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200th Anniversary First Flight stamp Barbuda $1.50

Sticker advertising the 17th Inflation Day of the BBM&L, held 27 April 2024 at Pidley, Cambridgeshire. Sponsored by LAAS International.

A Cameron A-140, serial number 45, named Cumulonimbus. First flown on 11 August 1972, Saltford, Avon. Built for Don and Mark Yarry for the first hot air balloon crossing of the Alps on 21 August 1972. It was the largest balloon Cameron's had built at that time. Initially registered as G-AZUW i...

Soft cover book with green covers. A facsimile of a rare book published in 1907 containing details of flights made by the author and others. 49 pages with B/W illustrations, advertisements and a list of members of The Aero Club of The United Kingdom.

Hard back book with blue covers, 139 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, 25 chapters, list of illustrations.

The author , in his resumé, “When I look back, as I occasionally do, on the pattern of my long life, I see it dominated by three great projects - the design and construction of th...

Hardback book with 327 pages, illustrated with 31 good quality B/W plates and 41 line drawings, 24 chapters covering all aspects of balloons and flying machines with concluding tables, glossary, French aeronautical terms, bibliography and index.

A popular account of the evolution of Aero...

Soft cover book with 112 pages illustrated with B/W plates. 6 chapters on Historical and Technical Survey and 6 chapters of Catalogue of Exhibits in the National Aeronautical Collection. Index and bibliography

Soft cover book/pamphlet with colour pictorial cover , 32 pages , illustrated B/W plates.

 Facsimile of original publication printed before completion of R100.

Pamphlet to promote and describe the R100 Airship technical facts and operation. A final chapter discusses the future...

Airship Saga by Lord Ventry & Eugene M. Kolesnik. Hardback book with colour pictorial dustwrapper.The history of airships seen through the eyes of the men who designed, built and flew them. 192 pages. 282 b/w photographs, index.

Hardback book with colour pictorial dust wrapper 163 pages illustrated B/W plates notes bibliography index.

The story of Airship R 34 and the first east-west crossing of the Atlantic by air

Hard back book with colour pictorial cover, 160 pages, 27 chapters profusely illustrated with B/W plates and drawings, LTA glossary, index.

The book describes the latest developments in the expanding field of lighter-than-air transportation with a look at the promising future of airships...

Soft cover book with pictorial cover, 32 pages, illustrated  B/W plates.

A concise appraisal of the subject of Airships including early examples, war time and current Airship activity 

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 73 pages, illustrayes with B/W plates and drawings, glossary of technical terms.

The age of the commercial airship was short-lived -scarcely more than a quarter of a century. In that time, the incidence of disastrous failure was high. Alt...

Hard back book with colour pictorial cover, 374 pages, 21 chapters illustrated with many good quality B/W plates.

Evidently in 1911 anything that flew or floated was called an airship, because whilst you'd think this book was about airships, most of it concerns aeroplanes. That said, if ...

Soft cover book with colour pictorial cover, 87 pages, profusely illustrated with colour plates by Reinhart Wolf and words by Jürgen Kesting and translated by Andrew Craston. (The text is in German and English). List of captions to photographs at end.

'The Flying Sculptures Project is a ...

Hard back book 396 pages illustrated with B/W plates, Part 1 contains 14 chapters and Part 2 contains 8.

The first part describes the journey made by the authors by ship to Spitzbergen to meet Andrée and assist with the preparations of the balloon equipment , hangar construction and infl...

Hardback book with 224 pages, illustrated with colour plates, 12 chapters, appendix.

Dickinson shares his passion for adventure and seeking thrilling escapades to indulge in his other passion - filming.

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 307 pages, illustrated with colour plates, 13 chapters, appendix of round the world attempts.

In this dramatic and inspiring account, Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones, the pilots of the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon, tell the remarkable sto...

Hard back book with colour pictorial cover.  260 pages, illustrated with B/W plates on nearly every page, index, bibliography.

The husband and wife authors, Jean and Nini Boesman, both active gas balloon pilots who travelled widely and describe their collection as …" a record of all...

Hardback book with pictorial dust wrapper, 160 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, 9 chapters, appendix, bibliography, index.

The first biography of James Tytler ( 1745 - 1804) describing his ballooning adventures in Edinburgh in1784 onwards.

Hardback book with pictorial cover, no dust wrapper, first edition, 135pp. + 32pp. of publishers' ads at rear, illustrated B/W plates.

The author has collected four of his previously published papers with a view to share some history, his own experiences ballooning, the theory, descript...

Softcover book with colour pictorial covers, illustrated throughout with colour and B/W plates and line drawings, 127 pages, 12 chapters, glossary abbreviations, index.

A practical up-to-date introduction to ballooning including construction, equipment, fuel, flying, landing, retrieving,...

Hardback book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 174 pages, illustrated with colour and B/W plates, line drawings and maps,  8 chapters, appendices, index.

Don Cameron was often asked to recommend a single book covering the requirements for a Private Pilot's Licence for Balloons and...

Hardback book with colour pictorial dust jacket, illustrated with colour plates,160 pages, 9 chapters, appendix, epilogue.

The story of two balloons flying over Everest and all the preparation and pitfalls that inevitably accompany such a daring adventure. Spectacular photography.

...

Soft cover book with colour pictorial cover, 32 pages, illustrated with B/W plates and drawings, 5 chapters followed by lists of associations and events, further reading and places to visit.

Number 175 of the Shire Albums - a handy appraisal of ballooning starting with a look at the hist...

Soft cover book with 29 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, 9 chapters, concluding with acknowledgements.

This book records the busy early activity of the modern era of ballooning being largely centred around Newbury thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of farmer David Liddiard who op...

Hardback book with colour pictorial dust jacket, with 48 pages, illustrated throughout with B/W plates and drawings, 20 chapters covering the history of ballooning from its 18th century origins to high altitude scientific balloons.

Designed for the younger reader.

Hard back book with colour pictorial cover, 107 pages profusely illustrated with colour and B/W plates, 6 chapters, conversion table.

The book is part of the Symbol Series of Science, Arts and History and written by a legendary author.

Something of the Renaissance spirit animates t...

Soft cover book with 350 pages illustrated by colour an BW plates.

A biography of a farmer who shared a passion for ballooning and threw open the gates to his Berkshire farm for the use of all balloonists to launch from.

Soft cover book with colour pictorial cover, 194 pages, 10 chapters, illustrated with B/W plates, appendices, bibliography and sources, index.

Battlebags is the culmination of more than thirty years research and is the first book to record and describe in detail every single...

A register of all balloons and airships built or registered in the British Isles since 1950 including a UK Pilots' register.

A hardback book with pictorial cover, no dust wrapper, 240 pages, illustrated B/W and colour plates, index, advertisements.

A framework of basic balloon and ...

Hard back book with red cloth covers. 275 pages, 22 chapters illustrated with B/W plates. 

The author starts by paying tribute to scientific aeronauts Glaisher and Coxwell and writes about his ballooning experiences and states …" It is hoped that the practical work which is treated ...

Number 400 of The Daily Telegraph Magazine June 30 1972. 43 pages, profusely illustrated with colour and B/W pictures for a variety of stories and advertisements.

Cover story is ‘The strange story of a Sahara crossing by hot air balloon’. The two balloons featured are Daffodil ( G...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket. 150 pages, profusely illustrated with B/W plates and drawings.

A tribute to American pioneer balloonist Anthony Fairbanks who began flying in the 1930s. Written by his son Michael, also an accomplished balloonist, who shares his love and ...

Hard back book with pictorial dust jacket, 283 pages, 11 chapters illustrated by B/W plates, 6 appendices, index. 

This is the first authoritative history of the early development of flying in Britain, under the aegis of what was to become the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnbor...

Hardback book, first edition, 170 pages, illustrated B/W plates, index.

More than the author's autobiography, it is a first-hand history of the development of flight by someone who took part in it.  Starting with balloon ascents in 1891 and ending with his return from America in1941...

Hardback book with blue covers bearing the author's bookplate. 421 pages, 14 chapters, illustrated throughout with B/W plates 4 appendices and index.

An extraordinary life story of a sporting gentleman whose profession as a wine merchant took him all over the world where he enjoyed ballo...

Hardback book with 256 pages, illustrated with colour plates, 11 chapters , appendix.

Leo Dickinson shares his enthusiasm for daring adventures such as climbing the Eiger ( and filming it), sky diving, canoeing, sledging across the Patagonian Ice Cap, etc. etc. The appendix at the end co...

Hardback book with 324 pages illustrated with B/W plates, folding map, index.

A thorough account of the flight from Rome to The Polar Sea in the Airship ‘Norge’ with chapters on preparations, the crew, the flight, the Airship, the radio, weather and navigation.

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 191 pages, 8 chapters illustrated with B/W plates, chronological list of events and index.

Flight before Flying is mainly concerned with the 120 years from 1783 to 1903, from first balloon flights to first aeroplane flights. In betwee...

Soft cover book, 231 pages, illiustrated witth B/W images, Part 1  Memoirs and Part 2 Spanish technology , notes, list of author's other publications, index.

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 116 pages, 8 chapters profusely illustrated with B/W plates.

The author is to be congratulated on assembling this collection of photographs, some of which have never before been seen in print and others not since the photograph was taken ...

Hardback book with red cloth covers.  318 pages with 12 chapters  covering such subjects as ballooning, fox hunting, steeplechasing, big game hunting and some action in the Navy and The Household Cavalry in the Boer War.

Illustrated  with B/W plates and one colour painting...

Hardback book with 331 pages, illustrated with B/W plates and line drawings,18 chapters, 4 appendices, index.

