Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 66 : Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1

Tethered balloons reached their zenith as a means of providing a stationary observation platform above the battlefield during World War I. It took a special breed of daredevil to take on such odds deep in enemy lines in order to destroy a balloon, with Balloon specialists such as Willy Coppens, Pierre Bourjade and Michel Coiffard rising to the challenge. This book covers the story of these 'balloon busters' from both sides in World War 1 through a mix of first-hand accounts and expert analysis, which compares tactics, theatres of operation, aircraft types and the overall odds for success. Text by Jon Guttman with illustrations by Harry Dempsey.

Contents

• A Not-So-Easy Target : Development of the Kite Balloon
• The Art of Balloon Busting : Anti-balloon Measures and Weapons 1914-1917
• Balloon Fever : The Aces and their Exploits 1916-1918
• Exuent Omnes : The Eclipse of Balloon Observation and of the Balloon Buster 1918-1945
• Appendices : Aces' Scores : Including Balloons Destroyed in a Single Sortie