This book tells the often dramatic and always fascinating story of
flight in lighter than air machines. For centuries man had dreamed of
flying, but all attempts failed, until in 1782 the Montgolfier brothers
constructed the world's first hot air balloon The following year saw the
first ascent with aeronauts - not human beings but a sheep, a duck and a
cockerel. But it was not long before men and women too took to the air
and became ever more adventurous. The aeronauts became famous giving
displays before crowds of thousands, often accompanied by special
effects.
In the early years, ballooning was a popular pastime, but in the 19th
century it found a new use with the military. Balloons were used to send
messages out during the Siege of Paris and later found a role as
observation balloons for the artillery. But their use was always limited
by the fact that they were at the mercy of the wind. There were numerous
attempts at steering balloons, and various attempts were made to power
them but it was the arrival of the internal combustion engine that saw
the balloon transformed into the airship. The most famous developer of
airships was Graf von Zeppelin and the book tells the story of the use
of his airships in both peacetime and at war. There were epic adventures
including flights over the poles and for a time, commercial airships
flourished - then came the disaster of the Hindenburg. Airships still
fly today and ballooning has become a hugely popular pastime.
