Today in the year 2015, and in years to come, in every state, township and grass field that can be found, a colorful hot air balloon will rise with the early morning sun. Hot air balloons are as common as the Ford motor car driving along the highway.
In our distant past, in the years following the ending of World War II, there were no clubs or group of individuals flying balloons. The modern hot air balloon which could safely fly passengers was a design on a drawing board.
The Balloon Club of America was incorporated as a sport balloon club in the state of New Jersey in the year 1952. Without the leadership and guidance of Tony Fairbanks, it is doubtful the Balloon Club of America would have ever inflated a gas balloon. Tony is the bridge from the olden days of the Cleveland Balloon Club, through the Balloon Club of America to the modern hot air balloon.
Along a narrow flowing stream was clustered a group of garages in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. These contained canoes which were rented to the public. Mrs. Mary Louise Fairbanks was a hostess at the well known Strath Haven Inn and restaurant which rested on a hill above the garages. An arrangement was made with the Strath Haven Inn for the rental of a garage which became at that moment the storage, work area and headquarters of the only balloon club in the United States, the Balloon Club of America.
The stories of these few men and women and the related photographs are unique and of interest to all who love to see a balloon fly in the sky. This small group of pilots and crew were a spark in the past which ignited the growth of gas and hot air ballooning as we know it today.
Written by Michael Fairbanks
Photo on left, the white arrow to the left of the Strath Haven Inn points to the garages that held BCA’s equipment. With the first gas balloon launch in November 1952 of the newly incorporated Balloon Club of America, this storage garage along Crum Creek, at this moment in time, represented the only lighter-than-air free balloon activity in the United States of America. There was no other.
The trailers are by the garage at Strath Haven Inn in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.
From the Balloon Club of America as titled “For Immediate Release”. The members of the newly formed balloon club issued a notification of expected club activities.
Of interest is the statement as written in 1952:” and at the same time a donation of approximately $300,000 worth of balloon equipment to enable the new club to start its activities”.
In looking backward, it is difficult to imagine the value of a bunch of old rubberized cotton gas balloons listed as $300,000. The five gas balloons which could be flown and related equipment in actuality had no value for resale. The gas balloons, cotton nets and equipment were discarded as having no use by the US Military.
Please direct your attention to the press release as listed below:
From: Balloon Club of America
Swarthmore, Pa.
For Immediate Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA. — Re-awaking of free ballooning activities was foreseen here yesterday with the announcement of the formation of the Balloon Club of America and at the same time a donation of approximately $300,000 worth of balloon equipment to enable the new club to start its activities.
Tony Fairbanks, who was elected President of the Balloon Club of America, explained this is the first organized balloon activity since the late 1930’s.
Some twenty-five balloon enthusiasts, most of them from the Philadelphia area, have held a series of meetings over the last two months in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and at the latest meeting officers were elected and a definite schedule of activities set up for this summer.
Also announced at the meeting was the gift of eleven balloons to the Club donated by Douglas Leigh of New York City, whose company has operated advertising airships since 1946.
The eleven balloons, ranging from 17,000 cubic feet to 80,000 cubic feet along with various specialized aeronautical equipment, was part of a large supply of surplus material which Mr. Leigh’s company purchased from the government at the end of the war. Mr. Leigh has not used the free balloons (which have no engines) in his own dirigible advertising business and following conferences with Mr. Fairbanks and Mr. Donald Piccard, son of Prof. Jean Piccard, foremost stratospheric scientist, decided to part with his entire fleet of free balloons estimated to have cost $300,000. All of this equipment is being moved from the storage space which Mr. Leigh’s company had at Lakehurst to the Balloon Club’s headquarters at Swarthmore where they will be readied for flight.
The balloons will be known as the Flamingo series — Flamingo I, Flamingo II, etc., and will make their inaugural flights from the vicinity of Conshohochen, Pa., where proper lifting gas is available.
The membership of the Club has been drawn from a variety of sources including engineers ——————–
Mr. Fairbanks said that the first balloon should be ready for flight by the early part of this summer and plans for the year include participation in aerial shows, etc. etc.
-O-
Certificate of Incorporation
1952 – The following photograph shows members of the club inspecting the recently-arrived equipment from the Douglas Leigh Company of New York.
