Were The K-Class Blimps Armed?
Because the primary mission of the blimp, was
anti-submarine patrol, each airship was usually only armed with a .50-caliber
machine gun, and four 325-pound* depth charges. This did not mean however, that
the blimps would directly attack an enemy submarine. The standard procedure was to drop a smoke float or dye slick above a suspected submarine, and/or use a wireless set to direct the destroyer escorts in for the attack. In a sense, the blimp was considered more of a deterrent than anything else.
Just the mere presence of a blimp escort, often meant that the enemy sub would break off before it could even position itself for an attack. The reason? Fear of retaliation from the destroyer escort.
* Some blimps at NAS Tillamook were armed with two 500-pound bombs.