ICM Ju-88A-8 Paravane, WWII German aircraft

During World War II, balloons with steel cables were used in Britain's air defense system to protect against German air raids. Such barriers prevented the free passage of aircraft and posed a danger to the pilots of the Luftwaffe. To combat these barriers, the Germans developed special steel scissors for their planes, known as paravanes - analogous to devices used for protection against sea mines. Some of the Ju-88 aircraft of the A4 and A5 modifications were adapted for the use of such paravanes and were designated A8 and A6, respectively. The paravanes were massive steel constructions in the form of a large frame attached to the front of the aircraft, designed to redirect the steel cables to the ends of the wings, where the scissors for cutting the cables were located. And although there were instances of combat use of aircraft equipped with such devices, these paravanes did not become widely adopted.