The Balloon (Page 2): Yes, they did. They started fires and killed a few people. It seems that China can control their balloons.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Doddy wrote:

I think the Japanese used Balloons with Bombs attached to them in an attempt to cause havoc in the US during World War 2.

Yes, they did. They started fires and killed a few people. It seems that China can control their balloons.

BebuLamar

sodapop wrote:

Who said anything about civilian planes?

Regardless good luck trying to fire a rifle at 60,000 feet. You will need pressure suit, oxygen mask as well as thermal wear as it's very cold up there.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

What a complete farce promoted by the media. First off, it's a balloon and its path is uncontrolled, subject to the jet stream. Second, the Chinese have equal or better satellite cameras than ours that can read a license plate with ease and they constantly pass over the U.S. Third, the balloon likely never even passed over an actual missile silo and it did, it wouldn't show anything worthwhile.

I suppose it would make bad press if the military just said, "nothing to worry about" but they still downplayed it as much as they could. It's the media that's keeping this in the headlines.

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

I don’t buy that story of fear of hurting people on the ground from the debris. Haven’t we learned yet that we can’t trust Chicom? Guess not.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

BebuLamar wrote:

Regardless good luck trying to fire a rifle at 60,000 feet. You will need pressure suit, oxygen mask as well as thermal wear as it's very cold up there.

It's very cold down here.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

fourlocks wrote:

What a complete farce promoted by the media. Firs... (show quote)

One report said that they can control it, and they will direct it over the ocean. Who knows?

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

sodapop wrote:

Who said anything about civilian planes?

LDB415 did! See his post.

rlv567 Loc: Baguio City, Philippines

jerryc41 wrote:

Yes, they did. They started fires and killed a few people. It seems that China can control their balloons.

Born in 1928, I was 14, and in the 9th grade at La Cumbre Junior High in 1942, in Santa Barbara, California. I do recall that we had to use blackout curtains from dusk to dawn because of potential Japanese attacks. While the balloons described did not hit Santa Barbara, a Japanese submarine did fire several rounds at the Ellwood oil field very near the city. While there were no air raids there, the sirens and searchlights did come on sometimes.

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City

Amielee Loc: Eastern Washington State

It probably is not getting any information that they could not get with a satellite. It is just cheaper to put up. It is the size of a couple of school buses. A Canadian F-18 put over a thousand rounds in a 100 meter diameter balloon and it took 6 days for it to come down. It would be difficult to shoot this one down and we would not know where or when it would come down, but we could do it. There is also a second balloon over South America.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

rlv567 wrote:

Born in 1928, I was 14, and in the 9th grade at La Cumbre Junior High in 1942, in Santa Barbara, California. I do recall that we had to use blackout curtains from dusk to dawn because of potential Japanese attacks. While the balloons described did not hit Santa Barbara, a Japanese submarine did fire several rounds at the Ellwood oil field very near the city. While there were no air raids there, the sirens and searchlights did come on sometimes.

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City

German U-boats had a field day off the east coast, sinking over a thousand ships. All our lights were kept shining brightly, making the ships perfect targets.

sgt hop Loc: baltimore md,now in salisbury md

LDB415 wrote:

I'm suprised a couple of guys with a good airplane and a good rifle haven't taken care of it. Our worthless administration won't be doing anything.

my thoughts exactly....

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

cruise4two wrote:

Here's link to info on Japanese efforts to send balloons over US in WWII.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu-Go_balloon_bomb#

Very interesting article..cheers.

tomad Loc: North Carolina

jerryc41 wrote:

Have you heard about the large balloon floating over the western states, making its way east? Not good news.

Solved...

andesbill

We probably used them and U2’s before our satellites were good enough to see their lips move. We are far advanced beyond that tech. It shows how far behind us the Chinese still are.

tuatara Loc: Orig. NZ - currently SF area

jerryc41 wrote:

Yes, they did. They started fires and killed a few people. It seems that China can control their balloons.

I think it's just Panic de jour.

If the Chinese have managed to develop that much control over a drifting helium sphere, then the US has a bigger technology issue.

I'm inclined to think it is just a weather balloon that was under inflated. Those type of balloons are designed to rise to around 100k feet at which point internal pressure is enough to explode the balloon and the instrument pack parachutes back down.