Before modern times could Hot Air Balloons have been used in wars?

Question

Think about it in the 1800s they had them and a musket ball wouldn't make it that high to penetrate said balloon.

Is the basket was big enough it could carry supplies and soldiers to vantage points.

Do you think they could have been used if so effectively ?

Answer 1

The Germans used Zepelins in WWI and the US and, probably, the Brits used blimps in WWII.

Answer 2

Balloons with human passengers were invented in the 1780s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_ballooning

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Army_Balloon_Corps



The were used effectively in a reconnaisance role - by being high, you could see where the enemy lines were and see where they were moving behind trees and such. They were normally tethered so that they wouldn't float away.

They were also used in WWI and WWII.



The main problem is that they are restricted by wind direction - so you could not control where they went, so they were not really used offensively.



The invention of blimps gave balloons maneuverability - but they were still slow - and very large targets, so not much of an offensive weapon.

Answer 3

actually, commentary balloons interior the 1800's -like interior the Civil conflict for example - weren't all that best, in step with hazard one hundred yards or so. So it in all probability might have been hit by a rifle of the time. A "Kentucky long rifle" of the yank Revolution ought to shoot over two hundred yards IIRC. yet with a warm air balloon, all it could do is make a small hollow interior the balloon. It wasn't until you acquire hydrogen balloons like in WW1 you ought to truly shoot them down, using tracer bullets which ignited the gasoline.

Answer 4

They were used for observation as others have said.



Another use was in WWII when unmanned balloons were floated up high to force bombers to veer around target areas or get tangled up.



Also in WWII, Japan used balloons to drop fire bombs over the USA. Just set them loose in wind currents to float across the Pacific to the USA. The only fatalities from them were some children.

Answer 5

The first real use of reconnaissance balloons was in the Civil War and they were gas balloons (hydrogen), not hot air.



Hot air balloons are only practical in recen times because of the ability to carry flammable gas in pressurized containers.

Answer 6

Eh, I live in Albuquerque, and it's almost a daily occurrence that a hot air balloon lands in my back yard.. Considering their size, I think it would take more than a musket shot to down a balloon.



Heck, even if they didn't understand the technology, a hot air balloon would be menacing to them, which I think would be an effective tool in warfare..



Here's what my city looks like every October..



https://www.google.com/search?rlz=&q=balloon+fiesta&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=NizTUdGoIbP3yAGNtICIBw&biw=1152&bih=566&sei=OCzTUcjFPMjcyQGbqIGIDw

Answer 7

They were used as early as in ancient China, albeit only as signaling devices. They were used quite a bit in the American Civil War as reconnaissance craft.



They were not considered as offensive weapons mainly because there was no way to effectively maneuver them so that they could reliably and consistently hit targets.

Answer 8

Hot air balloons have been used by militaries for hundreds of years in primarily a reconnaissance role. They are even still used today.

Answer 9

No, because the cost of operating one would be too great considering the insignificant amount of weight early balloons could carry. it would take hundreds of balloons to even begin to haul enough cargo to make a difference in a supply chain.

Answer 10

They were actively used in the US Civil war. Mission? Recon & arty spotting.

Answer 11

They were used...



They were not very effective though...mostly because they can't be controlled very well