List of World War I aviators who shot down one observation balloon

Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their near-suicidal fearlessness.^[1]

The crucial role of observation balloons

An observation balloon was both a vulnerable and a valuable target: the balloon was moored in a stationary position and was lifted by flammable hydrogen gas, whose use was necessitated by the scarcity of helium reserves among European powers. The observer, suspended in the wicker basket beneath, typically had a wireless transmitter, binoculars and/or a long-range camera. His job was to observe actions on the front-line and behind it, to spot enemy troop movements or unusual activity of any sort, and to call down artillery fire onto any worthwhile targets. Balloon Observers were consequently targets of great importance to both sides, especially before any sort of infantry action or offensive, so individual pilots, flights or whole squadrons were frequently ordered to attack balloons, either in an attempt to destroy them or at least disrupt their observation activities.^[1]

Due to their importance balloons were usually given heavy defenses in the form of anti-aircraft artillery and standing fighter patrols stationed overhead. Other defenses included surrounding the main balloon with barrage balloons; stringing cables in the air in the vicinity of the balloons; putting machine guns in gondolas for observers to use; and flying balloons booby-trapped with explosives that could be remotely detonated from the ground. These measures made balloons valuable but very dangerous targets to approach.^[1]

Although balloons were occasionally shot down by small-arms fire, generally it was difficult to shoot down a balloon with solid bullets, particularly at the distances and altitude involved. Ordinary bullets would pass relatively harmlessly through the hydrogen gas bag, merely holing the fabric. Hits on the wicker car could however kill the observer.^[1]

One method employed was the solid-fuelled Le Prieur rocket invented by Frenchman Lt. Yves Le Prieur and first used in April 1916. Rockets were attached to each outboard strut of a biplane fighter aircraft and fired through steel tubes using an electrical trigger. The rockets' inaccuracy was such that pilots had to fly very close to their target before firing.^[1]

It was not until special Pomeroy incendiary bullets and the Buckingham flat-nosed .45 calibre explosive bullet became available on the Western Front in 1917 that any consistent degree of success was achieved. Le Prieur rockets were withdrawn from service in 1918 once incendiary bullets had become available.^[1]

World War I aviators who shot down one observation balloon

The following list is accumulative and incomplete because it is a work in progress. It is compiled as biographies of flying aces are written, and still lacks some balloon busters.

Please feel free to {{Expand list}} by adding to it. Citations are requested for all additions, preferably to texts in Reference section.

