Believe it or not, World War I would have been completely different had it not been for hot-air balloons. Observation balloons were used extensively during the Great War as a way to map battlegrounds, gather intelligence, and spot artillery. These balloons were so vital to military intelligence that they even had their own line of defense in the form of anti-aircraft machine guns. Because they were so heavily guarded, attacking them was a risky endeavor. Pilots who were successful in taking down enemy balloons were known as “balloon busters”. Amazingly, updated versions of observation balloons are still in use today!