Upson and Chandler were both authorities in their field and wrote this book as a handbook for training pilots to operate free balloons and military captive balloons.

Their ...

Hard back book, large format, 336 pages, 12 chapters profusely illustrated with B/W plates and technical drawings followed by 3 appendices, general index and index to plates.

Published in February 1917 in a secret edition strictly limited to 700 copies on security grounds, t...

Hardback book with colour pictorial dustjacket. 306 pages, illustrated with B/W plates,index.

The story of Airship ‘Italia’ , her captain Umberto Nobile and her crew is an account of heroic survival and rescue.  

Nobile's daring attempt to fly an Airship to The North Pole ende...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 376 pages, 8 chapters illustrated with B/W plates and drawings, bibliography, appendices, glossary of airship terms, index.

The fascinating, often tragic history of the rigid airship, the first-ever strategic bomber, long range naval scou...

Hardback book with 372 pages, illustrated with B/W engravings.

11 chapters covering such subjects as Weather, Clouds ( ballooning), electricity, The Sun, Moon, Planets, Stars Meteors and Light.

Large format hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 229 pages, profusely illustrated with colour and B/W plates, 10 chapters, bibliography, index.

Now, in one splendidly illustrated volume, the complete story of Germany's mammoth airship and the other silver giants that once c...

Soft cover book with colour pictorial cover, 122 pages illustrated with B/W plates, 10 chapters, followed by useful terms and addresses.

The author was Wing Commander Gerry Turnbull's daughter and so was immersed in ballooning from an early age thus qualifying her to write this most usef...

Soft cover book with pictorial cover, 91 pages , profusely illustrated with B/W plates.

The opening pages dwell upon the design of airship hangars after which come pages of geographical identification and descriptions of hangars; France by Christopher Dean, Germany by Manfred Bauer, Grea...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 12 pages, profusely illustrated with colour and B/W plates, 8 chapters, index.

A well-researched and illustrated history of balloons from the 18th century Montgolfier brothers' first balloon to the first round-the-world success story.

Hardback book with 203 pages, illustrated with B/W plates and line drawings, 21 chapters.

The memoirs of a military officer in WW1 and his ballooning experiences.

Soft cover book with colour pictorial cover, 51 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, bibliography.

The author was just 19 years old when he first saw the Hindenburg airship.

“We shuffled through a small door and there was the Zeppelin. It was late afternoon...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 160 pages illustrated with B/W plates, 15 chapters, followed by an illustrated list of his airships, Chronology, Glossary, Bibliography and Acknowledgements.

The author tells the tragic, glamorous story of Santos-Dumont's career, and late...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 262 pages and 8 chapters.

This is the story of the first man to linger on the edge of outer space where virtually all the hazards of flight beyond the earth exist, where a man's body fluids, freed from the weight of the atmosphere, will v...

Hardback book with red cloth cover, 371 pages, 9 chapters on steeplechasing, ballooning and other sporting activities including those done by others. (See ‘books

Hardback book with faded blue cloth cover. 244 pages, 14 chapters and index.

The author's fascination for flying was fostered by accompanying her father, Rev. John Bacon, on aeronautical expeditions and she shares her passion and knowledge in this book.

Soft cover book with pictorial cover, 193 pages, profusely illustrated B/W plates.

A pictorial history of the hot air balloon. French text.

The author dedicates the book to the famous aeronaut Charles Dollfus.    “ …This study could not have been completed without the enc...

Hardback book with 328 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, 24 chapters covering the long and successful life of pioneering Airship builder and pilot Santos Dumont.

Hardback book without dust jacket. 153 pages.

A first-person account of 5 years (1931-36) in the life of engineer-scientist General Umberto Nobile and his experiences and adventures with semi-rigid airships in the Soviet Union and its arctic zones.

Hardback book with pictorial cover in blue, 283 pages and illustrated with B/W engravings, 13 chapters and 2 appendices.

Coxwell describes his various adventures in balloons.

See books

Hardback with dust jacket.

An interesting personal account of the two airship flights, designed built and piloted by Umberto Nobile to the North Pole in the 1920's. The first being in the "Norge 1926" with Amundsen and Ellesworth and the second being on his own in the "Italia 1928" which...

Hardback book with 216 pages, illustrated B/W plates, 10 chapters.

Hugo Eckener was a well-respected Captain of the Zeppelin and this is his own account of his ships, particularly the two Graf Zeppelins and The Hindenburg and the history-making flights he made in them across the Atlantic...

Hardback book with pictorial cover, no dust wrapper, 259 pages illustrated with B/W plates.

twenty three chapters written by different experts in their field discussing the current state, and future, of balloons, dirigibles, helicopters and aeroplanes.

You can read a d...

The weekend supplement magazine for The Observer newspaper June 13 1965.

39 pages profusely illustrated with colour and B/W pictures for a variety of stories and advertisements.

The cover story  - ‘The rarest sport in the world’ - describes the sport of gas ballooning and in p...

Soft cover book with colour pictorial cover, illustrated with colour plates and drawings

The story of the author's involvement in the successful crossing of the Pacific Ocean by hot air balloon

You can read a digitised copy at woottonbridgelow.org.uk

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 12 pages, 9 chapters illustrated with B/W and colour plates, many of which are full page. 

The book explores the history of large tethered balloons in Paris dating back to 1867 when Henry Giffard  organised the first tethered ri...

Soft cover book with pictorial cover, 292 pages, illustrated with B/W plates and line drawings, 42 chapters, postscript, bibliography, appendix and index.

The life of Patrick Young Alexander 1867 - 1943, pioneer balloonist, meteorologist, and aeronautical engineer, spans a period of unpr...

Hardback book, 311 pages, illustrated B/W plates, appendices, index.

Part 1 covers non-rigid airships and part 2 semi-rigid airships. A comprehensive manual on all aspects of US airships in 1927

Hard back book with pictorial dust jacket, 128 pages, 119 chapters profusely illustrated with B/W plates, appendices, bibliography.

A rigid airship's reasonably high speed, endurance and weight-carrying capacity for freight and passengers led Britain to consider its use for commerce and ...

Hardback book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 64 pages illustrated with colour and B/W plates, 8 chapters, glossary index.

This book describes the exploration of the air at higher altitudes, its speed ,direction, pressure . the ozone layer and the cosmos.

We learn about the peop...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 278 pages illustrated with B/W plates, 20 chapters, bibliography, appendix, index. 

Alberto Santos-Dumont was one of the most extraordinary, the most flamboyant, the most publicised, yet the most secretive of the pioneers of aviation...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 260 pages illustrated by B/W plates, 11 chapters, epilogue and index.
The author tells the whole story of dirigibles, of the adventurous men who developed them and flew them, of the great flights and death flights that made them admired and ...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 174 pages, 12 chapters, illustrated with numerous B/W plates, appendices, index.

This is the untold story of the 'sky sailors'-the men who pioneered a mode of air transport that today is virtually forgotten. During the first two decades o...

Soft cover book with colour pictorial covers, 37 pages profusely illustrated with colour and B/W plates.

The author describes the significance of the construction of Roger Munk's Skyship 500 and subsequent Airship Industries' 12-strong operational airship fleet heralding a new era of air...

Large format hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 175 pages profusely illustrated with colour plates, index.

A coffee table style book of more than 100 special shape balloons containing pictures technical details and all known information about each balloon.

Hard back book with colour pictorial cover, 158 pages , 16 chapters illustrated with 15 B/W engravings.

A typical 19th century book describing the many adventures to be had in balloons - some of them perilous.

The Sunday Telegraph magazine number 119 for December 31  1978. 34 pages containing various stories and profusely illustrated with colour pictures .

A six page story entitled ‘On a clear day you can see lots of hot-air balloons’ by Harry Fieldhouse. he describes the sport of balloon...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 267 pages, 11 chapters illustrated with B/W plates , appendices, bibliography, index. 

This book is a complete history of balloons and of the intrepid men who flew in them. Intrepid is the word because to make an ascent in a balloon ...

Hard back book with brown pictorial cloth covers, 279 pages, 19 chapters illustrated with B/W plates and drawings.

The authors aim was “to tell a complete story of the aerial conquest, beginning from crude experiments, made hundreds of years ago; passing thence to the first serious exper...

Hardback book, 471 pages, B/W plates, fold-out map, index. The diaries and records of S. A. Andree, Nils Strindberg And Knut Fraenkel written during their balloon expedition to The North Pole in 1897 and discovered on White Island In 1930, together with a complete record of the expedition...

 Hardback book with original dust cover. Story of the kite-balloon units in the First World War.

Soft cover book , 176 pages illustrated with numerous colour and B/W plates and drawings, 30 chapters, 5 appendices, index.

This is a very thorough manual which introduces would-be crew members to the joys and skills of the practical side of ballooning as well as covering many of the sub...

Soft cover book with colour pictorial cover, 96 pages,7 chapters profusely illustrated with colour and B/W plates many full page.

The idea for The Blimp Book began when George Hall, an experienced aviation photographer, was assigned by Oui magazine to shoot a story (unrelated to the blim...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 135 pages, illustrated with colour and B/W plates and drawings, 7 chapters, 3 appendices, index.

The author was a well-respected figure in gliding and hang gliding, holding top membership of national and international aviation association...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 198 pages profusely illustrated on every page with colour and B/W plates.

This book deals with one of the most significant milestones in history-man's first successful device for leaving the ground and travelling in the air, many centurie...

Hardback book with colour pictorial dust wrapper, 152 pages, with B/W plates and illustrations throughout,  maps to endpapers, index.

"When war broke out in August, 1914, Britain possessed only seven military air- ships, all owned by the Admiralty. During four years of war, however,...

