G-BKOW

Category: hardware Sub-category: balloons

Catalogue number: H1/0188

Balloon airborne with horizontal stripes in blue, red, white, red, blue with fleur de lys motifs around lower blue panel and the name ELLE in black on the white centre panel.

Balloon airborne with horizontal stripes in blue, red, white, red, blue with fleur de lys motifs around lower blue panel and the name ELLE in black on the white centre panel.

Colour picture of deflated balloon lying flat on snow on a mountain top with people standing beside the basket and mountain peak in the background.

Details

Description:	A Colt 77A, serial number 505, named ELLE. Bought by The Hot Air Balloon Company for jobs demanding an unbranded balloon. Notable flights include a flight across the Eiger in Switzerland for the Extra Strong Mints commercial, a flight across the English Channel with ‘Miss Elle’ and a flight across London with the first Lady Lord Mayor of London Dame Mary Donaldson. ( All piloted by Robin Batchelor) Logbook held by the BBM&L. Last flight 1 October 1988. Total hours flown 136.
Name:	ELLE (also known as Fleur de Lys )
Type:	Colt 77A
Serial No.:	505
First flown:	28 April 1984, Colyton, Devon
Donated by:	Damian Busby, 2025
Image(s) credit:	Bill Teasdale

History

6 September 1984
Owners: The Hot Air Balloon Company Ltd/Flying Pictures (Balloons) Ltd

29 April 1997
De-registered as permanently withdrawn from use