Balloons in War
Mar 03, 2017
Having watched the first humans rise into the air, Benjamin Franklin predicted that the new invention would have considerable military value, enabling an aerial view of an enemy’s army for “conveying intelligence into, or out of, a besieged town, giving signals to distant places, or the like.” France put theory into practice by creating the Aerostatic Corps during the Revolutionary Wars. T. S. C. Lowe organized a much more ambitious Balloon Corps for the Union armies during the American Civil War. European observers, noting the role that balloons had played in the US, were inspired to organize military aeronautical units in their nations.
Related Topics
You may also like
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.