The Daily Telegraph Magazine Number 347 June 18 1971.  The magazine which accompanied the Weekend Telegraph.  

43 pages profusely illustrated with colour and B/W pictures for a variety of stories and advertisements.

The cover story is about Don Cameron's plan to establish...

The Daily Telegraph Magazine . Weekend Telegraph 149.   Contents include 4 page illustrated article about proposed ‘first official flight of a British Balloon that flies solely on hot air'  

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 158 pages, 6 chapters illustrated with colour and B/W plates.

The Dangerous Sort contains the best of  a balloon called Jambo. It records the invasion of a funeral, getting a 76-year old passenger down in one piece, the hazard of bei...

Hardback with colour pictorial cover. 348 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, 29 chapters, 348 pages, index.

The author describes the history of ballooning with stories of notable balloonists and their flights

Hardback book with colour pictorial dust wrapper, 256 pages, illustrated with B/W plates and line drawings with a foreword by Lord Brabazon of Tara.

A story of four people and their love of a gas balloon they named The Small World and how they spent twenty four days and nights attempting...

Hardback book with 272 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, line drawings, 23 chapters, appendices, index.

The story of Samuel Franklin ‘Colonel’ Cody, the first man to build and fly an aeroplane in Britain. 

His is a romantic record of adventure, of enterprise and self-confide...

Hard back book with colour pictorial cover, 319 pages, 19 chapters illustrated with B/W plates ending with postscript and appendix listing 28 attempts to cross the Atlantic by balloon.

Pamela Brown and Rod Anderson were a visionary American couple who conceived of and nurtur...

Hardback book with colour pictorial cover. 180 pages, illustrated B/W and colour plates, bibliography, index. 

Profusely illustrated book covering history of principle airships - their construction and operation

You can read a digitised copy at archive.org

Soft cover book with colour pictorial covers, 124 pages, 10 chapters profusely illustrated with B/W plates and drawings, 5 appendices, addenda and ending with 2 previously published articles about airships by the Goodyear Company.

The author has assembled an impressive archive of materia...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 308 pages, illustrated with colour plates, 13 chapters, appendix of round the world attempts.

In this tense and often moving narrative, Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones, the pilots of the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon, tell the remarkable s...

Soft cover book with 56 pages illustrated with B/W plates, 6 chapters.

An historical account of the air activities of the Corps when it was responsible for military aeronautics prior to the formation of the Royal Flying Corps in 1912.

The Illustrated London News magazine July 29 1967.  The contents include an article about ballooning illustrated by black and white pictures of gas balloons at a fete in Holland. A picture of the pilots include such notable names as Anthony Smith, Gerry Turnbull, Malcolm Brighton, Charles...

Soft covers, 132 pages, profusely illustrated with colour and B/W images, source notes, family tree and index of names.

The Spencers were balloonists, parachutists, plane makers, gymnasts and velocipedists (early bikers). Between 1830 and 1930 family members ballooned and parachuted all ...

Hard back book with pictorial dust jacket, 250 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, 8 chapters and notes.

The first complete story of the US programme to photograph the Soviet Union with camera-carrying balloons during the Cold War.

Born out of the desperate need for intelligence on...

Hard back book with colour pictorial cover, 210 pages, 5 chapters illustrated with colour and B/W plates, bibliography, notes, index.

Charles Coulston Gillispie introduces the readers to the brothers Montgolfier, who launched the first hot-air balloon in Annonay, France on 4 June 1783. D...

The Observer supplement magazine for weekend 11 April 1971 with 17 pages and various stories and advertisements profusely illustrated with colour pictures.

Cover photograph by Tom Sage showing G-AYAM inflated on the ground just before take off.

The three page feature on ballooning ...

Hardback book with blue covers and gilt lettering to spine. 358 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, index.

Biography of Rev. John Bacon the scientific cleric who used a balloon to pursue his interests in acoustics and astronomy.

You can read a digitised copy at archive...

Hard back with colour pictorial cover. Eighth edition. Published annually since 1925 as a convenient reference book for students, writers and others interested. 96 pages, illustrated with B/W plates. 22 chapters , appendix and bibliography.

A very good book covering all aspects of ( most...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 280 pages , illustrated with B/W plates and drawings, 28 chapters, appendix with 6 sections, results of balloon races.

In the author's preface he writes, “ The book is an illumination of early balloon racing in America and Europe, a narra...

Hard back book with colour pictorial cover, 417 pages, 24 chapters illustrated with B/W plates and drawings, glossary of Airship terms, bibliography, appendices, index.

The German Naval Airship Division commands an important place in aviation history, for almost half of the 162 rigid air...

Hardback book without dust jacket. 127 pages, illustrations.

Traces the development of the Zeppelin airship, its use in World War I, and its career as a commercial carrier

You can read a digitised copy at archive,org books

 Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 272 pages, 25 chapters illustrated with colour plates and line drawings. Appendices on balloon photography and balloon lift calculations.

Anthony Smith and his companions realized their dreams to float over the great continent of Af...

Hardback book with colour pictorial covers. 119 pages with chapters on early balloon flights, parachutes, Coxwell and Glaisher and Nadar's ‘Le Geant’ balloon.

Hardback book with colour pictorial covers. 119 pages with chapters on early balloon flights, parachutes, Coxwell and Glaisher and Nadar's ‘Le Geant’ balloon.

Hard back book with pictorial dust jacket, 236 pages, 13 chapters illustrated with B/W plates, 7 appendices, notes, bibliography, index.

In the 1920s, the rigid airship ruled the sky. The air-plane was still an undeveloped wood-and-fabric affair, short on endurance and load-...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 119 pages, 7 chapters illustrated with B/W plates and sketches , concluding with an 18 page poem by Neil Mackintosh. 

In this beautiful and fascinating book Sir Alister Hardy describes a true adventure in an old-fashioned gas balloon...

Hard back book with colour pictorial dust jacket, 181 pages, illustrated with B/W plates, 18 chapters.

As the moon rose at midnight and a favourable breeze began to blow to the West and freedom, two East German families, four adults and four children, began an adventure that became the m...

Hard back with  colour pictorial dust wrapper, 180 pages, colour plates, B/W drawings, map, index.

An account of the balloon flight which very nearly succeeded in becoming the first balloon across the Atlamtic.

You can read a digitised copy at archive,org

Aerostat magazine Volume 3 No.5.  The magazine of the British Balloon and Airship Club.  The BBM&L hold a complete run of this magazine.

Icom A2 Airband radio 

An Airtour prototype burner with a large single coil and five large gas jets.

• Alan Noble, a director at Cameron Balloons, recounted his journey into ballooning, starting with a chance encounter at an air show. 
• He detailed his first balloon flight, with Tom Donnelly from Thunderwhich alleviated his fear of heights, and subsequent adventures, including ...

First Encounters with Ballooning

• Jennifer introduces herself and Alison Odell, noting Alison's involvement in ballooning
  since 1975.
• Alison recalls seeing her first balloon in the Midlands and meeting Peter Vale, who had a
  farm nearby.
• Alison d...

• Ballooning and space engineering with Andy Elson.
• Hot air balloon flight issues and near-miss with Mount Everest.
• Near-death experience during hot air balloon flight.
• Ballooning records and kerosene burners.
• Ballooning records and near-death experiences.
  Category: oral-history
  Sub-Category:

The Observer weekend colour supplement for 12 September 1965 with 40 pages  profusely illustrated with colour and B/W plates containing various stories and advertisements.

Page 24 starts the 4 page article ‘Flying on Hot Air’ by Anthony Smith and pictures by Douglas Botting.

I...

The Daily Telegraph magazine number 563 for 12 September 1973 with 40 pages containing various stories and advertisements profusely illustrated with colour and B/W pictures.

The ballooning feature entitled ‘Inflation +Levitation = Elation’ covers 6 pages and starts with a double p...

An instrument to automatically operate the burner of a hot air balloon to maintain level flight, or a different altitude chosen by the pilot.

Manufacturer's description ...

An experimental balloon built by RFD-GQ at their Woking premises for Terry Adams.

A barograph, used to record changing air pressure. It has a slowly rotating drum to which chart strips, or aluminium foil blackened over a candle, are attached. It has a felt pen and recording needle, and is driven by a clockwork mechanism. Made by Gebr Winter GmbH & Co KG in West Germany,...

British Balloons and Airships Club, Competitions Club Handbook 1982. This is the seventh edition and was produced in August 1982 by Nigel Tasker. A 13 page document detailing rules and tasks including: eligibility of pilots, eligibility of balloons, permitted equipment, officials, briefings, o...

The BBM&L have a YouTube channel where you can see a selection of videos.

Beer glass issued at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, 9-11 August 1991.  The event was sponsored by Unipart, the glass features their balloon. Glass manufactured by Dartington, England.

Blanchard's Ascent at Lille: 1785

"JEAN-PIERRE BLANCHARD, who won renown by being the first to cross the English Channel (with Dr. Jeffries) on January 7th, 1785, went all over Europe and to the U.S.A.-making ascents, many of them "first" in the countries visited. Here, on August 26th, ...

• In 1973, a group of friends in England attended a hot air balloon festival and met the ancient Tim Godfrey, leading to an open invitation to join the British Balloon & Airship Club.
• Building and flying homemade hot air balloons.
• In 1974, Carol and Bob joined a balloon ...

Brandy glass issued at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 17-19 August 1984.

Brandy glass issued at the 10th Anniversary of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, 12-14 August 1988. The event was sponsored by Halls Oxford & West Brewery Company Limited, the glass features their balloon.

