

Also... I see that Langley Hawker (Parts) factory has 9 Flights protecting it, as made by Rowan.
While Kingston Hawker
and Feltham General Aircraft / Royal Army Service Corps Depot have no BB protection.
HorseShit!

Now... I will say that Langley Hawker should be a 1940 ASSEMBLY factory,
and Kingston should be a Hurricane PARTS factory,
and.. maybe we should code it that way..... for v2.14,
but.. why does one factory have TOO MUCH defense, and two other factories have no defense at all!?
Even Hitler would not neglect his aircraft factories in such a foolish fashion!

Image

So.. I redeployed part of Balloon Command to provide for more equal protection to all London area factories.
Also transferred some lower Thames balloon Flights that have better defense. Two of them were doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Image

I shall now go further west, and inspect the situation at Portsmouth, Gosport, and Southampton,
where the Barrage Balloon defenses may not be historically or intelligently deployed.

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Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

Barrage Balloon defenses at Portsmouth Naval Base, and Southampton (Docks, plus the 4 Fighter Aircraft factories).

It was like this.
The historical numbers of balloon Flights at these 2 places are OK as Rowan made.

So, I added or subtracted no balloons from these places.
Did not like the way that the BB Flights were deployed as effective mine fields though. I re-positioned almost all of them to make them more effective.

Image

Now looks like this.

I know that some (24) Barrage Balloons were at Gosport in August 1940.
I moved 2 Flights over there to Gosport from places east of Portsmouth (not effective at all) to places where they are more effective at Gosport.

As per Southampton, there were some ineffective BB (Barrage Balloon) placements. Doing nothing!
I laid out a better BB "screen" out to the south, including the known 10 balloons that were "water borne".
I also laid out a better BB "net" defense.

Image

Know this!
No one has bombed the Targets in BoBII more than I have. No body. Ever.
I know how the Artificial Intelligence LW lays out their Raid paths.
I know how I, as the LW Commander lays out MY Raid paths onto Targets for MAXIMUM DESTRUCTION upon the Targets. :twisted:

It is my intention to lay out Barrage Balloon defenses historically as to August 1940 numbers, best that I can,
and in a competent military fashion!

Also, to deter the LW Commander Artificial Intelligence, as well as evil human Commanders such as myself.

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Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

Note!

In the last picture, I showed the location of the BIG rail yard at Eastleigh.
Now, rail yards are not Strategic Targets in BoBII.
Even so.. in July and August of 1940, the British considered that the rail yard at Eastleigh was SO IMPORTANT as to assign it:
- 16 x 40mm Bofors guns.
- 1 Fight of 9 barrage balloons.

No other place in all of England was rated "as to importance" to have 16 40mm Bofors guns for protection.
It was, and still is, a HUGE rail yard, very important for the transportation of goods around the Ilse.

Never the Less! It is not a strategic Target in the BoBII war game.

Therefore.. I transferred the (Eastleigh) 16 40mm Bofors guns up to the Castle Bromwich factory which was producing Spitfires. :twisted:
I used to have them Bofors firing at Eastleigh, but they did not contribute to the defense of the BoBII RAF Campaign war game.
Better used elsewhere. The balloons, too.

I am currently limited as to how many AA guns and Barrage Balloons that I can place in game.
Hence my need to transfer such resources from places where they are not doing a god damned thing in the Campaign, to places where they are desperately needed.

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Re: Balloon Command

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Moving on to the Bristol Barrage balloon defenses.
I am damned sure to change this bad situation.

1. The Barrage Balloons are protecting NOTHING! I want them to protect the aircraft factories, especially that one that makes Merlin engines.
2. Bristol Docks is mis-placed as to true location. The Rowan mapping is terribly made around Bristol. PV may fix that when he feels like flailing himself upon his back!
3. The bloody damned balloons interfere with airfield operations out of, and into Filton airfield.
I see my Squadron taking off from Filton and BING! BAM! BOOM! ... 3 of my Squadron mates get their wings sheared off by the bloody balloon cables!
I have had enough of that! :evil: Going to transfer some BB Flights down to Yeovil and the Westlands Spitfire Parts factory where they are needed,
and do not interfere with fighter airfield operations!

