Kite Balloon

A kite balloon is a tethered balloon which is aerodynamically stabilized in windy conditions using similar principles to a kite. It typically comprises a streamlined envelope with stabilizing features and a harness or yoke connecting it to the main tether.

Kite balloons are able to fly in higher winds than ordinary round balloons and were extensively used for naval and military observation during World War I.

Kite Balloon in Southern Victory
The USS Dakota along with several other battleships and a cruiser squadron would patrol south and west of Honolulu after the Sandwich Islands were taken from the British at the beginning of the Great War. Standing orders were to have either a scout aeroplane or a kite balloon aloft as continuously as possible. While the balloon didn't have the altitude of an aeroplane and was tethered to a cruiser, it could remain in the air for considerably longer. During one patrol, Sam Carsten watched a cruiser send up a kite balloon after a scout aeroplane had returned. Carsten waved to the balloonist, even though he knew he would be seen, since he was glad for the coverage.