Name	Origin	Balloon victories	Aircraft victories	Total
Paul Achilles	German	1	7	8[2]
Hans Ritter von Adam	German	1	20	21[2]
Edgar O. Amm	South African	1	9	10[3]
Leopold Anslinger	German	1	9	10[4]
Edward Dawson Atkinson	Irish	1	9	10[5]
Paul Aue	German	1	9	10[6]
Dietrich Averes	German	1	9	10[7]
Thomas Baker	Australian	1	11	12[8]
Albert Ball	English	1	43	44[8]
Ronald Bannerman	New Zealander	1	16	17[9]
Flavio Baracchini	Italian	1	20	21[10]
Andre Barcat	French	1	4	5[11]
John Lancashire Barlow	English	1	5	6[12]
Bernard Barny de Romanet	French	1	17	18[13]
Alan Duncan Bell-Irving	Canadian	1	6	7[14]
Arno Benzler	German	1	8	9[15]
Hans Berr	German	1	9	10[16]
Clement G. Boothroyd	English	1	11	12[17]
Geoffrey Hilton Bowman	English	1	31	32[18]
Christopher J. Q. Brand	South African	1	11	12[19]
Franz Brandt	German	1	9	10[20]
Frederick Britnell	English	1	8	9[21]
Sydney Brown	American	1	4	5[22]
Raymond Brownell	Australian	1	11	12[23]
Archibald Buchanan	American	1	6	7[22]
Harold Buckley	American	1	4	5[24]
George William Bulmer	American/Canadian	1	8	9[25]
Friedrich-Karl Burckhardt	German	1	4	5[26]
Ernesto Cabruna	Italian	1	7	8[27]
Walter M. Carlaw	Scottish	1	11	12[28]
Alfred Williams Carter	Canadian	1	16	17[29]
Lucien Cayol	French	1	4	5[30]
Andre J. Chainat	French	1	10	11[31]
Reed Chambers	American	1	6	7[32]
Jean Chaput	French	1	15	16[33]
Robert L. Chidlaw-Roberts	English	1	9	10[34]
Cecil Christian Clark	English	1	9	10[35]
Percy Jack Clayson	English	1	28	29[36]
Thomas Colvill-Jones	Anglo-Argentinian	1	10	11[37]
Antoine Cordonnier	French	1	4	5[38]
Alec Cunningham-Reid	English	1	6	7[39]
Hermann Dahlmann	German	1	6	7[40]
John Daley	English	1	5	6[41]
Xavier Dannhuber	German	1	10	11[42]
Edgar G. Davies	English	1	9	10[43]
Francis James Davies	English	1	11	12[43]
Pierre De Cazenove De Pradines	French	1	6	7[44]
François Delzenne	French	1	6	7[45]
Andre de Meulemeester	Belgian	1	10	11[46]
Noel de Rochefort	French	1	6	7[47]
Albert Deullin	French	1	19	20[48]
Marcel Marc Dhome	French	1	8	9[49]
Albert Dietlen	German	1	8	9[50]
Helmut Dilthey	German	1	6	7[50]
George Clapham Dixon	Canadian	1	8	9[51]
Gustave Douchy	French	1	8	9[52]
Christopher Draper	English	1	8	9[53]
Jean Dubois de Gennes	French	1	4	5[54]
André Dubonnet	French	1	5	6[55]
William Duncan	Canadian	1	10	11[56]
Raoul Echard	French	1	6	7[57]
Carl Frederick Falkenberg	Canadian	1	16	17[58]
Stefan Fejes	Austro-Hungarian	1	15	16[59]
George Buchanan Foster	Canadian	1	6	7[60]
Hans-Eberhardt Gandert	German	1	7	8[61]
Lucien Gasser	French	1	9	10[62]
John Inglis Gilmour	English	1	38	39[63]
Walter Göttsch	German	1	19	20[64]
Charles Gossage Grey	American	1	4	5[65]
Duncan Grinnell-Milne	English	1	5	6[66]
Kurt Gruber	Austro-Hungarian	1	10	11[67]
Gabriel Guerin	French	1	22	23[68]
Julien Guertiau	French	1	7	8[69]
Joseph-Henri Guiguet	French	1	4	5[70]
Hermann Habich	German	1	6	7[71]
Herbert Hamilton	English	1	6	7[72]
D'Arcy Fowlis Hilton	American	1	7	8[73]
George Stacey Hodson	English	1	9	10[74]
Frank Hudson	English	1	5	6[75]
Marcel A. Hugues	French	1	11	12[76]
David Ingalls	American	1	5	6[77]
Kurt Jacob	German	1	6	7[78]
Fritz John Jacobsen	German	1	7	8[79]
Lucien J. Jailler	French	1	11	12[80]
Arthur Gordon Jarvis	English	1	4	5[81]
Johannes Jensen	German	1	5	6[82]
Alan Jerrard	English	1	6	7[83]
Otto Jindra	Austro-Hungarian	1	8	9[84]
George Owen Johnson	Canadian	1	10	11[85]
James Ira Thomas Jones	Welsh	1	36	37[86]
Solomon Clifford Joseph	English	1	12	13[87]
