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Web Site (Ballooon Bombs Japanese)

They show the bomb used as a 15kg anti-personnel bomb, which is incorrect. There were actually two types of incendiary bombs that could be used. The main one was the 12kg incendiary bomb, shown below. I've got some detailed photos pulled from the National Archives that I can include later. An interesting side note is that the paper balloons used for these bombs were assembled by Japanese schoolgirls, on the same island near Hiroshima that was used for much of the production and loading of chemical weapons; Okunoshima. The CW museum there sells a translated reprint of one of the girls diaries, giving an interesting account of the work that went on and how the balloons were made.
 

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The "Silent Siege" books have a lot of info about the Japanese Paper Balloons. They have maps showing where the balloons have been found. There are some remnants in museums of the equipment ring, and other metal parts.
 
Working in the Nat. Archive it is amazing how much info there was. The US was very concerned about these, but keeping it very quiet. In the archive you can find copies of the daily, weekly and monthly national reports. They also have detailed accounts on every recovery and maps of all recovery sites. Released off the Washington/Oregon coastline, they made it over halfway across the US. I remember seeing that we had at least one impact here in Michigan.
 
The British used less complex balloon weapons against Germany as well. There was one type that carried phosphorous bottles, and another which trailed a steel cable which was intended to short out power lines. Apparently some success was achieved with both of these.
 
I watched a video on the Japanese balloon bombs on youtube. It said that of around 9000 launched, 900 are believed to have landed in the USA. Of these 900, only 300 were ever found so that means around 600 are still out there somewhere. Something that the website needs is some photos of a surviving example.

Although it could take years, it would be interesting to try and track down one of these 600 that are supposedly still out there. The trouble is that after so many years you would only be relying on evidence of landing sites from people who think they saw things nearly 70 years ago. There is also the possibility of the ordnance they carried being still attached and live. Any of these that landed could also have been discarded as junk in the last 60+ years without anyone realising what they were.
 
While with the OPCW I made a few dozen trips to Japan for various reasons. Whenever possible I would seek out new museums/collections for ordnance example to document and photograph. One of these was the former center for chemical weapons development at Okunoshima (aka Rabbit Island) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ōkunoshima. There is now a small museum at the site, and I was surprised to find in the museum the identification that this was also the assembly point for much of the balloon bomb technology. The balloons themselves were made there by schoolgirls that would be ferried out from the mainland each day after school. The museum sells a translated copy of one such schoolgirl's personal diary on the work, etc. Interesting stuff (sorry Pete, the book has no pictures).
 
US-Subs said:
While with the OPCW I made a few dozen trips to Japan for various reasons. Whenever possible I would seek out new museums/collections for ordnance example to document and photograph. One of these was the former center for chemical weapons development at Okunoshima (aka Rabbit Island) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ōkunoshima. There is now a small museum at the site, and I was surprised to find in the museum the identification that this was also the assembly point for much of the balloon bomb technology. The balloons themselves were made there by schoolgirls that would be ferried out from the mainland each day after school. The museum sells a translated copy of one such schoolgirl's personal diary on the work, etc. Interesting stuff (sorry Pete, the book has no pictures).
Click to expand...

Jeff,

I'm planning on heading there in April, as it's likely my last chance before tenure.
 
Hello,

Interesting to note that balloon is mentioned in NAVSEA OP1667 in the section 12kg Inc. (remarks)

The tail fins on the diagram of 12kg inc. is different of the tail shown by Us-Subs. I assume they used the same wider tail as 15kg HE.

Regards

12kg inc doc1.jpg12kg inc doc2.jpg12kg inc doc 3 - Copie.jpg

15kg he.jpg
 
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