Balloon Bomb - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

Figure 5. Americans were quick to inflate a recovered Japanese balloon for inspection of
all components. This balloon was retrieved intact near Alturas, California, on 10 January
1945. (U.S. Army photograph, SC-226135)
unlikely tiiat they were preceded by thirty-one
advanced-weapon ideas. "Fu" happens also to be the
first character in "Fusen," meaning "Balloon," and this
probably explains why this weapon was termed "Fu-
Go."
Although conceived in the mid-1930s, ten years
before its actual use, the idea of the balloon weapon
system was never totally shelved. Limited research
continued with the idea of using it to scatter propaganda
leaflets in enemy territory, taking advantage of lower
altitude winds. Balloons large enough to silently carry
foot soldiers into enemy lines at night was also considered.
Thus, the element of surprise as obtained with
the present-day paratrooper would be realized.
With the onset of World War II, reorganization of
army units placed the balloon-weapon research under
the 9th Military Technical Research Institute, 2 and the
former Army Scientific Laboratory was discontinued.
The degree of priority given to the "Balloon Bomb"
Commonly called Noborito Research Institute, located
where the Odawara Express Line crosses the Tama River on the
southwest side of Tokyo. Flight testing eventually moved to
Ichinomiya on the Chiba Peninsula, to later become one of the
operational launch sites for the balloon offensive.