This Is A Photograph Of A World War I Observation Balloon by Ephemera [Photograph][Balloon School, Arcadia, Ca] [Military Observation Balloon] - 1918

Arcadia, CA: No Publisher Listed.. Very Good+. 1918. Other. B&W Illustrations; This is a smallish photography (approx. 5.5" x 3.5" in size) in Very Good+ condition. The photo is of a World War I Observation Balloon. The description on the back reads: "An 'Air Elephant' going up, at an American Balloon school, with a cadet in the basket, Arcadia, California". The balloon appears to be a Caquot Type R Observation Balloon. "Tethered balloons allowed World War I observers to see as far as 40 miles behind enemy lines to spot troop movements, chart trench systems and direct artillery fire. The observation balloon most used by Americans was named for its designer, French engineer Lt. Albert Caquot. The hydrogen-filled balloon could lift two passengers in its basket, along with charting and communications equipment, plus the weight of its mooring cable, to a height of about 4,000 feet in good weather. Normal operations were between 1,000 and 4,000 feet. During WWI, American balloon observers directed artillery fire at targets such as troop concentrations and supply dumps. They noted more than 1,000 enemy airplane sightings, 1,000 instances of military traffic on railroads and roads and 400 artillery batteries. " (from the National Museum of the US Air Force website) .