Balloon carrier

Aballoon carrierorballoon tenderwas ashipequipped with aballoon,usually tied to the ship by aropeorcable,and usually used for observation. During the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, these ships were built to have the furthest possible view of the surrounding waters. After several experiments, the type became formalized in the early 1900s, but was soon to be superseded by the development ofseaplane carriersand regularaircraft carriersat the beginning ofWorld War I.

Early history

In 1849 theAustro-Hungariannaval shipSMSVulcanotook part in the firstaggressive use of balloons in warfare,^[1]^[2]serving as a balloon carrier (the precursor to theaircraft carrier)^[3]in the first offensive use ofair powerinnaval aviation.^[4]^[5]^[6]Austrian forces besieging Venice attempted to float some 200 paperhot air balloons,each carrying a 24- to 30-pound bomb that was to be dropped from the balloon with a time fuse over the besieged city. The balloons were launched mainly from land; however, some were also launched fromVulcano.The Austrians used smaller pilot balloons to determine the correct fuse settings. At least one bomb fell in the city; however, due to the wind changing after launch, most of the balloons missed their target, and some drifted back over Austrian lines and the launching shipVulcano.^[7]^[8]^[9]

Later, during theAmerican Civil War,about the time of thePeninsula Campaign,gas-filled balloonswere being used to perform reconnaissance onConfederatepositions. The battles turned inland into the heavilyforestedareas of theVirginia Peninsulawhere balloons could not travel. Acoal barge,theGeorge Washington Parke Custis,was cleared of alldeck riggingto accommodate thegas generatorsand apparatus of balloons. From this ship, professorThaddeus S. C. Lowe,Chief Aeronaut of theUnion Army Balloon Corps,made his first ascents over thePotomac Riverandtelegraphedclaims of his successful aerial venture. Other barges were converted to assist with the other military balloons transported about the eastern waterways. None of these Civil War craft ever sailed on the high seas. A Confederate balloon carrier, theCSS Teaser,was in service from 1861 to 1862 before being captured by the Union Navy.

In 1913 the Spanish engineerLeonardo Torres Quevedodesigned a new type of boat called "Camp-Vessel", which allowed the transport ofdirigible balloonsattached to amooring post.He offered the patent to theBritish Army,but the project was dismissed. In 1922, theSpanish Navyconstructed an airship carrier calledDédalo,which served during theRif War.^[10]^[11]

Types

Balloons launched from ships led to the formal development of balloon carriers, or balloon tenders, duringWorld War I,by thenaviesofGreat Britain,France,Germany,Italy,Russia,andSweden.About 10 such balloon tenders were built with their main objective being aerial observation posts. These ships were eitherdecommissionedor converted toseaplane tendersafter the War.^[12]

References

^John Buckley (2006).Air Power in the Age of Total War.Routledge. p. 43.ISBN 978-1-135-36275-1.
^Alan McKenna (2016).The Future of Drone Use: Opportunities and Threats from Ethical and Legal Perspectives.Springer. p. 355.ISBN 978-94-6265-132-6.
^Philip Kaplan (2013).Naval Aviation in the Second World War.Pen and Sword. p. 19.ISBN 978-1-4738-2997-8.
^Richard P. Hallion (2003).Taking Flight: Inventing the Aerial Age, from Antiquity through the First World War.Oxford University Press. p.66.ISBN 978-0-19-028959-1.
^R. D. Layman (1996).Naval Aviation in the First World War: Its Impact and Influence.Naval Institute Press. p.56.ISBN 978-1-55750-617-7.
^Stephen L. Renner (2016).Broken Wings: The Hungarian Air Force, 1918-45.Indiana University Press. p. 2.ISBN 978-0-253-02339-1.
^Justin D. Murphy (2005).Military Aircraft, Origins to 1918: An Illustrated History of Their Impact.ABC-CLIO. pp. 9–10.ISBN 978-1-85109-488-2.
^F. Stansbury Haydon (2000).Military Ballooning During the Early Civil War.The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp.18–20.ISBN 978-0-8018-6442-1.
^Mikesh, Robert C. "Japan's World War II balloon bomb attacks on North America." (1973).
^Patentes de invención de Don Leonardo Torres Quevedo,España Registro de la Propiedad Industrial, 1988. ISBN 84-86857-50-3
^Francisco A. González Redondo.Airships on board: the history of the 'Airships Carrier', 1913-1922,pp.116-122, Flights of Fact and Fantasy, 2018.
^"Sandcastle V.I. - Carriers: Airpower at Sea - The Early Years / Part 1".sandcastlevi.

[1] John Buckley (2006).Air Power in the Age of Total War.Routledge. p. 43.ISBN 978-1-135-36275-1.

