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Release date: October 23, 2023

Original publication: Washington: Government Printing Office, 1918

BALLOON OBSERVATION and INSTRUCTIONS

on the subject of

WORK IN THE BASKET

? A free translation of the French booklet "Instructions au sujet du Travail en Nacelle," and an added discourse on Balloon Observations

WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE AUGUST, 1918

BALLOON OBSERVATION.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

In this pamphlet will be laid down the general principles and also the limitations which govern observation from balloons. Balloon observation includes more than actual artillery observation.

The details of cooperation between balloons and artillery are issued from time to time by the General Staff in the form of pamphlets. Whatever the system ordered at the time, there are certain principles which do not change.

In artillery observation it can not be emphasized too strongly that success depends both on--

The limitations of balloon observation are--

Distance from the target is inevitable, but can be lessened by advanced positions and winch tracks. During active operation it has sometimes been possible to approach balloons within 4,500 meters of the line.

The low height of the balloon compared with an aeroplane is a drawback, as it brings a question of dead ground and exaggerated perspective.

Visibility is the determining factor of the balloon's usefulness. In very high winds, very misty or cloudy weather, observation is impossible, and owing to its stationary nature the balloon can not, by any special effort on the part of its observers, overcome unfavorable conditions in the same way as is possible in the case of aeroplane observation.

On the other hand, a balloon flying at a height of 1,500 meters and 7,000 meters from the line, under favorable weather conditions, combines in a marked degree many of the advantages of air and ground observation.

In the first place, glasses can be used. Secondly, the balloon observer can converse direct with the battery commander by telephone. Apart, therefore, from ease and certainty in reporting observations, the telephone system enables an elastic program of work to be drawn up and admits of personal conversation between the battery commander and the observer, often permitting mistakes or misunderstandings to be cleared up during shoot instead of afterwards.

Finally, owing to the continuous nature of his observation from the same spot, the balloon observer is able to learn his country in the greatest detail and can keep a close watch on suspected roads or areas of country.

LIAISON BETWEEN BALLOONS AND ARTILLERY

The work of balloons is principally with the artillery, and close liaison between these two branches is indispensable if the best results are to be obtained. This close liaison should be promoted on the following lines:

Balloon companies should each, as far as possible, be allotted specific artillery organizations. This facilitates telephone communication, prevents duplication of liaison work, and leads to a far more intimate and personal liaison than does any other method.

Balloon observers must visit batteries frequently, and sometimes be attached for short periods. Shoots should be discussed, especially if unsuccessful. Observers should prepare and take with them when visiting batteries a list of targets which are clearly visible from the balloon and on which they can observe effectively. Similarly, artillery commanders should let balloon observers know of any further targets which they especially wish to engage, as work previously prepared on the ground saves time and gives better results.

Artillery officers should visit the balloon and make ascents. They will thus become acquainted with the extent of view from the balloon and the ability and difficulties of the observers.

EMPLOYMENT OF BALLOONS.

In view of the above, the work most suitable for balloons is as follows:

GENERAL SURVEYANCE OF ENEMY'S ACTIVITIES.

Reporting modifications of enemy defensive organization; detecting movements of convoys and trains. Their importance and itineraries, locating infantry signals, and all other activities such as revealed by fires, smokes, dust, trails, etc.

Spotting active hostile batteries and reporting hostile shelling. Reporting hostile shelling is a duty for which balloons are especially suitable, as they are favorably situated to observe both the flash of the gun and the fall of the shell. From this information it is possible to direct not only neutralizing fire on the hostile battery, but often also to establish the caliber of the guns and the arc of fire of the battery.

RANGING AND ADJUSTING OF FIRE.

Observing fire for destruction on all targets, counterbattery, or bombardment.

Reporting fleeting targets and observing fire on them.

Observing for registration fire.

Observing fire on the enemy's communications.

Cooperation with aeroplanes.

WORK IN THE BASKET.

The rapidity and precision of the work in the basket depend not only on the natural gifts of the observer, but also very largely on his methods of work.

The object of the following instructions is to tell the student observers the general methods they should follow and to explain the use of these methods.

The principal operations which they must be able to execute rapidly are as follows:

ORIENTATION AND GENERAL RECONNAISSANCE OF THE TERRAIN.

This is the operation which the observer executes on his first ascension in a new sector; this is how it should be conducted.

This is done by finding in some direction from the ascensional point a line giving an easily identified direction . Orient the map so as to make this line on the map parallel to the line on the ground.

The map can also be oriented by means of the compass.

The observer may know already the winch position, but the balloon is carried off horizontally from the winch sometimes as much as 400 or 500 meters . Thus it is essential not to confuse the winch position with the horizontal projection of the balloon. If this is done, errors will be made in the operations which we are going to discuss later, where we make use of this known point.

It is pretty hard to materialize definitely the vertical line passing through the basket. The effect of the wind and the movements of the balloon make it impossible to use a plumb line. The observer has to find his projection on the ground by leaning first from one side of the basket and then from the other in order to diminish the chances of error. An approximation of 25 or 50 meters is sufficiently accurate for the general reconnaissance which it is necessary to make.

There are two methods--by the process of cheminement or tracing landmarks and by the process of direct alignment.

We call the "alignment" of a point the trace, on the terrain, of the vertical plane passing through this point and through the eye of the observer; in perspective vision, when the observer determines the point in question, this alignment would appear to him a vertical line. On the map it is nothing more than the straight line joining the point under consideration to the vertical projection of the balloon.

This first reconnaissance is not to study the terrain in all its details, but only to fix in the memory a certain number of prominent points scattered throughout the sector in order to facilitate later work.

These points should be very distinct, visible to the naked eye, and of characteristic forms, so that there will be no danger of confusing them with others--masses of woods, important villages, etc. Roads with borders of trees, large paths for hauling supplies, when taken together, are very valuable for quickly finding others.

SPOTTING OF POINTS.

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