Operation ALBINO:
Free balloon barrage
by Kent O'Grady
Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
Illustrated by Herman Van Dyk
Peabody, MA
This is from the Newsletter of The Lighter Than Air Sosiety (LTAS), Vol 48, No 3, March-April 2001.
It is provided here partly as OCR scans and partly as graphic scans. The OCR scan is thought to be quite accurate.
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Operation ALBINO:
Free balloon barrage
by Kent O'Grady
Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
Illustrated by Herman Van Dyk
Peabody, MA
This article complements one prepared by Herman Van Dyk dealing with balloons launched from England which appeared in the previous issue of Buoyant Flight (see "The British Balloon Offensive Against Continental Europe 1939- 1944," BF 48-2, p.2-8). The relevance of this material to Herman Van Dyk's investigations was not realized until after Herman finished his article, when I first became aware of his research on the matter. This material could not be integrated into that article, so it is now presented here.
The following document was located among military correspondence and files at the Directorate of History for the Department of National Defence, in Ottawa, Canada. The Directorate of History forms part of the National Archives of Canada, and is gratefully acknowledged for having supplied permission to reproduce these records. They were attached to correspondence pertaining to the defense of the Canadian Pacific Coast by proposed balloon barrages. The file location at the Directorate of History is 322.009(D657). Most of the files pertaining to balloons in WWII were declassified in the mid-to-late 1980s.
This is the first documentation that has surfaced for this researcher regarding "free" balloon barrages. The concept is similar to tethered barrage balloons, including the deployment of a parachute/bomb system which was actuated by an aircraft striking the trailing steel cable. Whereas only some tethered barrage balloon systems utilized a detaching cable parachute/bomb system, it seems that all balloons within the "free" barrage utilized such a bomb system.
No indication was given in the files as to the efficiency of the system. The fact that no data has been located elsewhere on this deployment might suggest it was not an effective means of defense. However, Mr. Van Dyk has observed that there was and continues to be considerable secrecy pertaining to these deployments. This may be due to embarrassment about a number of these balloons making landfall upon continental Europe causing damage and injury. Perhaps records in England have not been declassified for this reason. However, such sensitivities were obviously not apparent to Canadian officials who declassified the following document in Ottawa. The paper follows:
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Date: 8th September, 1941.
Ref. S/5278/65/Ops. SECRET
1. The attached copy of extracts from Fighter Command Operational Instruction No. 88 is forwarded for your information, and cancels this Headquarters letter of even reference dated 14th May, 1941.
Mark Morton G/C
for Air Vice-Marshall
Commanding, No. 16 Group,
Royal Air Force |
A British WW11 free-flying balloon barrage was intended to ensnare
attacking German bombers, such as the Heinkel He-1 11 shown
here. Air resistance on the large parachute would drag the bomb
into the airplane. Illustration courtesy Herman Van Dyk.
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FIGHTER COMMAND OPERATIONAL INSTRUCTION NO. 88
FREE BALLOON BARRAGE ("ALBINO")
INTENTION
2. Instead of its release, as heretofore, from a single area at Liverpool, it has been decided that the Free Balloon Barrage shall, when conditions permit, be released from any of seven areas as follows:
LONDON PORTSMOUTH HULL
BIRMINGHAM PLYMOUTH
BRISTOL LIVERPOOL
INFORMATION
Characteristics of Balloon Barrage
3. (i) The Free Balloon Barrage consists of small hydrogen balloons 10 feet in diameter trailing a thin steel wire 2,000 feet long. At the top end of this wire there is an explosive mine, and at the bottom end a parachute. On impact a weak link breaks beneath the balloon which is freed, the parachute at the bottom end of the steel wire opens and drags the mine down to the aircraft, where it explodes on contact.
(ii) The balloons can be adjusted at the time of release to fly between 13,400 feet and 28,000 feet
(iii) The balloons are self -destroying:
(a) By the adjustment of a fuse to fire at 1, 2, 3, or 4 hours after release.
(b) If the balloon falls to 12,000 feet after reaching its intended operational height.
(iv) The balloons are released from a number of sites in each of the areas mentioned in para. 2 above. The number varies from 114 sites in London to 25 sites in Plymouth.
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Prohibited Areas
4. Prohibited Areas, as defined in Appendix "A" have been fixed round each of the release areas mentioned in para. 2 above. it will be seen that these approximate to Gun Defended Areas.
5. Prohibited Areas will be in force at all times at night unless "Albino" has been cancelled.
6. When in force, friendly aircraft are prohibited from flying at night at any height over these areas because of the danger from balloons rising after release.
Conditions of Release
7. The release of balloons will be related to the movements of our bombers so as not to endanger them. Allowing a margin of safety of 1,000 feet below the lowest height at which the wires will trail (this will be 10,000 feet since the balloon destroys itself at 12,000 feet) our bombers should be safe at 9,000 feet and below except in "prohibited areas" during the time when the balloons are being released from then (see para. 9 below).
Duration of Danger over Any One Area During Release
9. According to the number of balloons released, the duration of release from any one area will vary up to a maximum of 4 and 1/2 hours. During this period the prohibited area concerned will be lethal.
EXECUTION
Action Following Order to Release
14. Immediately after the order to release has been passed to Balloon Command, the Duty Night Operations Staff Officer will inform:
Headquarters of all Fighter Groups Headquarters Bomber Command Headquarters Coastal Command Headquarters Flying Training Command Headquarters Army Co-operation Command Headquarters Maintenance Command Headquarters Anti-Aircraft Command
R.A.H.A.S.
Duty Group captain, Air Ministry (Whitehall)
Headquarters No. 70 Group
Headquarters No. 71 Group
M. L. S.
Controller
War Room at Headquarters Fighter Command
A. M. L. 0.
STOPPING OF RELEASE
16. The normal release will be 80 balloons from each site at the rate of 20 balloons per hour.
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