Early Mark 1 single burner built by Cameron Balloons Limited. The Mark 1 gimballed up and down but only during inflation. The shackled corners were where the envelope and basket wires attached. There were no pole supports from the basket in the early days.

Early Mark 1 single burner built by Cameron Balloons Limited, dating from 1971 onwards, when the frames were painted red. The Mark 1 gimballed up and down but only during inflation. The shackled corners were where the envelope and basket wires attached. There were no pole supports from the bas...

• Jennifer d’Alton and Celia Kunert discuss ballooning, with Jennifer excited to learn about Celia's experiences.
• Celia describes how they repaired a damaged hot air balloon with patches, using a sewing machine and glue. 
• The patches stayed on the balloon for several ye...

Ceramic dish issued at the 14th Icicle meet, Newbury, Berkshire, 4-5 January 1986. Designed by Mike Drye.

Ceramic dish made by Barratts of Staffordshire showing image of  ‘G-OLLI’ balloon and issued at the 1977 World Hot Air Balloon Championships, Castle Howard, York. The International Balloon Committee of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale gave authority to The British Balloon and Ai...

Beer mat promoting a Charles Wells Eagle Bitter competition in the 1980s. The competition is to guess the time it would take the balloon to fly from Bedford to a given destination. The beer mat features memorabilia

• Clive Bailey discusses his life and passion for balloons with Jennifer d'Alton.
• Clive started commercial diving at 17, then worked in the Middle East and North Sea.
• Clive got into hot air ballooning through Mike McDonald, then got a gas ballooning license and flew in the G...

• Colin Prescot discussed travels and experiences, including ballooning and lion taming with Jennifer d’Alton.
• His interest in ballooning started with a chance encounter with Safia Tarzia former princess from Afghanistan.
• Colin recounts meeting balloonist Robin Batchelor (la...

"Artistically speaking, one of the most beautifully rendered ballooning prints is Gouci's lithograph of this ascent at the village of Seal, near Sevenoaks in Kent, on August 23rd, 1825. 

The aeronaut was a Monsieur P. Cornillot, about whom almost nothing is known. The print carries ...

Summary of Crispin Williams Interview

• Crispin recounts the initial ballooning experience, mentioning the purchase of a balloon and the excitement of learning to fly.
• The group learned quickly, with help from experienced pilots like Don Cameron and Chris Chap...

David Bareford Summary

• Jennifer d’Alton introduces herself as the director of the British Balloon Museum and Library
  and expresses excitement about the forthcoming conversation.
• Dr David Bareford congratulates Jennifer and her team on their hard work in s...

Doctor Miller's Design For an Ornithopter: 1843

"This elegant print of 1841 may well have inspired the famous song about the young man on the flying trapeze, who flew through the air with the greatest of ease; for never was living made to look so simple and effortless. The print was pub...

Interview with Donald Cameron discussing his early life, career in aeronautical engineering, and pioneering ballooning achievements.

Highlights

1. Early Life and Family Background

• Donald Cameron was born in Glasgow in 1939.<...

Interview with Donald Cameron discussing his ballooning career, notable flights, and advancements in balloon design and technology.

Highlights

1. Transatlantic Balloon Attempts and Their Impact

• Donald Cameron discussed the b...

Logbook for EI-BAY(1), named Godolphin 1, a Cameron 0-84 

A Cameron O-84  Hours flown - 86   Logbook held by BBM&L  

30 September 1970 John Gore, t/a Edinburgh Hot Air Balloon Club (as G-AYJZ)
13 December 1972 Ian R Jacobs, t/a Edinbugh Hot Air Balloon Club
21 May 1975 Cancelled as sold in the Republic of Ireland. Chang...

Colt AS-261 Airship

Flying safety helmet used by Jean Ray. The helmet has been signed by many of the pilots she met in the early days of modern ballooning including  Mike Alexander, Don Cameron, Niall Duncan,  Chris Dunkley, John Gore, Giles Hall, David Harris, Alec Jenkinson, Peter Langford, William Ma...

Built from transparent plastic. Was last inflated at the BBM&L Inflation Day in 1988, as in the picture, with cold air.

Logbook for G-AVAT, a VanDen Bemden 750 cu m gas balloon. First entry 4 January 1962 - last entry 20 July 1968 with 83 hours logged.

A famous gas balloon named 'JAMBO' by owner Anthony Smith who took it to East Africa to make a series of flights in the Serengeti to film the wild life. He...

Bristol Belle was the first modern hot-air balloon, built in the United Kingdom by Don Cameron, Mark Westwood, Bill Malpas, Giles Bulmer. Charles Meizl, Malcolm Brighton and Tom Sage. The envelope was finished at Vacuum Relex Ltd. In Essex and later modified by RFd-GQ Ltd. of Woking. 29/11/70....

London Pride I (G-AWCR). Piccard Ax-6 balloon. Donated to the BBM&L with a total time of 400 hours. London Pride was the balloon of a former Vice President of the BBM&L, the late Lady Gwen Bellew.

A Brighton Free Gas balloon, serial  number MAB4, named Slippery William. First flown in 1968 at Blackbushe, Hampshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

Built from thin silver foil, the envelope was last seen at the 1988 BBM&L Inflation Day. Due to its construction, it is very fragile and tears easily. Donated to the BBM&L.

G-AXAO, Renatus Cartesius

G-AXVU - Omega 84 balloon. On 12 July 1972, this balloon set a new British Altitude record of 28,000ft. On 14 July Julian Nott took off from Llandinado, in Wales, to set a new World Altitude record of 35,971ft.

Built of transparent polythene, it had the burner suspended on the inside of the envelope. It was donated to the BBM&L in 1981.

Flaming Pearl was the first production Cameron envelope, following on the Omega C/n series.

G-AYAL, Nimble II balloon used in filmed advertisements for Nimble bread. Nimble II was the last production envelope by Omega prior to Cameron starting production. Christine Turnbull flew all the Nimble balloons for the filmed advertisement.

G-AYVA - April fool balloon

Logbook for G-AYVA, named April Fool, a Cameron 0-84

A Western 0-65 , serial number 5, named Hermes.  First flown  on 17 July 1971 at Wollaton Park, Nottinghamshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

Shy-Tot held the World Distance Record at 102km (63.4 miles) Class Ax5 British Distance Records as above for Ax5-Ax15 World and British Endurance Records Classes Ax5 – Ax15 of 2hrs 27mins. This was the first 42,000 cu.ft. balloon built in the UK, and built by the Cameron factory. Donated to th...

A Piccard AX6, serial number 617, named Happiness. First registered as N17US. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Western 0-65, serial number 7, named Peak-a-boo. First flown on 11 March 1973 at Ashover, Derbyshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Western 0-65 HAFB, serial number 15, named Carousel I. First flown on 7 May 1972 at Iron Acton, Avon. Pictured here at the first Worlds at Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1973. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron 0-84, serial number 43, named Esso. First flown on 3 June 1972 at Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Last flown 20 March 1980. Logbook held by BBM&L. Hours flown - 181.

Logbook for G-AZSP, named Esso, a Cameron 0-84

A Cameron O-65, serial number 36, named Eight of Hearts. First flown on 26 June 1972 at Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron O-65, serial number 41, named Icarus. First flown on 17 May 1972, Oxenfoord Castle, Pathhead, Midlothian. Severely damaged at Rendham, Suffolk. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron 0-84, serial number 40, named Jules Verne. Original members of the Jules Verne syndicate include Robin Batchelor, Jenny Greaves, Paul Keane. First flown on 3 June 1972 at Sherborne Castle, Dorset. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron 0-65, serial number 48, named London Pride II.  First flown on 23 July 1972 at Heath and Reach, Bedfordshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

Portslade School 2000 cubic feet model balloon, serial number MK 17, named Mercury. 

A Thunder AX7-77, serial number 3, named Jumpin' Jack Flash.  Prototype Thunder balloon. First flown on 7 January 1973 at Marsh Benham, Berkshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

G-BAMK. A Cameron D-96 Airship. The Airship carried Dortmunder & Pilkskrone artwork which has since been removed. The Gondola is on display at the Museum of Berkshire Aviation, Woodley, Berkshire. The envelope is in store. It was inflated at the BBM&L Inflation day in November 1990.

Logbook for G-BAMK, named Isibidbi, a Cameron 0-96 Airship

A Cameron A-105,  serial number 66. This was the inside envelope of a solar balloon. First flown on 16 June 1973 at Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire.  A second envelope with the serial number 88 was the outside envelope and was transparent. The first flight of the complete solar bal...

A Cameron 0-77, serial number 74, named Granna 1.  First flown on 2 June 1973 in Gränna, Sweden. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Thunder AX7-77, serial number 5, named Jack O'Newbury, one of the earliest built Thunder envelopes. First flown 30 June 1973 at Hamstead Marshall, Berkshire. Logbook not held BBM&L.

A Cameron 0-65, serial number 68, named Viva Verdi. Originally bought by Franco Segre of Italy and intended as HB-BOU but never finalised. G-BAYC is worn upside down! Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Western 0-65, serial number 18, named Cee Bee. First flown on 31 July 1973 at Hawkesbury, Avon. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron 0-77, serial number  76, named Mary Gloster. First Flown on 1 July 1973 at Duntisbourne Abbots,  Gloucestershire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Van den Bemden K-460 gas balloon, serial number VDB.16, named Le Tomate, has 'Pirelli' artwork. First flown on 10 June 1957 at Ypenberg, Netherlands. First registered as OO-BGX in Belgium in 1957. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

An early Thunder AX7-77, serial number 9, named Dick Darby (originally Helios).  First flown on 17 November  1973 at Norwich, Norfolk. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron O-84, serial number 84, named Boadicea. The artwork on the balloon was removed in June 1979. First Flown on 5 October 1973 at Norwich, Norfolk. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron O-77, serial number 86, named Bacchus. First Flown on 1 December 1973 at Pitchcombe, Gloucestershire. Logbook held by BBM&L. Total hours flown 452.

