Austrian balloon corps
[Name is a place holder until we ascertain correct German title. Hildebrandt writes only "Die österreichische Luftschiffertruppe" ([1]).]
Austria was perhaps the first European power to use balloons in war, dropping bombs during the siege of Venice in 1849.
The Austrian military took an interest in ballooning following the Vienna exhibition, 1888 coordinated by Viktor Silberer. The army appointed first lieutenant Herman Hoernes to study ballooning abroad.[1]
On 14 April 1890 it initiated with Silberer a course in military aeronautics for eight officers.[1]
In 1893 it established a corps of two officers, four non-commissioned officers, and 26 men. Captain Josef Trieb was the commander, followed by Captain Franz Hinterstoisser, who had traveled to Berlin to investigate the state of military aeronautics there.[2]
Balloons were purchased from:[3]
- Metzler (Munich)
- "Rittmeister d. R. Baron Odkolek" (=Adolf Freiherr Odkolek von Augezd?)
- Paul Ringer (Vienna)
- Semperit (Vienna) — the biggest supplier.
| Organization names | Austrian ballon corps |
|---|---|
| Entity type | |
| Country | Austria |
| City | Vienna |
| Affiliated with | |
| Scope | |
| Started aero | 1893 |
| Ended aero | |
| Keywords | LTA |
| Key people | Josef Trieb, Franz Hinterstoisser, Herman Hoernes, Viktor Silberer |
| Wikidata id |
