Balloon Men by bmac62
Close
Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.
Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.
Description
This posting goes hand-in-hand with Rob's Balloon Buster: Click Here
It looks like my two observers are in a heap of trouble with the Fokker Dr. I bearing in on them and their balloon.
Please ZOOM.
The two WWI US Army observers in the wicker basket are hanging under a Caquot Type R Observation Balloon. Tethered balloons allowed both sides to observe enemy at distances up to 40 miles - when filled with hydrogen gas, this type of balloon could lift two passengers along with charting and communications equipment to a height of up to 4,000 ft - nearly 1,000 Caquot balloons were made in the United States in 1918-1919.
Thanks for stopping by,
Bill:)
P.S. This display with the full-sized balloon overhead is in the WWI display area of the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
Comments (32)
anahata.c
thanks for the 2 views, and your usual caring description; and the shots have the intensity of silhouettes, with museum or even theater lighting; and the clarity & intense spotlight is wonderful against the dark. I really like that you gave us the girders (#2) and the deep red light of the museum itself: We get to see the stuff 'behind the curtain'. (If you've ever been in theater, you know that right behind that curtain is an airplane hangar of tall cords, girders, deep caverns of no-man's-land and detritus that no one ever sees in front of the stage. You gave us a glimpse of that here.) Very fine work again, you have such a professional & caring touch in all you do, these are classy captures. And I didn't even know the army 'had' such balloons...shows you how much I don't know.
PSDuck
Bill, I was under the impression we used helium, as it is non-flammable - viz hydrogen which is. (Wonderful "whooshing" memories of high school hydrogen burn-off moments spring to mind...a couple of "BANG!"s as well.) The Jerries used hydrogen. Anyway: supercool pics!