Logbook for G-BBOC, named Bacchus, a Cameron 0-77

Logbook for G-BBOX, named Rocinante, a Thunder AX7-77

A Thunder AX7-77, serial number 11, named Rocinante.  First flown on 2 December  1973 at Marsh Benham, Berkshire. Logbook held by BBM&L. Total hours flown 386.

A Cameron 0-77, 089, Jammy

G-BBYU, a Cameron 0-56 balloon. 

Logbook for G-BCAN, named Beacon, a Thunder AX7-77

A Thunder AX7-77, serial number 15, named Billboard Beacon. First flown on 23 June 1974 at Marsh Benham, Berkshire. Logbook held by BBM&L.  Hours flown - 166.5.

G-BCAR (Marie Antoinette). A Thunder AX7-77 type balloon. G-BCAR has handpainted panels, infact they were putting the final touches to the panels after she was laid our for her first flight!

G-BCFC - ‘Candy Twist’, a Cameron 0-65 type balloon.

This was a harness balloon, the envelope made of polythene. It was only free flown unmanned. Donated to the BBM&L in 1987.

Odyssey 4000 model balloon named Odyssey, manufactured by A J Byrne, construction number AJB2. Purchased by R M Glover, Trustee of The Portslade School, 20 May 1974.

The only registered balloon or aircraft made by Gazebo.

A Cameron O-77, serial number 158, named Leo. First Flown on 10 May 1975 at Bath, Avon. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

Logbook for G-BDGH, named London Pride III, a Thunder AX7-77

One of only 3 AX7-77A's in collection - ex Twilleys artwork. Previous names; Villiers, Capricorn

Logbook for G-BECS, named Sine Nomine, a Thunder AX6-56A

This balloon was placed 1st in the British Nationals in 1976, and 4th in the World Championships in 1977. Donated to the BBM&L

Shadowfax was the first production N-77 for Cameron Balloons. Originally designed with 32 then 28 gores, the standard was set at 24 and 12 wires to prevent misrigging. Donated to the BBM&L in 2003 by SR Bridge.

Logbook for G-BEFE, named Shadowfax I, a Cameron N-77

First V-56 in the collection- donated @ ID24

Sungas set a World Distance flight Record on 25 January 1978 of 305nm. Donated to the BBM&L. The art work has been removed.

Logbook for G-BEPO, named Sungas, a Cameron N-77

On the 8th January 1994, at the Icicle Meet, Warren Farm, Savernake, Wiltshire, this airship made the local news when the engine failed and the airship became entangled in the trees. The local fire brigade were called to get the pilot and crew down. Later the BBC did an action replay for a pro...

G-BETF (Champion). A Cameron Sparkplug-40 SS type balloon in the shape of a sparkplug. Donated to the BBM&L. Noted flying at the 1993 Bath Festival.

In 1977, Debenhams 1 was tethered in Hyde Park It was retired in 1988 and donated to the BBM&L. It was inflated at the 1988 BBM&L Inflation Day.

Originally built as C/n 079. The registration was also issued to Thunder C/n 119.

Logbook for G-BEVI, named Prime Bang, a Thunder AX7-77A

Logbook for G-BEXZ, named Valor I, a Cameron N-56

Phonogram was tethered at the Bob Dylan Concert at Blackbushe, 1978, in front of 500,000 people.

Home built balloon

Logbook for G-BGOD, named Harvey Wallbanger, a Colt 77A

Logbook for G-BGOO, named Mr Gas, a Colt 56 Gas Flame SS

Pepsi Cola branded balloon. The envelope was retired in 1988 and donated to the BBM&L.

Logbook for G-BHEX, named Superwasp, a Colt 56A

G-BHHK, a Cameron N-77 balloon. Daniella Bridge piloted G-BHHK to achieve the British Altitude Female record on the 13th August 1983 for AX7-AX15, with an altitude of 16,695ft. Ian Bridge piloted G-BHHK to win the British Nationals in 1981 and 1982, and he came 4th in 1979 in this same balloon...

Logbook for G-BHHK, named Shadowfax II, a Cameron N-77

Registered as a Colt 12A – one of seven made for the film Green Ice, filmed in mexico starring Ryan O’Neal, Anne Archer and Omar Sharif – the ballooning stunts were all done by British balloon pilots – Robin Batchelor, Colin Prescot and Ian Ashpole. The registration was not carried. Held in st...

Registered as a Colt 12A – one of seven made for the film Green Ice, filmed in mexico starring Ryan O’Neal, Anne Archer and Omar Sharif – the ballooning stunts were all done by British balloon pilots – Robin Batchelor, Colin Prescot and Ian Ashpole. The registration was not carried. Held in st...

One of the Cloudhopper balloons which starred in feature film ‘Green Ice’ where 3 balloons flew off the roof of the Citibank Skyscraper at night in Mexico City.

Originally built for Freddy Eshoo from Iran, but he never paid for it.

Logbook for G-BHRY, named Turkish Delight, a Colt 56A

Logbook for G-BHSN, named Innovation, a Cameron N-56

A Thunder AX6-56 BOLT, serial number 273, named Halcyon. First flown on 3 July 1982. Originally based in Hong Kong. Logbook held by BBM&L. Total hours flown 60.

Logbook for G-BHTG, named Halcyon, a Thunder AX6-56

A Thunder AX3-17.5, serial number 277, named Ben Hur. Registered as an AX3 Sky Chariot.  First flown on 23 May 1980 at Telgte, West Germany. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Cameron AT-165, serial number 400, named Zanussi. A Roziere balloon, the hot air element was first flown on 20 June 1978 at Bristol, Avon. 

Roziere balloons use a combination of helium and hot air. Below the spherical helium gas cell is a conical sleeve where air can be heated by ...

A Thunder AX3-21, serial number 290, named Captain Pugwash. Originally based in Kenya. First flown on 8 January 1981 in Masai Mara, Kenya. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Colt 17A Cloudhopper, serial number 789, named Smirnoff. 

G-BIDV(1), serial number 34, was a prototype Colt Cloudhopper 14A and first flown on 29 July 1979 in Oswestry, Shropshire. Robin Batchelor flew G-BIDV(1) over the Henley Regatta on 4 June 1981, the direction took him right ...

Logbook for G-BIDV, named Smirnoff, a Colt 14a Cloudhopper.

A Thunder AX7-77, serial number 295, named Big 'F'.  First flown on 14 February 1981 in Penallt, Gwent, Wales. Logbook held by BBM&L. Total hours flown 301.

Logbook for G-BIGF, named Low Rider/ Big 'F', a Thunder AX7-77 Bolt. This is possibly the second  logbook as it covers the period 14 February 1981  t...

A Colt 77A, serial number 78, named Big T. First flown on 1 March 1980 in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Badly damaged after gas cylinder explosion at Belton House, Grantham, Lincolnshire on 23 August 1981. Remains stored with BBM&L. Logbook not held by the BBM&L.

A Cameron Bellows-60 special shape, serial number 703, named Bealloon, the shape is an expansion joint. First flown on 11 August 1981 at Marsh Benham, Berkshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Colt 56B, serial number 393, named Bart. First flown on 19 March 1982 in Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport, Stourbridge, West Midlands. Last flown on 11 August 2000. Logbook is held by the BBM&L. Total hours flown 127.

Logbook for G-BJXP, named Bart, a Colt 56B. The logbook covers the period 19 March 1982 to 11 August 2000.

A Colt 17A Cloudhopper, serial number 342, named Headland Hotel III. Logbook not held by the BBM&L. 

A Cameron Bottle-57 special shape, serial number 846, named Robinson Barley. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron O-65, serial number 148, named Parfait Armour. Originally registered as EI-BAN and named Bucephelus. First flown as EI-BAN on 4 May 1975 at Tilburg, Netherlands. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Thunder AX-3 Sky Chariot, serial number 497, named The Weazel. Notcutts Garden Centre artwork has been removed. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Barnes 77 Firefly, manufactured by The Balloon Works, serial numberF7-046, named Just Romance. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

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 Dragon 77, serial number 1, named Rupert. This was a prototype, only one built. On loan to the BBM&L. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Cameron V-65, serial number 970, named White Spirit. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron R-42 gas balloon, serial number 1015, named Cameron Gas. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

Logbook for G-BLKU, named Mr Wonderfuel, a Colt 56 Gas Flame SS. The logbook covers the period 24 July 1984 to 6 August 1989.

A Colt 56 Gas Flame Special Shape, serial number 572, named Mr Wonderfuel with British Gas logo. First flown on 24 July 1984. Last flown 30 April 1990. Logbook is held by the BBM&L. Total hours flown 144.

Logbook for G-BLWB, named Porky, a Thunder AX6-56A. The logbook covers the period 15 May 1985 to 1 May 2000. 

A Thunder AX6-56A, serial number 645, named Porky. First flown on 15 May 1985 in Norwich, Norfolk. Last flown 1 May 2000. Logbook is held by the BBM&L. Total hours flown 328. 

Logbook for G-BLYT, named Signal II, an Airtour AH-77. This is possibly the second  logbook as it covers the period 7 March 1993 to 16 August 2002. 

The Airship was increased in volume in late 1990. Sold in Spain and reregistered, but retained its UK markings. On loan to the BBM&L.