Image

Bombing Bristol Aero Engine at Low Level 2000 feet, with 2 Gruppen of Ju88s, Bomb In Trail orders, and all Staffeln in Column of Attack formation,
or what I call the Gladius Gut-Thrust or the Rapier-Thrust, method of bombing B-52G sword play.

Image

Note some of the new "blown away - target debris" textures that Geoff123 and I made. Flattened Gaps in the factory structure from previous Raids and bombing.
This was the 3rd time I bombed it. And the last time! :twisted:
Also I blew away two of Filton Airfield's Triple Belfast Hangars with (usual) bombing over shoot :) (which the hangars more properly BELONGED to Bristol Aero Engine Factory, I think?)

Image

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Re: Balloon Command

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As Balloon Commander, and moving balloons around, or transferring them to better places..
I had to look at Filton airfield and the Squadron that may be there, and how it operates.

Oh My Gawd! Hell's Belles! My old coordinates have the Squadron on Take Off in a ditch!

Image

My fault.
PV changed the terrain here for v2.13. He told me that he changed some of Filton airfield.
I failed to check out my Filton Take Off & Landing operations after he did that. :oops:

I am a sorry sort to let that be.

OK! I fixed that. :)
I changed the MAINWLD coordinates so that a Squadron will now take off (and land) into the prevailing westerly winds. From the east end of the field.
Yellow dot is where the Squadron leader goes on take off,
and where all of the Squadron lands toward, and upon landing, turns around, and taxis back back to original re-fueling re-arming positions.
There are some pesky runway trucks moving around. I avoided them.
CLEAR THE AIRFIELD OF THE BLOODY TRUCKS! Squadron Leader radios to Tower.
AND TELL THEM CLOWNS AT BRISTOL TO HAUL DOWN THEIR BLOODY BALLOONS!!! Squadron Leader yells at Tower.

Image

So... I hauled down 3 Barrage Balloon Flights (9 balloons each Flight) and transferred them to Yeovil protecting the Westlands Spitfire Parts factory there.
Moved 3 BB Flights up and around the Filton aircraft factories, as close to them as I can and not interfere with Filton Airfield operations (yeah.. I checked it out so).
Moved 3 BB Flights down south a bit away from Filton Airfield operations, for Bristol Docks, hopefully not in the way of fighters.
Also moved Bristol Docks closer to where it actually was (but not exactly where God said it should be in the Holy Bible) :roll:
Ah! Bristol. Another neglected red-headed step-child?

Image

The 3 Barrage Balloon Flights I sent to Yeovil, I laid out all in a (very tight) screen for the Westlands aircraft factory.

Image

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next I shall transfer some Barrage Balloon Flights that are DOING NOTHING at London,
and transfer them to protect the fighter aircraft factories at Hucclecote-Brockworth and Castle Bromwich.

No Barrage Balloon Flights shall be WASTED doing nothing, or INTERFERING with fighter airfield operations!

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Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

Next I need 3 Barrage Balloon Flights (24 ballons) that were at the Hucclecote Gloster Hurricane aircraft factory, August, 1940.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Also I need some protection for the Castle Bromwich Spitfire factory which was producing Spitfires in summer of 1940, while still being under construction.
Specific Barrage Balloons numbers dedicated for Castle Bromwich defense I could not find.

The Birmingham Group of Barrage Balloons. August, 1940 :

NO. 31 (BALLOON BARRAGE) GROUP, BIRMINGHAM
(Air Commodore J. C. Quinnell)
No. 5 Balloon Centre, Sutton Coldfield
911 48 balloons West Bromwich
913 40 balloons Sutton Coldfield
No. 6 Balloon Centre, Wythall
914 40 balloons Northfield
915 40 balloons Rowkeath
916 32 balloons Coventry
917 24 balloons Coventry
No. 7 Balloon Centre, Alvaston, Derby
918 32 balloons Alvaston
No. 8 Balloon Centre, Fazakerley
919 52 balloons
(12 waterborne) Birkenhead
No. 9 Balloon Centre, Warrington
922 32 balloons Cuerdley
923 32 balloons Runcorn
949 32 balloons Crewe
No. 10 Balloon Centre, Manchester
925 40 balloons Manchester and Bowlee
926 40 balloons Bowlee

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Another website gives these August, 1940 figures:

No. 31 (BALLLON BARRAGE) GROUP, BIRMINGHAM.

