what are the little blimps that were deployed over Normandy for?

[Yossarian]

One of the last scenes of the opening battle shows Allied troops streaming onto the beach. Every so often there's some kind of dirigible chained in place. What are they for?

 

[Safeway]

Surveillance.

 

[lupi]

Provide static air defense.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: lupi
Provide static air defense.

how? physically block low level strafing? or are there weapons aboard?

 

[FoBoT]

artillery spotting? shore bombardment from ships

 

[Mermaidman]

Originally posted by: Yossarian

Originally posted by: lupi
Provide static air defense.

how? physically block low level strafing? or are there weapons aboard?

No weapons, no crew. They prevent dive bombers and strafing, and also provide live TV coverage.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Yossarian

Originally posted by: lupi
Provide static air defense.

how? physically block low level strafing? or are there weapons aboard?

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

 

[lupi]

Originally posted by: Yossarian

Originally posted by: lupi
Provide static air defense.

how? physically block low level strafing? or are there weapons aboard?

Yep, just put into place so that a pilot would be unable to fly any type of accurate tactical bombing run or strafing attack due to need for constant maneuvering to miss the cables and balloons.

In the end it was an unneeded event as allied air supremacy over the landing shores resulted in only a handful of german planes even flying to the beaches and they quickly found better places to be.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Yossarian

Originally posted by: lupi
Provide static air defense.

how? physically block low level strafing? or are there weapons aboard?

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

thanks mugs. this is one of those situations where I was too dumb to even know what to search for.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Safeway
Surveillance.

Oh man, you're so cool, you noticed that if you put a quote tag before your post, it'll quote your sig. :roll: This is as lame as the numbers you put at the end of your post. Stop it. You're annoying. Please kill yourself.

 

[TallBill]

Phew, I learned something today. Time was running short too.