Balloon Command.


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 Renamed from No 30 Balloon Group on 1 November 1938, Balloon Command was strengthened by a further three Groups under the command of AVM O.T Boyd. The number of squadrons in each group varied from 8 to 16, with each squadron operating between 16 to 45 balloons. Balloon squadrons were numbered from 900 to 999.

 In total the Command operated approximately 1,400 balloons by July 1940, of which 450 were stationed in the London area. This number was increased to 2,748 (all theatres), by September 1941. All were mobile units with the balloons mounted on lorries or, in coastal areas, on ships.

 The number of aircraft actually destroyed by barage balloons during the battle was negligible. However, this was not their primary purpose. Set at an optimum altitude of 5,000ft the steel cables deterred low-level attacks forcing the bombers to a greater altitude where they came under fire from the AA batteries. In this respect they were highly successful.

A further, rather negative, aspect of barage balloons was that more friendly aircraft were brought down by balloon cables in 1940 than enemy intruders. Returning RAF aircraft, many damaged and low on fuel would suddenly appear at low altitude trying to find their way home. With no room to manoeuvre many flew into the cables with fatal results.

 Balloons had rather more direct success in 1944 when over 300 V1 flying bombs were destroyed by colliding with the steel cables.