Joint USAAF/USN Balloon Project

[DivePac88]

Here is another joint USAAF and USN project that I have come across;

In late 1944 the now Lieutenant General B Affleck (later Vice Admiral) put a proposal before the Joint Chiefs in Washington. This proposal was to equip high attitude balloons with incendiary bombs, and to launch them in the Mid-Pacific so they would float toward Japan. These balloons were designed to release their bombs when they were over Mid-Japan, which was known to be heavy forested. It was hoped that the incendiary bombs would cause large forest fires, putting strain on the Japanese economy. The Balloons were duly built, and taken to the mid-Pacific were they were launched from a Aircraft Carrier. But it was found that these balloons traveled the wrong way when launched, because the prevailing winds at this latitude West to East.

Here is a picture of the launching of one of the balloons I managed to track-down:



[;)]

[GB68]

Hmmmmm...??

A cunning plan indeed!!

But seeing as the balloon is being launched from CV-45, USS Valley Forge, which wasn't commissioned until late 1946 makes me think someone is a Photoshop junkie[;)]

Also, I believe Affleck was the rank of Field Marshal by late '44.[:D]

[rockmedic109]

Actually, you are reading the disinformation about this project.  It was really a super-secret Naval Damage Control Project to assist DC teams in keeping a ship afloat by the reduction of ship displacement through artificially lightening the ship.  The main drawback was that they used Hydrogen and not helium for the balloons.  This resulted in a fire during the only field test ran, aboard the U.S.S. Franklin.  History Channel has special on this tonight.  It is hosted by B. Afleck.

[stuman]

This B Afleck was quite impressive. Is he the one that went on to head up the Roswell project involving, well you know .....

[LST Express]

I thought it was a jellyfish trying to eat a carrier.[;)]

[pad152]

That pic is not from WWII, notice the catapults on the deck for Jets. CV45 is the Valley Forge, build at the end of 1946.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Valley_Forge_(CV-45)

Valley Forge remained engaged in operations with TG Alpha through the early fall of 1959, when she then entered the New York Naval Shipyard for repairs. The ship returned to sea on 21 January 1960, bound for maneuvers in the Caribbean. During her ensuing operations, the carrier served as the launching platform for Operation Skyhook. This widely publicized scientific experiment involved the launching of three of the largest balloons ever fabricated, carrying devices to measure and record primary cosmic ray emissions at an altitude of between 18 and 22 mi (29 and 35 km) above the Earth's surface.

[Central Blue]

ORIGINAL: pad152

That pic is not from WWII, notice the catapults on the deck for Jets. CV45 is the Valley Forge, build at the end of 1946.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Valley_Forge_(CV-45)

Valley Forge remained engaged in operations with TG Alpha through the early fall of 1959, when she then entered the New York Naval Shipyard for repairs. The ship returned to sea on 21 January 1960, bound for maneuvers in the Caribbean. During her ensuing operations, the carrier served as the launching platform for Operation Skyhook. This widely publicized scientific experiment involved the launching of three of the largest balloons ever fabricated, carrying devices to measure and record primary cosmic ray emissions at an altitude of between 18 and 22 mi (29 and 35 km) above the Earth's surface.

Operation Skyhook was the codename the Rebel Alliance gave to the operation to steal the plans of the Death Star. The balloons were made by one Otto C. Wintzen, who did some research with another balloonist by the name of Jean Piccard.

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: DivePac88

Here is another joint USAAF and USN project that I have come across;

In late 1944 the now Lieutenant General B Affleck (later Vice Admiral) put a proposal before the Joint Chiefs in Washington. This proposal was to equip high attitude balloons with incendiary bombs, and to launch them in the Mid-Pacific so they would float toward Japan. These balloons were designed to release their bombs when they were over Mid-Japan, which was known to be heavy forested. It was hoped that the incendiary bombs would cause large forest fires, putting strain on the Japanese economy. The Balloons were duly built, and taken to the mid-Pacific were they were launched from a Aircraft Carrier. But it was found that these balloons traveled the wrong way when launched, because the prevailing winds at this latitude West to East.

Here is a picture of the launching of one of the balloons I managed to track-down:



[;)]

Is he included in Patch 2? [;)]

[LargeSlowTarget]

ORIGINAL: Central Blue

ORIGINAL: pad152

That pic is not from WWII, notice the catapults on the deck for Jets. CV45 is the Valley Forge, build at the end of 1946.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Valley_Forge_(CV-45)

Valley Forge remained engaged in operations with TG Alpha through the early fall of 1959, when she then entered the New York Naval Shipyard for repairs. The ship returned to sea on 21 January 1960, bound for maneuvers in the Caribbean. During her ensuing operations, the carrier served as the launching platform for Operation Skyhook. This widely publicized scientific experiment involved the launching of three of the largest balloons ever fabricated, carrying devices to measure and record primary cosmic ray emissions at an altitude of between 18 and 22 mi (29 and 35 km) above the Earth's surface.

Operation Skyhook was the codename the Rebel Alliance gave to the operation to steal the plans of the Death Star. The balloons were made by one Otto C. Wintzen, who did some research with another balloonist by the name of Jean Piccard.

No, this was a different operation. It involved USS Long Island, not the USS Valley Forge.

(I don't claim credit for the pic, it has been published here before but I forgot the name of the original poster).

[Bradley7735]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

ORIGINAL: Central Blue

ORIGINAL: pad152

That pic is not from WWII, notice the catapults on the deck for Jets. CV45 is the Valley Forge, build at the end of 1946.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Valley_Forge_(CV-45)

Valley Forge remained engaged in operations with TG Alpha through the early fall of 1959, when she then entered the New York Naval Shipyard for repairs. The ship returned to sea on 21 January 1960, bound for maneuvers in the Caribbean. During her ensuing operations, the carrier served as the launching platform for Operation Skyhook. This widely publicized scientific experiment involved the launching of three of the largest balloons ever fabricated, carrying devices to measure and record primary cosmic ray emissions at an altitude of between 18 and 22 mi (29 and 35 km) above the Earth's surface.

Operation Skyhook was the codename the Rebel Alliance gave to the operation to steal the plans of the Death Star. The balloons were made by one Otto C. Wintzen, who did some research with another balloonist by the name of Jean Piccard.

No, this was a different operation. It involved USS Long Island, not the USS Valley Forge.

(I don't claim credit for the pic, it has been published here before but I forgot the name of the original poster).

This pic is an obvious fabrication. The X-wing should have it's X in the landing position, not in the attack position. No X-wing pilot would dare land with the X in attack position. The tail hook wouldn't even come close to catching the wire.

[Feltan]

ORIGINAL: LST Express

I thought it was a jellyfish trying to eat a carrier.[;)]

Interesting, I thought it was a condom for the sole U.S. Army soldier on board.

Regards,
Feltan

[comte]

Thats no incendiary baloon its a U.F.O.!

[eMonticello]

ORIGINAL: Bradley7735
This pic is an obvious fabrication. The X-wing should have it's X in the landing position, not in the attack position. No X-wing pilot would dare land with the X in attack position. The tail hook wouldn't even come close to catching the wire.

Hence, the landing accident. It reminds me of an Air Force guy I knew who forgot to extend his Sandy's wings before attempting to take off. Needless to say, he was extremely embarrassed.

(picture of a Sandy with it's wings folded)

http://skyraider.org/skyassn/skywarb/135332/135332.htm