This CD is a rare record of the history of ballooning. It is a compilation of sketches of people and events form the early days of ballooning. You will see the portraits of some of the earliest inventors, designers and ballooning enthusiasts. Clarity, and an eye for detail characterize each portrait and sketch. The images of early balloons are fascinating. These designs symbolize the vivid imagination and adventurous spirit of the people from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The names of the French inventors Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier will always be written in letters of gold in the history of ballooning. In June of 1783, the tireless efforts of these brothers bore fruit when the first ever hot air balloon rose majestically into the air and floated over the French countryside with its cargo of a duck, a sheep and a rooster. Constructed of paper and fabric and glue, it was fueled by a very smoky straw fire. Indeed, until their death, the Montgolfiers thought that smoke, rather than hot air was the lifting force.

On October 15 of the same year, a balloon christened, 'Aerostat Reveillon,' rose to 250 feet, but it was tethered. A month later De Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes flew, untethered, to 500 feet and traveled about five and a half miles in a 20-minute flight, the first 'free flight' made by man.

Soon afterward, the first gas balloon was flown, using hydrogen gas to create lift. Gas balloons had more & lift and stability than the early smoke filled balloons, and gas ballooning remained popular until the development of the airplane.

The history of ballooning cannot be separated from the history of flight. It symbolizes man's ability to break free of his ties to the ground. World over, thousands of balloonist and enthusiasts indulge in the pleasure of rising above the earth's surface in their glorious, colorful balloons and watch the earthy as it silently passes by beneath them. But, for all this, we need to remember the early inventors and adventurers who risked so much to make ballooning both possible and safe.

In this CD you will witness detailed designs of some of the balloons along with pictorial evidence of how these gigantic gasbags were put together. Images of people watching balloons float overhead speak of the excitement ballooning has always generated. Documents with articles on the subject are included in this CD as are some rare aerial snapshots of Paris as seen from an airborne balloon.

Sample thumbnails taken from the collection. Click on image to view larger picture.

EDITORIAL REVIEW:

This rare and marvelous CD brings together a comprehensive history of the science of ballooning from the earliest days. The determined faces of several pioneers in the field, which you will witness in this CD include those of Joseph Montgolfier, Francois Blanchard, Alexander Charles, Lady Elias Garnerin, Henry Giffard and Gasto Tissandier, just to name a few. Each portrait represents a page in the history of ballooning. The portraits are characterized by stunning clarity and are great works of art.

You will also have the opportunity to witness the incredible imagination and creativity of designers from the eighteenth century in the fascinating sketches and paintings of designs for balloons. One artist has portrayed a balloon as a clock while another has a parachute and propellers attached to it for obvious reasons. One artist presents a cynical view of a man flying by himself with the help of wings attached to his body.

In recording the progress of ballooning, historians did not hesitate to record, the many disastrous attempts, which ended in fatalities. Pictures of fires and unplanned landings on the oceans tell a sad tale of many failures that ironically gave birth to a greater determination to succeed. Photographs representing aerial views of Paris from a balloon are fascinating. The inclusion of a few maps shows how well the early flights were planned.

Ballooning has come a long way since this early adventurers reached for the skies, but we owe an undeniable debt to the men who risked the unknown to create a pleasurable hobby and sport for posterity.

You cannot help, but get caught up in excitement of the great historic moments as you examine in this historic CD. I am certain, that the recordings of historical people and events compiled here will serve you well in providing hours of entertainment and learning.