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Balloons of World War II

Stuff You Missed in History Class

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The Incendiary Devices

The Admiralty used eight-foot weather balloons with an internal cord which tightened as the balloon inflated. These balloons were equipped with thin wires on timed fuses or with incendiary devices. The Air Ministry had some doubts that this was going to work, and there were also people who really thought this entire idea was un-sporting. At the right altitudes, prevailing winds went from west to east, meaning that Britain could float balloons to Germany but probably couldn't float them back.

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