(Air Commodore J. C. Quinnell)

Squadron Equipment Location

No. 5 Balloon Centre, Sutton Coldfield.

911 48 balloons West Bromwich
913 40 balloons Sutton Coldfield
962 24 balloons Milford Haven (9 waterborne)


No. 6 Balloon Centre, Wythall Near Alvechurch, Birmingham.

914 40 balloons Northfield
915 40 balloons Rowkeath
916 32 balloons Coventry
917 24 ballons Coventry


No. 7 Balloon Centre, Alvaston, Derby.

918 32 balloons Alvaston.


No. 8 Balloon Centre, Fazakerley, Liverpool.

919 52 balloons Birkenhead (12 waterborne)
921 48 balloons Fazakerley


No. 9 Balloon Centre, Warrington.

922 32 balloons Cuerdly
923 32 balloons Runcorn
949 32 balloons Crewe


No. 10 Balloon Centre, Bowlee, Manchester.

925 40 balloons Manchester & Bowlee
926 40 balloons Bowlee

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another website drills down a little deeper into known time to -Unknown time balloon numbers, and locations from 1939 to 1945.

Here I find this line, which is probably the the BB Squadron 913 that was protecting the new (and still under construction) Castle Bromwich Spitfire factory:

"No. 913 (County of Warwick) Balloon Squadron AAF Jan 1939 -Unknown 3 Flights of 8 balloons - Erdington / Sutton Coldfield, Chelmsford"

Erdington is between Birmingham and the Castle Bromwich factory, closer to Castle Bromwich.

-- So.. I think that Castle Bromwich had at least 24 Barrage Balloons in close proximity to the ALL IMPORTANT Spitfire factory at Castle Bromwich,
which during August, 1940, would be 913 Barrage Balloon Squadron.

Therefore shall they be placed!

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Again, due to my non-existent coding skill, I cannot make new Barrage Balloon Flights for BoBII. (we are short 20 Barrage Balloon Flights, of 9 balloons per Flight, by my count)
I can edit the MAINWLD file and transfer BB Flights around to different coordinates in the "bobworld" which is the BoBII world.
So that is all I can do. Transfer existing units to better places.

In the interest of BoBII being a historical simulation War Game,
if I see any Barrage Balloon Flights that are not doing a damned thing, to protect the Strategic Targets in the war game,
I will transfer them to places where they are more urgently needed, and may actually kill some of the enemy!

--------------

Let us look at the Organization Chart of the London Flights that are situated in places where they are not doing a damned thing! To contribute to the War Effort.
I see nine of them doing nothing.

The green letter ones will be transferred locally at London to better defensive places.

The yellow number ones will be transferred elsewhere.
1, 2, and 3 will go to the Hucclecote Gloster Hurricane factory.
4, 5, and 6 will go to the Castle Bromwich Spitfire factory.

Image

Transferred the London BB slackers, locally, or where they are truly needed.
Stripped away a lot of the West London Balloons protecting the Lords and palaces.
Screw the West London Lords and rich people palaces!
The East London Dock Workers and the Factory Workers are the true heart and strength of London, 1940!
The ones that are not already in the Army, Air Force, or Navy, or dead in France!
Pretty soon we will have to allow women The Right To Work! :shock:
Next thing you know, the ladies will demand Equal Pay For Equal Work! :evil:
AAAHHH!! The World is Coming To AN END!

Image

1, 2, and 3 BB Flights are now stationed at the Hucclecote-Brockworth aircraft factory. This was a big aircraft factory in 1927, I know.
Built up better for 1939. In 1945 it looked much the same as it did in 1939, but built up better.

This factory, like most aircraft factories during the Battle of Britain, was NEVER bombed by the Germans in 1940.

