Title
Blanchard's balloon
Caption
Engraving by Martinet, rue Saint Jacques, Paris
"Notes on the balloon plans"
Experiment on Tuesday 2nd March 1784, in Champs de Mars.
Coloured etching with frame (34 x 26 cm)
Muller-Quênot Collection
Former Soulavie and Edouard Bourdariat collection
Info+
"Having decided to take off without sufficiently inflating the balloon, Mr Blanchard was unable to carry the load he had previously transported to the Tuileries on 1st December 1783. Despite measuring a similar 26ft in diameter and having removed the ballast, he was still unable to steer. He left the champs de Mars at half past twelve and rose rapidly into the air reaching such a great height that the air required to balance the flow of gas failed to reach 18 inches. He ramained in the same place for 6 minutes then after several deviations at the same height the craft appeared to descend until it began to fall around two o'clock beside the Séve glass factory, on the versailles path next to the river."
French Aviation Exhibition, Petit Palais des Champs Elysées, November 1933 –January 1934.
Date
18th century
Credit line
Photo12/Association Muller Quenot Rosheim
Reference
MQR10A00_171
License type
Rights managed
Available size
38,0Mb (3,1Mb) / 10,7in x 13,8in / 3213 x 4134 (300dpi)