Logbooks for G-BMLJ, named Mr Funshine, a Cameron N-77. First logbook covers the period 5 April 1986 to 5 July 1990. Second logbook covers the period 5 July 19...

Logbook for G-BMVI, named Ex Securior, a Cameron O-105. The logbook covers the period 31 January 1986 to 12 July 1997.

Logbook for G-BMYA, named British Gas, a Colt 56A. The logbook covers the period 15 August 1986 to 18 September 1992.

A Colt  56A, serial number 864, named British Gas.  First flown on 15 August 1986 in Bristol, Avon. Logbook held by BBM&L. Total hours flown 215.

Logbook for G-BNBW, named Mutley/Prudential, a Thunder AX7-77. This is possibly the second  logbook as it covers the period 12 May 1996 to 25 September 19...

A Colt 180A, serial number 1183, named Britannia. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

This envelope was a scaled down version of the Operation Skyquest altitude record balloon. It was registered as a special shape. Last seen at the BBM&L Inflation Day, Kirkby Lonsdale, 10 May 2008.

Logbook for G-BPHD, named Legal & General Ex, a Cameron N-42. The logbook covers the period 7 January 1989 to 7 July 2001.

Vic Trimble won the European Championships in 1984 in this balloon.

Logbook for G-BRZC, named Unipart II, a Cameron N-90. The logbook covers the period 14 April 1990 to 27 January 1991.

A Cameron N-90,  serial number 2227, named Unipart II. First flown on 14 April 1990. Logbook held by BBM&L. Total hours flown 143.

Logbook for G-BSEX, a Cameron A-180. First logbook covers the period 13 May 1990 to 17 August 1995. Second logbook covers the period 19 August 1995 to 22 May 1997. 

Logbook for G-BSXM, a Cameron V-77, named Yo Yo. This is possibly the second logbook as it covers the period 13 January 1991 to 4 June 2006. 

Logbook for G-BTZS, a Colt 77B Bullet, named Minos. The logbook covers the period 12 December 1991 to 8 July 2003. 

Operated by The Hot Air Balloon Company Ltd. And then Flying Pictures Ltd. Lindsay Muir flew from Bristol to Précigné in France in G-BUBL on 7 October 1989 breaking new world records for female pilots. In 19 hours and 8 mins, she flew 447.11kms. 

G-BVBJ (Maxwell House), a Colt SS Flying Jar balloon. Starred in TV commercial filmed in Brazil. Originally operated by Flying Pictures. c 1994. Starred in TV commercial filmed in Brazil. See it here on YouTube

Loaned to the BBM&L

This envelope represents the first Sky balloon donated to the BBM&L. It was built with the Sky C/n of 187, but the sale was completed with a Cameron C/n following their purchase of Sky Balloons. We are grateful to Alex Kennedy for this donation.

G-CCAR Mitubishi Motors

Flown by John Albury. Long term loan to the BBM&L by Mike Glue in 1995.

Phileas Fogg artwork

Donated to the BBM&L at the Cardington Inflation Day in February 1997.

A Colt 56A,  serial number 507, named Alka Seltzer. Originally flown for Bayer, manufacturers of Alka Seltzer, to reinforce their advertisement ”plunk, plunk, fizz-” as a relief from ailments. First flown on 13 April 1983 at Leeds Castle, Kent. Logbook held by BBM&L. Last flight 13 Ma...

A Thunder AX7-77A, serial number 162, named Flying 'G', has Greenham Group artwork. First flown on 18 August 1978 at Andover, Hampshire. Logbook  held by BBM&L. Last flight 24 June 2006. Total hours flown 341.

A Cameron N-77,  serial number 1969, named Handy Gas. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Colt 77A,  serial number 32, named Tardis. First flown on 13 April 1979 at Sennowe Park, Norfolk. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron N-56,  serial number 388, named Hoover. First flown on 27 June 1978 in Norwich, Norfolk. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Colt 31A Double Sky Chariot,  serial number 99, named K9. First flown on 4 January 1981 at Marsh Benham, Berkshire. Logbook held by BBM&L. Total hours flown 46.

A Thunder AX6- 56 SS, serial number 283, named Fiesta. One of only two special shapes built by Thunder. G-ICES was retired due to the condition of the fabric. First flown on 7 August 1980 at Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Cameron SS IKEA-120, serial number 10562, named IKEA. First flown on 3 July 2004, Southampton, Hampshire. Last flown 19 June 2010. Logbook held by BBM&L. Total hours flown 87.

A Colt 69A,  serial number 1274, named J&B Jeremy. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Colt 77A, serial number 1086, named Sandicliffe Ford. First flown on 24 October 1987 at Quorn Lodge Farm, Loughborough. Ian Bridge became the 1990 British Grand Prix Champion and the 1991 British National Balloon Champion, with this  balloon. Logbook held by BBM&L. 

A Cameron N-105, serial number 2933, named Jason and featuring J Bennett & Son Insurance Brokers artwork.  Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Lindstrand LBL 69A, serial number 10, named Lucy. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Colt 240A, serial number 1381, named Star Flyer II. The balloon was badly damaged after trans Everest flight on 21 October 1991. This was one of two balloons to achieve the flight, one acting as a camera ship. Chris Dewhirst and Leo Dickinson in G-LCIO and  Andy Elson and Eric Jones in ...

A Thunder AX7-77Z, serial number 168, named Barry's Yellow Thing. First flown on 1 December 1978 at Marsh Benham, Berkshire. Logbook held by BBM&L. Last flown 8 October 2004. Total hours flown 355.

A Cameron N-77, serial number 359, named Famous Grouse. First flown on 7 January 1978 at Marsh Benham, Berkshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Colt 77A,  serial number 1073, named BBM&L Flagship. Originally registered as G-JONO(1) with only 20 minutes in the logbook when donated. First flown on 7 July 2018 at Northampton Racecourse, Northamptonshire. Still registered to fly. Logbook held by BBM&L. 

A Cameron N-77, serial number 427, named Nottingham Building Society. First flown on 6 October 1978 at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron 35 Peanut Man special shape, serial number 711, named Mr Peanut II, the second of two Peanut Men built by Cameron's. The first was sold to America where it was replaced by an Aerostar International built example. The fate of the original Peanut Man is unknown. Logbook not held by BBM...

An Airtour AH-77B, serial number AH 010, named GO AAC. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Colt 69A,  serial number 698, named Budweiser. First flown on 3 July 1985. Logbook held by BBM&L. Last flown on 1 June 1989. Total hours flown 177.

Artwork changed to the BBM&L banner in 2007.

A Cameron Can 80 special shape, serial number 2106, named Andrews Can. First flown on 19 December 1989 at Guildford Hospital, Surrey. Logbook held by BBM&L. Last flown on 23 October 1991. Total hours flown 57.

Agfa film casette artwork and shape.

Golly III was the first special shaped hot air balloon built in the United Kingdom. Donated to the BBM&L in 2002, the donation included, basket, burner, ropes, gas cylinders, logbooks and memorabilia.

G-OPKF - balloon in the shape of a bowler hat. Loaned to the BBM&L by David Fish.

Servo Connectors artwork and special shape.

A Colt Bottle 90, serial number 1953, named Old Parr Whisky. First flown on 26 July 1991 at Ashton Court, Bristol, Avon. Logbook held by BBM&L. Last flown on 25 November 1993. Total hours flown 176.

A Cameron 60 Bottle special shape, serial number 699, named Perrier.  First flown on 16 April 1980 at Ashton Court, Bristol, Avon. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Cameron built Thunder and Colt Film Cassette, serial number 4507, named AGFA. Logbook not held by BBM&L.

A Thunder AX7- 77Z, serial number 263, named Pork Farms. First flown on 30 March 1980 at Marsh Benham Berkshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Cameron Barrell 60 special shape, serial number 794, named Charles Wells. The Charles Wells Brewery commissioned two special shapes, the other being a pint mug which had a barrel shaped basket. The envelope of G-PINT was donated to the BBM&L, and now sports the BBM&L banner. The barr...

G-PIPY - balloon in the shape of a Scots bagpiper. It stands 156 feet high. Built of fabric specially printed with a bespoke tartan.

A Colt  105A, serial number 1958, named Eastern Electric. First flown on 8 May 1991 at Buxton School, Norfolk. Logbook held by BBM&L. Last flown on 6 April 1997. Total hours flown 265.

A Colt  56 Special Shape, serial number 037, named Banks Ale. A round barrel shaped balloon which had a round barrel shaped basket, also in the collection. First flown on 9 June 1979 at Oswestry, Shropshire. Logbook not held by BBM&L. 

A Thunder AX7-65, serial number 1439, named Rain-Beau-Lune. First flown on 30 June 1989 at Oswestry, Shropshire. Logbook held by BBM&L. Last flown on 28 August 2018. Total hours flown 301.

A Colt 77A, serial number 1496, named Star Flyer 2. Partner to Star Flyer 1, these two balloons achieved the first flight over the summit of Mount Everest on 21 October 1991. Star Flyer 1 was piloted by Chris Dewhirst (Australia) with cameraman Leo Dickinson, and Star Flyer 2 was piloted by An...

Red Nescafe artwork and special shape.

Lindstrand artwork.

G-ZUMP envelope. Allen & Harris Estate Agents. Donated to the BBM&L

Balloon G-UILA (1) was stolen and the base of the propane cylinders doctored to allow carriage of drugs.

A Geoff Payne quadruple burner from G-AZRI, a Payne 56,600 cubic feet home built balloon. It was the first burner to have liquid feed pilot lights. It has 2 independent fuel line feeds and controls. It was purpose built for Brian Ribbans for Alpine flying.

