Airships in wartime — why and how they were used

Airships have held a special place in the history of armed conflicts. At the dawn of aviation, when airplanes were only beginning to conquer the skies, airships seemed like the fearsome weapon of the future. They were used for reconnaissance, bombing, patrols, and even as aerial barriers. Despite their vulnerability and limitations, military airships were employed extensively in World War I and World War II, as well as during the Great Patriotic War. This article offers a detailed look at why and how combat airships were used, which models became legendary, and why they ultimately ceded the field to airplanes.

World War I marked the first large-scale use of military airships. Germany used them especially actively. The era’s chief symbol was the Zeppelin—LZ-series airships developed by Ferdinand von Zeppelin. These giant hydrogen-filled airships could cover hundreds of kilometers, climb to high altitudes, and carry bomb loads.

Combat airships were used for:

• Reconnaissance — observing troop movements and enemy positions.

• Artillery spotting — directing shellfire more accurately from the air.

• Bombing raids on rear-area cities, including London. For example, Zeppelin LZ 38 carried out one of the first night raids on Britain in 1915.

Despite the psychological impact on civilians, the effectiveness of such raids was low. Even so, airships in World War I demonstrated the potential of aerial reconnaissance and ushered in the military era of the airship.

By World War II, technology had advanced and airplanes had become the primary instrument of air warfare. Yet military airships did not disappear entirely. Their main mission was patrolling sea convoys and defending against submarines.

The United States used airships particularly actively. The K-class (K-ships) were patrol blimps that escorted ships in the Atlantic, detected submarines, and signaled attacks. They could remain aloft for up to 38 hours, making them ideal for long-duration surveillance.

Airships were also used:

• For detecting enemy aircraft (early air defense).

• As aerial obstacles — impeding low-flying bombers.

• For communications and coastal observation.

Although their use was not as widespread as in World War I, World War II airships proved their value in specialized roles.

In the USSR, airships were not used as combat bombers, but they did have a role in defense. Their primary task during the Great Patriotic War was to create aerial barriers over major cities and military facilities.

Barrage balloons were unpowered tethered balloons raised to altitudes of up to 2–3 km. They hindered enemy aviation from carrying out low-altitude raids and strafing runs. Such barriers were deployed over Moscow, Leningrad, Stalingrad, and other key cities.

In addition, airships were used for:

• Reconnaissance — observing the movements of enemy columns.

• Air-defense control — anti-aircraft fire was directed from them.

Although the airship of the Great Patriotic War was not a weapon of mass destruction, it played an important role in the country’s defensive system.

Many people ask: why use airships in wartime if they were slow and vulnerable? The answer lies in their unique capabilities:

✔ Position marking — airships could hover for extended periods, giving commanders a full view of the battlefield.

✔ Obstacles for aviation — barrage balloons literally “clogged” the sky, forcing enemy aircraft to climb higher and reducing bombing accuracy.

✔ Reconnaissance and artillery spotting — particularly effective in World War I.

✔ Psychological impact — Zeppelins’ night raids triggered panic among civilians.

Thus, the military airship was less a strike weapon than a tactical asset that complemented the armed forces during a technological transition.

Some military airship names have gone down in history:

🎯Zeppelin LZ 38 — a German airship that carried out the first bombings of London in 1915.

🎯Graf Zeppelin (LZ 127) — though mainly civilian, it was used for trials and reconnaissance.

🎯K-class — a series of American patrol airships used actively in 1941–1945.

🎯Soviet barrage balloons — serial models designated “A-7,” “A-10,” and others, used during the Great Patriotic War.

Interestingly, in 1941, when the Great Patriotic War began, the USSR had more than 1,000 barrage balloons. At the same time, the United States was actively expanding its K-class fleet to protect the coastline.

Despite their advantages, combat airships gradually disappeared from the battlefield. The reasons:

• Vulnerability — a hydrogen-filled hull ignited easily. A single hit could turn an airship into a torch.

• Low speed — airplanes were many times faster and more maneuverable.

• Technological limitations — inability to carry heavy armament; poor handling in storms.

• The advent of radar and modern air defense — airplanes became more effective at reconnaissance and bombing.

By the 1950s, airships had virtually vanished from military inventories. They were replaced by fighters, bombers, and helicopters.

To appreciate the scale and imposing presence of military airships, it is worth looking at historical photographs from the archives:

• Germany: Zeppelin LZ 38 and other models — long cylindrical craft with gondolas, flying over Europe.

• USA: K-class — more compact but capable patrol blimps based along the coasts.

• USSR: barrage balloons — tethered spheres suspended over Moscow and other cities.

Wartime airship photos show what the sky looked like in the era of the “airborne giants.” These images can now be found not only in archives and museums; they are often used in historical documentaries and newsreels.

Airships are not merely a symbol of the past; they represent an important stage in the development of military aviation. They served as scouts, bombers, barriers, and patrols. Although combat airships yielded to airplanes, their contribution to the history of warfare is hard to overstate. Today, they remind us of a time when the sky did not yet belong solely to winged machines.

All the same, it should not be forgotten: an airship is a means of transport intended above all for peaceful purposes. And in the 21st century, New Generation Airships' are being created first and foremost to improve the planet’s ecology. You can also make your contribution to this worthy cause — how, we explain here.