The ''Bristol Belle'' (G-AVTL) was the name given to the first modern
hot air balloon
A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries ...
in Britain.
Bristol UWE News
{{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060926050356/http://info.uwe.ac.uk/news/UWENews/article.asp?item=175&year=2001 , date=26 September 2006 UWE Award Honorary Degree to Donald Cameron, Issue date: 16 November 2001 The balloon was created from an idea developed by members of the Bristol Gliding Club in the UK. Following developments by Ed Yost
Paul Edward Yost (June 30, 1919 – May 27, 2007) was the American inventor of the modern hot air balloon and is referred to as the "Father of the Modern Day Hot-Air Balloon."
He worked for a high-altitude research division of General Mill ...
in the United States, members of the Bristol Gliding Club decided to create their own hot air balloon. Bill Malpas (chairman of the project), Mark Westwood, Giles Bulmer of the Bulmer cider making family and Don Cameron were the four project creators.
Three other members, Charles Meisl, a Czechoslovakian
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
citizen, Tom Sage, a press photographer from London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and Malcolm Brighton subsequently joined the group. Malcolm Brighton had built a number of balloons and became the main builder for the project.
In the summer of 1966, the team went to Dunstable
Dunstable ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, east of the Chiltern Hills, north of London. There are several steep chalk escarpments, most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the ...
Air Day and saw a number of attempts at a hot air balloon flight by other teams. One, built by teacher Mr. Turner and students at Bolton Technical School, succeeded with a tethered flight before breaking free unintentionally and taking its pilot some distance before the pilot escaped unhurt, but with the balloon draped over a power line. The committee of the air day prohibited any further balloon take offs that day.
In 1967, the ''Bristol Belle'' balloon was complete. Wing Commander
Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...
Gerry Turnbull from RAF Weston-on-the-Green, an experienced gas-balloon pilot, was to teach the team how to fly. Space heating blowers known as ''Jetairs'' were used to inflate the balloon. The balloon initially failed after the first few attempts at inflation, splitting with three distinct tears. Westwood and Cameron set about working on correcting this in the design, and with the assistance of GQ Parachutes in Woking, had the ballon repaired and correctly manufactured to cope with the stresses.
The first flight of the ''Bristol Belle'' took place on 9 July 1967 from RAF Weston-on-the-Green, and was covered by the ''Daily Telegraph'' and other media. The balloon took part in some famous flights including one from HMS ''Ark Royal'', where it was piloted by Lt Terry Adams, accompanied by Lt Howard Draper both of 849 Squadron, B Flight. This early morning launch carried mail to Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
while the ''Ark Royal'' was steaming off the southern coast of the island on 29 November 1970.
References
External links
Pictures of the Malta delivery
Individual balloons (aircraft)