• Ballooning and airships with personal experiences. 
• Balloon flights, licenses, and filming with Anthony Smith and Albert Finney. 
• Cross-channel hot air balloon flight and its challenges. 
• Hot air balloon flight with Gerry Turnbull in France.
• ...

Glass champagne flute issued at the  Bristol International Balloon Fiesta ‘200’ held on 12-14 August 1983, being 200 years after the Montgolfier Brothers invented the hot air balloon.

Glass tankard issued at the second Bristol International Balloon Fiesta in August 1980. Two are held in the collection - numbers 12 and 18. The image was engraved by The Waveney Glass Company Limited, Diss, Norfolk.

Glass beer tankard issued at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, 10-12 August 1990. The event was sponsored by Unipart, the glass features their balloon. Glass manufactured by Dartington, England.

Glass tumbler issued at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 15-17 August 1986. The event was sponsored by London Life Association Limited, the glass features their balloon, G-WELI, as well as G-SHOT. Glass manufactured by Cristal d'Arques, France.

Beer mat promoting the 'International Heineken Hot Air Balloon Meetings’ with a picture of G-AXVU, named Henry Vlll, in which Julian Nott set a new world altit...

Beer mat promoting the 'International Heineken Hot Air Balloon Meetings’ with a picture of G-AZER, named Shy Tot. The balloon was owned by Tom Donnelly and he ...

Beer mat promoting the 'International Heineken Hot Air Balloon Meetings’ with a picture of Phoggs Pholly, owned by World Champion balloonist Dennis Floden from Michigan, USA.

Ian Ashpole and Jennifer d’Alton discussed their experiences in the ballooning industry. Ian shared his early inspirations, including the French film ‘The Red Balloon’, and his first flight with Mike Moore in 1975. And his collaboration with notable figures like Lauren Bacall.

• Ian t...

Jennie Pearce's Background and Early Ballooning Experiences

• Jennie Pearce shares that she moved to the UK from Australia in 1988, lured by Richard Turnbull, and has been involved in ballooning since then.
• She describes her rural upbringing in northern Victor...

John Baker and Jennifer d'Alton discuss their shared passion for the history of
balloons and airships, with John sharing his extensive knowledge of the history and
manufacturing processes of these vehicles, John and Jennifer's enthusiasm and
dedication to ballooning were evident, as t...

John Rose's Introduction to Ballooning

• Jennifer introduces herself as the director of the British Balloon Museum and Library and expresses her excitement about interviewing John Rose.
• John Rose recounts his first encounter with a hot air balloon at the Brist...

Interview with Julia Dalby exploring her 33-year journey at Cameron Balloons and her
contributions to the ballooning industry.

Julia Dalby's Career Journey and Entry into Cameron Balloons

• Julia Dalby shared her career journey, explaining how she transit...

• Kevin Meehan recounts his first hot air balloon flight with Terry and Giles Bulmer in 1969.
• Kevin Meehan recounts his experiences flying balloons in the Navy, Air Force, and as a civilian, including his first flight in Tiger Jack in 1974.
• Kevin Meehan was offered a job as ...

Jennifer d'Alton and Lindsay Muir discussed the challenges and opportunities faced by women in ballooning,   

• Lindsay Muir recounts her first hot air balloon flight on November 21, 1983, 200 years after the first balloon in France.
• Lindsay Muir enjoys teaching flyi...

Wooden load ring from a gas balloon

Lunardi's Balloon on Exhibition: 1784

"One sees from this splendid aquatint that the custom of putting on show a record-breaking vehicle dates back to the start of practical flying. After Vincenzo Lunardi had made the first aerial voyage in Britain on September 15th, 1784, his gay ballo...

"This is an engraving from one of the finest balloon paintings of all time, the water-colour by J. Dighton which is part of the Norman Collection in the Patent Office Library, and at present on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum. It shows Lunardi in his second balloon in which he ascended,...

Mark Westwood and Jennifer d'Alton discuss the British Balloon Museum and Library's lottery-funded website project, which includes oral histories from ballooning heroes enthusiasts like Don Cameron and Kevin Meehan. Mark recounts his early ballooning experiences, including the formation of the...

Menu for the Awards' Dinner of the Fourth European Championships held in York on 1 September 1984.

Menu for the third annual dinner of the Nottingham and Sheffield Hot Air Balloon Club held on 10 March 1982 at Lenton Hall, Nottingham University.

Michael Kendrick and Jennifer d’Alton discuss his ballooning life and how he became a living legend.

• Kendrick recounts his first balloon flight, which was for an advertising campaign on the Isle of Man during TT week.
• His innovative use of hot air balloons for advertising le...

• Mike Moore, a prominent figure in ballooning, recounted his early experiences, starting in
  1968 at university when he joined a syndicate to buy a balloon for £1,000.
• He detailed his involvement in various ballooning activities, including flying special shapes
  and passenger r...

3D Model of gas balloon G-AWGF, named Venus.

Bone china two handled mug produced by Royal Stafford, issued at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 7-9 September 1979 organised by the Bristol Junior Chamber of Commerce. The design is by Royston Cooper, balloonist and illustrator.

Muzzi's "Aerortoploa": 1838

"In the study of what one might call the pathological morphology of aero-nautical history, there is no more delightful monster than Muzio Muzzi's dirigible, at first named the "Aereonave rettiremiga", then "Nave aerortoploa" (see footnote). It appears to have...

Hardback book with pictorial cover in red. 228 pages.  The author describes his ballooning adventures and those of others.

See books

This balloon is representative of the first modern hot air balloon to cross the English Channel.

Donated to the BBM&L by Paul Clinton at the 1997 Albuquerque Balloon Festival. It was accepted by Colin Butter.

Newsletter number 8 of the British Balloon and Airship Club ( BBAC) when operating from Artillery Mansions in London.  This early photocopied example was the precursor to the subsequent journal of the BBAC entitled The Aerostat

Interview with Nick Purvis discussing his ballooning journey, career at Cameron Balloons, and the evolution of the ballooning industry.

Nick Purvis' Introduction to Ballooning

• Nick Purvis shared his initial exposure to ballooning during his university days, i...

Nigel's Introduction to Ballooning

• Nigel recounts his first encounter with ballooning through a printing company in Bristol.
• He describes meeting Don Cameron, who introduced him to ballooning, and their subsequent
  friendship.
• He mentions the acqui...

Two pilot logbooks for Norman Pritchard covering the period 25 July 1973 to 1 August 2003.

An Omega single burner created specifically for the Nimble balloon, G-AXMD, an Omega 20. The mouth of the balloon attached directly to the burner frame and a skirt was attached to the underneath of the frame, with ventilation holes around the frame. The BBM&L also have the frame created to...

A single burner built by Omega Aerostatics for G-AXAO (1), an Omega 56. The shackled corners were where the envelope and basket wires attached. There were no pole supports from the basket in the early days.

A single burner built by Omega Aerostatics for G-AYAL, an Omega 56. The shackled corners were where the envelope and basket wires attached. There were no pole supports from the basket in the early days.

A cloth patch produced by Terry Adams for his balloon company Flamboyant Balloons in South Africa

Pete Dalby's Introduction to Ballooning

• Pete Dalby first saw balloons in 1984 during a European championship event in York, which piqued his interest but did not lead to immediate involvement.
• His first close encounter with a balloon was in 1986 at a Peace F...

Black and white print of photograph of the City of York gas balloon being inflated at Crystal Palace park in 1901 showing Frank Hedges Butler in the foreground with assembled onlookers behind

Photograph of Jerry Young and Frank Barnes above cloud in a balloon basket taken with a fish-eye lens held at arm's length

A single coil Piccard burner from G-AXGH, a Piccard 77 named  Zümikon.

A metal pin created by the BBM&L to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2010, held at Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts three  balloons: the beer barrel, G-PINT, the Lakeside Lodge golf ball, G-PUTT, and a pink savings pig, G-BWBV. The pin was sold to even...

A metal pin created by the Old Balloon Collectors in Belgium to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2012, held at the Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts two balloons: G-BEPO and OO-BAX. 

A metal pin created by the Old Balloon Collectors in Belgium to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2012, held at the Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts a football special shape, PH-LEV, and a round balloon, OO-BDW. 

A metal pin designed for the BBM&L by Neil Ivison to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2012, held at the Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts three balloons: the beer barrel, G-PINT, the Lakeside Lodge golf ball, G-PUTT, and G-BLYT. The pin was sold to event att...

A metal pin designed for the BBM&L by Neil Ivison to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2014, held at the Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts three balloons: the beer barrel, G-PINT, Mr Wonderfuel gas flame, G-BLKU, and Hermes, G-AZBT. The pin was sold to event ...

A metal pin designed for the BBM&L by Neil Ivison to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2016, held at the Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts three balloons: the beer barrel, G-PINT, the Chubb fire extinguisher, G-CHUB, and 'Jumpin Jack,' G-BAIR. The pin was sol...

A metal pin designed for the BBM&L by Neil Ivison to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2018, held at the Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts three balloons: the beer barrel, G-PINT, London Pride III, G-BDGH, and Cee Bee, G-BBCB. The pin was sold to event attend...

A metal pin designed for the BBM&L by Neil Ivison to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2022, held at the Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts three balloons: the beer barrel, G-PINT, Happiness, G-AZHR, and Carousel III, G-BDSK. The pin was sold to event attendee...

A metal pin designed for the BBM&L by Neil Ivison to commemorate the BBM&L Inflation Day in 2024, held at the Lakeside Lodge, Pidley, Cambridgeshire. The pin depicts three balloons: the beer barrel, G-PINT, the Perrier bottle G-PERR, and Candy Twist, G-BCFC. The pin was sold to event a...