Other than Woolston Super Marine and maybe some other Itchen River factories, the Germans never bombed the aircraft factories.
Other than Castle Bromwich, the Germans knew where ALL of the aircraft factories were in 1937.
But... they never bombed all of them! :? :roll:
Stupid Nazis!

How can you win a strategic air war when you let the enemy easily produce new aircraft! :roll:

I laid out the Barrage Balloons around the Hucclecote factory in a "Screen & Net" fashion.
The Screen laid out as mine field to probable pathways to Target.
The Net placed close behind the Target to catch some that egress away from Target.

The Barrage Balloons are Mine Fields. Not very effective at stopping a determined Assault.
They were visible mine fields, and the LuftWaffe pilots hated the damned things! :evil:
Discouraged them when flying thru them.
If the LW knew that balloon cables were around a Target, then the fact that it made the LuftWaffe attack at a higher and less accurate bombing altitude,
to avoid them, then the Barrage Balloons served their purpose. :)

Image

Likewise I laid out the 913 Squadron of 27 barrage balloons in three Flights around Castle Bromwich in a "Screen and Net" fashion.
Knowing how the LW will bomb this place, either the AI,
or me.. the (Manual Hands On) Commander that has bombed it at low level many many times.
Probable Flight Paths.

Image

I put one BB Flight screen very close to the Target. Maybe some BB Cables impinging upon the airfield just east of the factory.
I try not to place balloons too near to any airfields.
Know that ALL aircraft factories did have airfields right next to them,
except Kingston Hawker which trucked the (sub-assembled) Hurricanes on trucks to
Brooklands Hawker airfield where the wing sub-assemblies were attached to the fuselage sub-assemblies.

In all... cases with Barrage Balloons, they can be winched down to ground, so as not to interfere with air operations.

The RAF pilots hated these Barrage Balloons just as much as the LW pilots did. :P
Bloody nasty things!

###############################################################################################################

Ring-a Ling!
"Leftenant Smith here, Nine-One-Three Duty."
"Captain Jones here, Castle Bromwich Air Operations. We have 3 Spitfires ready to fly to new duty stations. I want all Nine-One-Three BBs hauled down immediately. 20 minutes!"
"Yes Sir! Captain. Upon confirmed grounding I shall call you back!"
"Very well!"
..................17 minutes later
Ring-a-Ling!
"Captain Jones here."
"Leftenant Smith here, Sir! BBs are on the ground. Air clear, and confirmed!"
"Thank you Smitty. I'll call you when you can raise them up again."
"Very well, John.. err.. I mean, Sir!"

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Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

Some Barrage Balloon pictures.
I am curious, and look for such minor minutiae things.

This one is called "Close Hauled". Winched down to a truck.
Maybe for re-deployment, or maybe because the balloons are interfering with airfield operations!

Image

This photo was un-named, but I call it "THE SMOKING LAMP IS OUT!"
Obviously a BB in the process of being filled with Hydrogen gas, which us oil refinery workers know is VERY EXPLOSIVE!!!

Is that man in the rain coat, little black hat, observing the operation.. Winston Churchill?
"Sir? Sir! Please put that cigar out, Sir? If you please? Smoking lamp is out, Sir!"
"Oh! Quite right!" Winston stomps on his cigar.

Image

Many Barrage Balloon Flights were operated by females, due to the shortage of males to flesh out new and desperately needed Rifle Battalions.
These WAAF lasses set about trying hard to prove that they can do anything that some swinging-dicks can do!

"What's for lunch Sergeant!?"
"Spam!"
.. ladies form up and march.. singing..

"SPAM! SPAM! SPAM!" . .
"WHAM BAM, THANK YOU MAAM!

"SPAM! SPAM! SPAM!" . .
"WHAM BAM, THANK YOU MAAM!

Image

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When I first looked at the old Rowan BoBII Barrage Balloon deployments at some Docks Targets, I wanted better defenses in some SEA spots.
Seek, and ye shall find!

Most of the Barrage Balloons defending Sheerness Naval Base were water-borne. Southampton had 10 water-borne BBs too.
Probably harder to man-handle & control BBs on the water on a little barge or boat, especially during high winds, so this was not the preferred method of deployment.
The pics below are all around Sheerness:

Image

Image

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Re: Balloon Command

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Being mechanically curious, I wanted some more info about the balloons
and how the winches that released them up, and hauled them down, operate.