[2] Alan McKenna (2016).The Future of Drone Use: Opportunities and Threats from Ethical and Legal Perspectives.Springer. p. 355.ISBN 978-94-6265-132-6.

[Kaplan-3] Philip Kaplan (2013).Naval Aviation in the Second World War.Pen and Sword. p. 19.ISBN 978-1-4738-2997-8.

[Hallion-4] Richard P. Hallion (2003).Taking Flight: Inventing the Aerial Age, from Antiquity through the First World War.Oxford University Press. p.66.ISBN 978-0-19-028959-1.

[LaymanFirst-5] R. D. Layman (1996).Naval Aviation in the First World War: Its Impact and Influence.Naval Institute Press. p.56.ISBN 978-1-55750-617-7.

[RennerFirst-6] Stephen L. Renner (2016).Broken Wings: The Hungarian Air Force, 1918-45.Indiana University Press. p. 2.ISBN 978-0-253-02339-1.

[Murphy-7] Justin D. Murphy (2005).Military Aircraft, Origins to 1918: An Illustrated History of Their Impact.ABC-CLIO. pp. 9–10.ISBN 978-1-85109-488-2.

[Haydon-8] F. Stansbury Haydon (2000).Military Ballooning During the Early Civil War.The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp.18–20.ISBN 978-0-8018-6442-1.

[Mikesh-9] Mikesh, Robert C. "Japan's World War II balloon bomb attacks on North America." (1973).

[PatentesLTQ-10] Patentes de invención de Don Leonardo Torres Quevedo,España Registro de la Propiedad Industrial, 1988. ISBN 84-86857-50-3

[Redondo2018-11] Francisco A. González Redondo.Airships on board: the history of the 'Airships Carrier', 1913-1922,pp.116-122, Flights of Fact and Fantasy, 2018.

[sandcastlevi.com-12] "Sandcastle V.I. - Carriers: Airpower at Sea - The Early Years / Part 1".sandcastlevi.

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v t e Naval shipsandwarshipsin 19th and 20th centuries
Naval ship classes in service submarine auxiliary Operational zones Brown-water navy Green-water navy Blue-water navy Gun placement Broadside Central battery Casemate Turrets
Aircraft carriers	Amphibious assault ship Anti-submarine warfare carrier Balloon carrier Battlecarrier CAM ship Escort carrier Fighter catapult ship Fleet carrier Flight deck cruiser Helicopter carrier Interdiction Assault Ship Light aircraft carrier Merchant aircraft carrier Seaplane tender Supercarrier
Battleships	Coastal defence ship Dreadnought Fast battleship Pre-dreadnought battleship Super-dreadnought(Standard-type battleship) Treaty battleship
Cruisers	Aircraft cruiser Armored cruiser Battlecruiser Guided missile cruiser Heavy cruiser Pocket battleship Light cruiser Merchant raider Protected cruiser Scout cruiser Strike cruiser Torpedo cruiser Unprotected cruiser
Escort	Aviso Convoy rescue ship Destroyer Destroyer escort Destroyer leader Escort destroyer Escorteur Frigate Guided-missile destroyer Kaibōkan Radar picket Sloop
Transport	Amphibious transport dock Amphibious warfare ship Attack transport Dock landing ship Landing craft Landing craft carrier Landing Craft Support Landing Ship Heavy Landing ship, infantry Landing Ship Logistics Landing Ship Medium Landing Ship, Tank Landing Ship Vehicle Troopship
Patrol craft	Armed boarding steamer Armed yacht Coastal motor boat Corvette Gunboat Harbour defence motor launch Motor launch Naval drifter Naval trawler Ocean boarding vessel Patrol boat Q-ship Steam gun boat Submarine chaser Torpedo boat
Fast attack craft	E-boat MAS MGB Missile boat MTB MTM MTSM PT boat Shin'yō
Mine warfare	Danlayer Destroyer minesweeper Mine countermeasures vessel Mine planter Minehunter Minelayer Minesweeper
Command and support	Amenities ship Ammunition ship Auxiliary repair dock Auxiliary ship Collier Combat stores ship Command ship Crane vessel Depot ship Destroyer tender Dispatch boat Fast combat support ship General stores issue ship Hospital ship Joint support ship Naval tugboat Net laying ship Repair ship Replenishment oiler Submarine tender
Submarines	Attack submarine Ballistic missile submarine Coastal submarine Cruise missile submarine Cruiser submarine Deep-submergence vehicle DSRV Fleet submarine Human torpedo Midget submarine Submarine aircraft carrier U-boat Wet sub
Miscellaneous	Armed merchantman Arsenal ship Barracks ship Breastwork monitor Capital ship Drone carrier Flagship Floating battery Guard ship Littoral combat ship Monitor Mother ship River monitor Training ship
Related	Ship types Sailing vessels

Early history

Types

See also

References