A metal pin featuring the two balloons which have a BBM&L banner, G-ODAY and G-PINT. Created by the BBM&L and sold to raise funds.

A metal pin created by the BBM&L and issued to new 'Friends' of the BBM&L.

A metal pin created by The Balloon Club of Great Britain and issued to its members.

23 Promotional metal pins depicting from left to right:

Row one:

G-BEUV, a Thunder AX6-56A, named Debenhams II,

G-BHHN, a Cameron V-77, named Brian and operated by Alresford Aeronauts,

G-BMCD, a Cameron V-65, named My 2nd Fantasy,

Wooden plaque issued to participants at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, year unknown.

Metal plaque on a wooden base issued at the Fifth World Hot Air Balloon Championships at Battle Creek, Michigan, USA in 1981.

Ceramic plate issued at 23rd Icicle Meet at Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, 7-8 January 1995; plate number 4. Designed by Mike Drye.

Ceramic plate issued at 24th Icicle Meet at Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, 6-8 January 1996; plate number 4 of 24. Designed by Mike Drye.

Ceramic plate issued at 25th Anniversary Icicle Meet at Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, 4-5 January 1997; plate number 4. Designed by Mike Drye.

Ceramic plate issued at 26th Icicle Meet at Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, 3-4 January 1998; plate number 4. Designed by Mike Drye. 

Plate issued at the 9th Icicle meet, Newbury, Berkshire, 3-4 January 1981.

Post card printed for Mark Pacan depicting his painting of the balloons operated by Flying Pictures Ltd. 

Cover carried in Dante (G-AZIP) a Cameron 0-65. No free flight due to adverse weather conditions but two inflations attempted. The pilots were Phil Dunnington and Peter Langford. Cover signed by Peter Langford,  printed picture of the balloon on the specially printed cover along with spec...

Cover carried in Beatrice (G-BAGY), a Cameron 0-84, during the first Icicle Meet 6 - 7 January 1973 organised by the Dante Hot Air Balloon Group. The cover is postmarked Newbury, Berksire. The balloon was piloted by Phil Dunnington and he flew the BBC Blue Peter film unit. The flight time was ...

Cover carried in Madame Recamier (G-AYZF) a French owned Western 0-65, (later reregistered as F-WTEI) during a meet at Stanford Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire, 31 March - 3 April 1972. The cover is postmarked Rugby, this was the largest meet in Europe at the time, the balloon was piloted by Bertran...

Poster advertising a hot air balloon meet at Lilford Park, between Oundle and Thrapston, Northamptonshire, on 3-4 August 1974. The poster describes the attractions and admission charges.

Poster advertising the second Southampton international balloon festival, held on Southampton Common, 31 July - 2 August 1987. 

Poster advertising the Daily Express international balloon meet at Weston Park, Shropshire, on 13-14 September 1975. The poster describes the attractions, admission charges and venue directions.

1915 Poster from His Majesty's Stationery Office giving silhouettes of German and British Aircraft and Airships to assist with identification; providing guidance on the actions to be taken when a hostile aircraft is seen.

Poster promoting the first Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, 7 - 9 September 1979, at Ashton Court Mansion, Bristol. Organised by the Bristol Junior Chamber of Commerce and Shipping.

Poster promoting an exhibition of ballooning by The British Balloon Museum and Library, 12 December 1981 - 16 January 1982, at the Newbury District Museum, Berkshire.

Poster promoting the first transatlantic balloon race scheduled for August-September 1992. The Chrysler Transatlantic Challenge was an invitation-only race of 5 elite teams of balloonists representing Holland, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium and the United States, all flying balloons made by C...

Poster promoting the British Balloon Championships, 25 August - 1 September 1979, Wollaton Park, Nottingham, sponsored by John Player.

Poster promoting the World Hot Air Balloon Championships, 10-18 September 1977, Castle Howard, York. This was the third world championship and the first held outside the United States of America. 

Facsimile of hardback book with 311 pages, illustrated with B/W plates and line drawings,16 chapters, 3 appendices, index.

The contents… 'aim at providing technical information for designers, engineers and pilots for the growing army of students'.

Published by The Ronald Aeronautic...

Promotional T-shirt created by Allen & Harris Estate Agents based in Newbury featuring their hot air balloon G-ZUMP.

T-shirt created by Cameron Balloons, Bristol, as a promotional item.

Three pilot logbooks for Renee Thornton covering the periods 10 May 1970 to 29 June 1974, 28 August 1974 to 5 January 1985 and 4 May 1985  to 12 August 1989. 

Richard Turnbull's Early Ballooning Experiences

• Jennifer congratulates Richard on his marriage and expresses excitement to learn about his life.
• Richard recalls his first flight in a gas balloon at the age of six, taking off from RAF Abingdon on Battle of Br...

Rob Bayly’s Introduction to Ballooning

• Rob Bayly was inspired to enter ballooning after watching Don Cameron’s 1978 attempt to cross the Atlantic, which was covered by the BBC’s Nationwide program.
• Rob invited Don Cameron to a BBC children’s science program,...

Robin Batchelor, a balloon pilot for 50 years, recounted his journey from a model airplane enthusiast to a professional balloon pilot. Inspired by a magazine photo, he met Don Cameron, a balloon builder, and began learning the craft. He helped retrieve balloons, leading to a job at Thunder Bal...

• Sara Williams shares that she got her first light aircraft license in a Tiger Moth in 1971.
• Sara recalls getting her balloon licence in 1977, checked out by Laurie Ryan.
• Sara and Crispin got involved with a group of people interested in ballooning, including
  an American...

• Sheila Anthony, a flying vicar, recounts her experiences crewing for Gerry Turnbull and Mike Adams, while also sharing her first balloon sighting in 1969.
• Sheila Anthony recounts her first flight experience in 1971, including the balloon and crew members.
• Sheila Anthony re...

Sticker advertising Smirnoff Cloudhopper with slogan “ Well they said anything could happen”

Polo shirt to mark the 1987 Hot Air Balloon World Championships held 5-12 September in Schielleiten, Austria. Size medium, made of 100% cotton and manufactured by 5 Star. 

Sweatshirt created by BBM&L to mark the BBM&L Inflation Day in 1992, held at the Folly Dog Leg, Hungerford. The sweatshirt was sold by the BBM&L to event attendees.

Souvenir T-shirt to mark the 1st Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in 1994. The festival was initiated by the Department of Tourism to revitalise the local economy after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo three years earlier.

Tall glass issued at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 1989. The event was sponsored by Unipart, the glass features their balloon. Glass manufactured by Dartington, England.

Hard back book , black cloth covers, 248 pages, 15 chapters illustrated with 55 B/W plates, appendices, bibliography, index.

Sprigg's work offers an in-depth examination of airships, covering their design principles, historical development, operational aspects, and future prospects as pe...

The Beginnings of Aerial Reconnaissance: 1794

"FATHER DE LANA had prophesied aerial invasion and attack in 1670, but had not foreseen the use for armies of possessing eyes in the sky. It was Napoleon's generals who were to refuse the military rocket but accept the military observation b...

The First Aerial Voyage in Britain: 1784

"It is perhaps to be regretted that the first aerial voyage in this country fell to the honour of a foreigner, Vincenzo Lunardi-himself a Tuscan-who was the handsome Secretary to the Neapolitan Ambassador in London. Lunardi was later to be given ...

The First Balloons: 1783-84

"Here in the space of one sheet of paper, are six superbly rendered pictures of five classic balloons, all of them collector's pieces.

(top left) The inflation of the small Charles hydrogen balloon, built of rubberised fabric by the brothers Robert, an...

The First Channel Crossing by Air: 1785

”This famous aerial event started with the makings of an international incident, and nearly ended in tragedy for the two aeronauts the French pilot Jean-Pierre Blanchard and his sponsor, the ex-patriate American physician John Jeffries.

Bla...

The First Hydrogen Voyage and the Start of Modern Ballooning: 1783

"THE MODERN balloon was born through a curious set of circumstances. The Montgolfier brothers thought they had discovered a new gas when they raised their hot-air spheres with the smoke from a fire of chopped wool and st...

Black and white engraving of the Royal Vauxhall Balloon 1836. 

"This tranquil and finely produced print of the balloon crossing the Rhine sets a fitting mood in which to record the greatest balloon flight of the century, a flight not to be excelled for trips out of Engl...

A development of the Thunder Mark 2 double burner to fit a home built balloon, G-BCGP, also in the BBM&L collection.

A modification of the Thunder Mark 2 double burner by David Barker.

A development of the Thunder Mark 2 double burner by David Barker, to accommodate an auto pilot.

Trailrope magazine number 3 from the early days when the publication reflected the standards of photocopying quality.  The BBM&L hold a complete run of the magazine.

Trophy for the 8th World Championship , Schieleiten, Austria,  awarded to Crispin Williams

Trophy for the crossing of the Alps at Mont Blanc, the highest point, in a hot air balloon. Awarded to Crispin Williams.

Ninth place trophy for 7th Coupe d'Europe de Montgolfieres,  held at Charente, France, awarded to Crispin Williams 

 Trophy balloon meet , Austria

Trophy for travelling the longest distance at the International Happy Rohrmoos balloon festival awarded to Crispin Williams

First place trophy at international balloon meet, Bratislava, Slovakia awarded to  Crispin Williams.

First place trophy at International Warsteiner Montgolfiada, Germany  awarded to  Crispin Williams.

Wine glass issued at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 1981. The event was sponsored by Barratt Homes Developments (Bristol) Limited and The Bristol Hotels Association.

Wine glass issued at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, 16-18 August 1985.