Andrew Kiddie	South African	1	14	15[88]
Fritz Kieckhäfer	German	1	7	8[89]
Field Kindley	American	1	11	12[90]
Stefan Kirmaier	German	1	10	11[91]
Otto Kissenberth	German	1	19	20[92]
Herbert Knappe	German	1	8	9[93]
Alfred Koch	Canadian	1	9	10[94]
Harold Albert Kullberg	American	1	18	19[95]
Hans Kummetz	German	1	6	7[96]
William C. Lambert	American	1	17	18[97]
Reed G. Landis	American	1	11	12[98]
Maxime Lenoir	French	1	10	11[99]
André Robert Lévy	French	1	5	6[100]
Georges Lienhart	French	1	4	5[101]
George Lloyd	South African	1	7	8[102]
Walter H. Longton	English	1	10	11[103]
Frederic Ives Lord	American	1	11	12[104]
Ludwig Luer	German	1	5	6[105]
Malcolm MacLeod	Canadian	1	6	7[106]
Georges Madon	French	1	40	41[107]
Herbert Mahn	German	1	8	9[105]
Garnet Malley	Australian	1	5	6[108]
Mick Mannock	British	1	60	61[108]
Roy Manzer	Canadian	1	10	11[109]
Jean Matton	French	1	8	9[110]
Hugh Maund	English	1	7	8[111]
Ian Donald Roy McDonald	English	1	19	20[112]
Malcolm McGregor	New Zealander	1	10	11[113]
James Meissner	American	1	7	8[114]
Christian Mesch	German	1	12	13[115]
Karl Meyer	German	1 (Airship C17)	7	8[116]
Xavier Moissinac	French	1	6	7[117]
William Molesworth	Irish	1	17	18[118]
Paul Montange	French	1	4	5[119]
René Montrion	French	1	10	11[120]
Thomas Nash	English	1	7	8[121]
Ernest Norton	Welsh	1	8	9[122]
Charles Nuville	French	1	11	12[123]
Charles Walter Odell	English	1	6	7[124]
Augustus Paget	English	1	5	6[125]
Herbert A. Patey	English	1	10	11[126]
Charles Pelissier	French	1	4	5[127]
Edward Pennell	English	1	4	5[128]
Pier Piccio	Italian	1	23	24[129]
Franz Piechulek	German	1	13	14[130]
Constant Plessis	French	1	5	6[131]
François Portron	French	1	4	5[132]
Roger Poupon	French	1	7	8[133]
Stanley Asa Puffer	Canadian	1	6	7[134]
David Putnam	American	1	12	13[135]
Frank Granger Quigley	Canadian	1	32	33[136]
Lewis Hector Ray	Canadian	1	6	7[137]
Harold Redler	South African	1	9	10[138]
Victor Regnier	French	1	4	5[139]
Karl Ritscherle	German	1	7	8[140]
Paul Rodde	French	1	4	5[141]
Jean C. Romatet	French	1	6	7[142]
Otto Rosenfeld	German	1	12	13[143]
Herbert Rowley	English	1	8	9[144]
Theodor Rumpl	German	1	4	5[145]
Eduard Ritter von Schleich	German	1	34	35[146]
Karl Schmückle	German	1	5	6[147]
Wilhelm Schulz	German	1	4	5[148]
Maurice D. G. Scott	English	1	11	12[149]
Kenneth Seth-Smith	English	1	4	5[150]
Frank Sharpe	English	1	4	5[150]
Charles Sims	English	1	8	9[151]
Harry Coleman Smith	English	1	4	5[152]
John Henry Smith	Canadian	1	7	8[152]
Frank Ormond Soden	Canadian	1	26	27[153]
Constant Soulier	French	1	5	6[154]
Gilbert John Strange	English	1	6	7[155]
John Stevenson Stubbs	English	1	10	11[156]
Frank Harold Taylor	Canadian	1	9	10[157]
William Thaw	American	1	4	5[158]
Emil Thuy	German	1	34	35[159]
William Tipton	American	1	4	5[160]
Robert Miles Todd	American	1	4	5[161]
Reinhard Treptow	German	1	5	6[162]
John Lightfoot Trollope	English	1	17	18[163]
Paul Turck	German	1	9	10[164]
Kenneth R. Unger	American	1	13	14[165]
Kurt Ungewitter	German	1	6	7[166]
Jerry Vasconcells	American	1	5	6[167]
George Augustus Vaughn, Jr.	American	1	12	13[152]
Werner Wagener	German	1	4	5[168]
Hazel Wallace	English	1	13	14[169]
Pierre Wertheim	French	1	4	5[170]
Richard Wenzl	German	1	11	12[171]
Wilbert White	American	1	7	8[172]
Claude Melnot Wilson	Canadian	1	7	8[173]
Percy Wilson	English	1	6	7[174]
Franz Wognar	Austro-Hungarian	1	4	5[175]
Chester Wright	American	1	8	9[176]

