Squadron Abbreviations

[panda124c]

ORIGINAL: Feinder

Yeah, I saw the same article Elf (courtesy of Knavey). Scarey... Funny...

It's all the same.
-F-

Oh I don't know about that, a ZO squadron with a 24 hour loiter time and the Radar antenna "in the Bag" would have a wonderful view over the horizon particular if it was an UZO (Unmanned Lighter-than-air Observation).
[:D]

[cassius44]

A fun mod would be to incorporate the ZRCVs - the zeppelin aircraft carriers: Snenandoah, Akron, Macon, and Los Angeles. Note that these airships were actually commissioned as USS - United States Ships.

As ZRCVs, carried HTA fighters. Concept in the 20s was long-distance air attacks across the Pacific, much like Moorcock's fantasies. In one case, they mock-raided Prez FDR a 1,000 miles off the coast when no other aircraft could do that.

Does anyone know if these are in WPO? (Haven't checked it out yet).

Ideally, there should be some squadrons of blimps in WitP. Claim to fame: no ship was lost to submarine activity that was escorted by an airship during WW2!

As for modern times - the 24 hr stay time for a radar platform is very appealing! Navy almost brought them back several times.

Germans had another go commerically recently, but didn't fly! [;)]

Finally, Navy aviator insignia for a "Naval Balloonist" has half-a-wing. Rather funny to see.

[Tankerace]

Nope, no Zepplin CVs in WPO, they were all commissioned in the early 1930's, just after WPO ends.

We are thinking about adding blimps, but are pondering every possible method of adding them. (where they work good, and not unrealistically).

[YankeeAirRat]

There are a bunch of radar blimps that operate just like that out in the Flordia Keys and used to be stationed at various points along the Gulf Coast. They were/are operated by the DEA and the US Border Patrol to catch low flying smugglers. If I remember right they were about the size of a WW2 barge ballon and had either a radar from an E-2 or an F-16 in them and were tethered into location and reported to a tracking station.

ORIGINAL: pbear

ORIGINAL: Feinder

Yeah, I saw the same article Elf (courtesy of Knavey). Scarey... Funny...

It's all the same.
-F-

Oh I don't know about that, a ZO squadron with a 24 hour loiter time and the Radar antenna "in the Bag" would have a wonderful view over the horizon particular if it was an UZO (Unmanned Lighter-than-air Observation).
[:D]

[ctangus]

Thanks for the link Gary.

---

I know for a fact that blimps were regularly used on ASW patrol off the east coast. Anyone know if they were used in the PTO?

[ChezDaJez]

I read an article in a professional periodical at work the other day that says we, the Navy, are bringing back the lighter than air community. Scary.

They've been saying that for years. The thinktanks say that the navy could save millions a year in fuel costs.

The trouble is that their is no mission they can do that no other type craft can't do better. They are very much subject to the whims of the weather. A head wind kills their speed to virtually nothing. They can stay out for a long time but they just don't have the speed to respond to significant tactical changes. Plus an enemy submarine equipped with a modified SubSam could take them out without them ever knowing what hit them.

Plus if they were such a good low-cost alternative, I would think nations that don't have a large military budget would have already begun using them.

I just don't see it ever happening here. Just my opinion of course.

Chez

[bradfordkay]

I read an article in a professional periodical at work the other day that says we, the Navy, are bringing back the lighter than air community. Scary.

They need someplace for those politicians who want to get back in the sky. These guys will provide their own lift...

[diesel7013]

Actually,

There was a great article in either Pop Sci or Pop Mech that delt with Lighter than Air for the US Military and I have an uncle who works in the aerospace industry as a designer / eng and is working on those progjects...

Right now - they have designs for airships that can sortie above a target higher than almost any surface to air missle can target... also, the blimps are designed with composites to make them invisible to radar, ect... they can then drop LGB at will over a target or target for other ordenance... The ability to orbit over a target like Iraq for an unlimited time period and use high powered optics make them a great addition to Predator planes, ect...

The article was very interesting and made some very good points - also my uncle has hinted at some very impressive capabilities...

[diesel7013]

Also - to the reply about low cost - these would really be high cost high altitude craft - not the low level sub hunters of Post WWI era... Not something many 2nd or 3rd world counties could use or afford to build.
To be realistic, they would have to be survivable in todays environment, and when you think of WWI blimps - no way man, game over...

[Feinder]

Yeah, but which one, the Eagle Driver or the Blimp Driver, get's to brag about his ride to a prospective hottie...

-F-

[Cutman]

YankeeAirRat,

Yes, your exactly right! I worked with the tethered balloons (aerostats) down in Key West and they are using them a little in Iraq. They work extremely well when there is no weather. When the wind gets more than 30 nts they bring them down. They tend to blow away alot too or get the cables crossed when going up/down. When they break they are normally break down for months. They are not relible at all. What is really funny l is when they blow away from there teathers and we have to shoot them down with fighters! It has happened 3-4 times that I have seen.

Cutman

[Feinder]

[quoteThey are not relible at all. What is really funny l is when they blow away from there teathers and we have to shoot them down with fighters! ][/quote]

That's too funny. I wonder if the count them as "kills" like they did in WW1...

[:D]

-F-

[Cutman]

Feider,

The controllers actually did. I made the Marines hang up a picture of a blimp with the x accross like the fighters pilots do. What was really cool was getting to see the gun camera video from the shootdown.

Cutman

[ChezDaJez]

Right now - they have designs for airships that can sortie above a target higher than almost any surface to air missle can target... also, the blimps are designed with composites to make them invisible to radar, ect... they can then drop LGB at will over a target or target for other ordenance... The ability to orbit over a target like Iraq for an unlimited time period and use high powered optics make them a great addition to Predator planes, ect...

I don't put much stock into what Pop Sci or Pop Mech says. They have also said that a 1000' long military stealth blimp was being tested in 1999 at Area 51. Where do you hide a 1000' long blimp? A 1000' long hangar would be a dead giveaway.

Regardless, the problem still remains that regardless of altitude, they would still be vulnerable to antiaircraft systems even with stealth technology incorporated. Hell, even a fighter with cannons would be a threat. These things would have to be very big to house the multiple crews, electronics, food, sleeping quarters, galleys, etc, etc. There is no way you are going to be able to hide it, stealth technology or not.

And the question that really needs to be answered is what mission can they fulfill better than what we have now? They just are not feasible in a combat zone when you have satellites, AWACS, J-STARS and a host of other platforms available. Being able to stay onstation a very long time is not necessarily a benefit.

Chez

[panda124c]

The French are using at least one blimp over the Channel to look for smugglers the radar dish is actually located in the gas bag. The ballons in S. Florida are using the F16 Look Down Shoot Down radar. This is to see small low flying aircraft, they have been working on this since the Cuban Mig 17 showed up in the landing pattern of Homestead Air Force Base (TAC formerly SAC) before anyone noticed it. [:-]