This is from a WAAF that used to operate BBs. Makeup for the Balloon:

Image

Also from her, the operating parts of the standard Wild Kite, Mark IV Series I, Balloon Winch.

I took the Liberty of snagging two separate book photos, and cobbling them together, with my Paint Proggy,
for my better understanding of the mechanism.
I hate confusion!

Image

This from the best Resource available on the http://www.. about Balloon Command.
Balloon Barrage Reunion Club
http://www.bbrclub.org/index.html

So.. I see the theoretical drawing.. drawn as seen by mechanic monkey such as myself.
Thankyou! Balloon Barrage Reunion Club. :)

Image

Yes, I want the BIG PICTURE!
Not some fuzzy little dot!

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Location: Oahu, Hawai'i

Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

Now... it is my understanding the same basic Wild Kite Winch was used throughout 1940,
on different platforms, including Stationary, Water-Borne on Barges or Small Ships, and on mobile Truck chassis.

Let us look at the the Trucks. There were 2 Types:

1. Suss(X) Fordson Type E917T Winch Vehicle pre-war

2. Fordson Type WOT 1 (War Office Type 1)

This a Suss(X) Fordson Type E917T Winch Vehicle.
I can see where the Balloon Cable take-in storage Drum is. Obvious.

Image

Another Suss(X) Fordson Type E917T Winch Vehicle. Looking at the left side.

OK. I see the bollard and pretty sure where the diesel engine is under the cowl just behind the Truck cab.
(Where the man is trying to wear his cap at an EXTREMELY cocky angle :roll: is leaning on)
Hey! I wear my hard hat cocked at an angle too. No more than 7 degrees, tho. I don't want to look silly, and where the hard hat becomes useless.
Note the packed up Barrage Balloon on the rear Flat Bed.
Folding up a deflated balloon into a tightly rolled sausage is probably not something that the crew looked forward to doing. :evil:
"This is women's work!" I can hear the cocky hat guy complain.

Image

This is a later Fordson Type WOT 1 (War Office Type 1) Winch Vehicle.

Image

Here I can see:
- red dot. The diesel engine cowling.
- green dot. The Cable reel-in-out Drum Storage cowling.
- yellow dot. Cable gear boxes, clutches, brakes and associated mechanisms, cowling.
On the flat bed at rear is storage area for the folded Balloon for transport to deployment elsewhere. :wink:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well. I am done re-deploying Barrage Balloon Flights for the time being.
I moved 38 Barrage Balloon Flights around BoBworld, making better BB defenses.
Just takes a MAINWLD edit as to coordinates x,y, where they shall be placed "As God Intended Them To Be" :roll:

Oh! Yeah! I like trucks (and ships). When need to, just pack up.. and hit the Road to a new destination.
I have been accused of being a wandering foot loose & fancy free Gypsy!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now for my next project, being an ex-US Navy sailor, 6 years, I need to rebuild Portsmouth Naval Base,
which does not yet reflect reality as to my satisfaction.

Aloha!

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Trumper
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Joined: 17 Feb 2006, 18:06

Re: Balloon Command

Post by Trumper »

:) Thought of you today when i popped into Duxford Yes that is a genuine 109 in the background ;)


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stickman
BDG
Posts: 8754
Joined: 05 Nov 2004, 13:17
Location: Oahu, Hawai'i

Re: Balloon Command

Post by stickman »

Thought of you today when i popped into Duxford Yes that is a genuine 109 in the background
I am thinking that these very nice pictures are yours?

Very nice photos of side and rear where where the "business end" of this truck. :)

I see several photos of this Duxford truck on the web, though all showing the front end and cab, which is not what I wanted to see.

Thanks!

I'll bet that folding those balloons to fit into that little bag was not the favorite duty of those that served these balloons. :wink:

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Trumper
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Posts: 1788
Joined: 17 Feb 2006, 18:06

Re: Balloon Command

Post by Trumper »

:) Which part would you like to see ,i will do my best for you :)

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