A returning British observation balloon. A small army of men, dwarfed by the balloon, are controlling its descent with a multitude of ropes. They were employed as an aerial platform for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. The balloons were filled with hydrogen gas, whose flammable nature led to the destruction of hundreds of balloons on both sides. Typically, balloons were tethered to a steel cable attached to a winch that reeled the gasbag to its desired height (usually 1,000-1,500 metres) and retrieved it at the end of an observation session.

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Size: 3200px × 2623px
Location: France/Flanders
Photo credit: © De Luan / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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