See also

• Lists of World War I flying aces
• List of World War I aviators who shot down four observation balloons
• List of World War I aviators who shot down three observation balloons
• List of World War I aviators who shot down two observation balloons
• Balloon buster

Endnotes

1. Guttman & Dempsey (2005), pp. 7–9.
2. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 59.
3. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 50.
4. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 62.
5. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 56.
6. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 63.
7. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), pp. 64–65.
8. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 58.
9. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 62.
10. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), pp. 133–134.
11. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 116–117.
12. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 65.
13. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 117.
14. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 73.
15. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 70.
16. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 71.
17. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 6.
18. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 83–84.
19. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 310–311.
20. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 84.
21. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 86.
22. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 26.
23. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 91.
24. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 26–27.
25. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 92.
26. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 91.
27. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), pp. 135–136.
28. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 97.
29. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 100.
30. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 129–130.
31. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 46.
32. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 30–31.
33. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 131–132.
34. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 72.
35. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 105.
36. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 107–108.
37. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 116.
38. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 135–136.
39. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 130.
40. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 95.
41. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 131.
42. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 95.
43. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 13.
44. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 140–141.
45. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 144.
46. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 100.
47. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 146.
48. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 149–150.
49. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 150–151.
50. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 98.
51. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 140–141.
52. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 152–153.
53. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 143.
54. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 155.
55. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 155–156.
56. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 145.
57. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 157.
58. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 151–152.
59. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 177.
60. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 158–159.
61. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 114.
62. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 163–164.
63. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 168.
64. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 118–119.
65. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 39.
66. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 177–178.
67. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), pp. 181–182.
68. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 167–168.
69. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 168–169.
70. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 169–170.
71. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 122.
72. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 182.
73. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 195.
74. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 196–197.
75. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 203.
76. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 178–179.
77. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 47.
78. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 135.
79. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 137.
80. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 179.
81. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 210.
82. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 137–138.
83. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 212.
84. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), pp. 184–185.
85. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 213–214.
86. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 216–217.
87. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 219.
88. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 222–223.
89. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 141–142.
90. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 49–50.
91. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 143.
92. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 143–144.
93. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 146.
94. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 228.
95. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 51–52.
96. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 152.
97. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 52.
98. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 231.
99. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 183–184.
100. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 185–186.
101. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 186.
102. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 242.
103. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 243–244.
104. Franks & Dempsey (2001).
105. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 160.
106. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 251.
107. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 188–189.
108. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 253.
109. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 255.
110. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 193.
111. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 261–262.
112. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 270.
113. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 275.
114. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 60–61.
115. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 165.
116. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 167.
117. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 194.
118. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 283–284.
119. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 194–195.
120. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 195–196.
121. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 290.
122. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 291–292.
123. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 199–200.
124. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 292–293.
125. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 296.
126. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 298.
127. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 202.
128. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 301.
129. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 151–152.
130. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 179–180.
131. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 208.
132. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 208–209.
133. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 209.
134. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 309.
135. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 65–66.
136. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 310.
137. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 313.
138. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 315.
139. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 211.
140. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 190.
141. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 213.
142. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 213–214.
143. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 191.
144. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 326–327.
145. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 194–195.
146. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 199–200.
147. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 203.
148. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 206.
149. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 333–334.
150. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 335.
151. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 339.
152. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 371.
153. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 345.
154. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 219–220.
155. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 353.
156. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), pp. 75–76.
157. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 359.
158. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 75–76.
159. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 216–217.
160. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 76.
161. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 76–77.
162. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), pp. 213–214.
163. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 368–369.
164. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 218.
165. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 370–371.
166. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 222.
167. Franks & Bailey (1992), pp. 77–78.
168. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 225.
169. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 374.
170. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 227.
171. Franks, Bailey & Guest (1993), p. 229.
172. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 81.
173. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), pp. 386–387.
174. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 387.
175. Franks, Guest & Alegi (1997), p. 204.
176. Franks & Bailey (1992), p. 82.

References

• Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank & Guest, Russell F. (1993). Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914–1918. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
• Franks, Norman & Dempsey, Harry (2001). American Aces of World War I. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-375-0.
• Franks, Norman & Bailey, Frank (1992). Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-54-0.
• Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell F. & Alegi, Gregory (1997). Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914–1918. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-898697-56-5.
• Guttman, Jon & Dempsey, Harry (2005). Balloon-Busting Aces of World War I. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-877-9.
• Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.

External links

• "Balloon-Busters of World War I". The Aerodrome. 2016.