BeckyW

Time for the fact of the week! The military world was forever changed when 300 years of island security was over with the silent flight of German Zeppelins across the English Channel during World War I. The Zeppelins were gunned down by inexperienced pilots flying untried aircraft. The Zeppelins dropped bombs over the English Island, introducing an alarming new element to the first world war. Learn more in the book "The Zeppelin Fighters" by Arch Whitehouse, available to read in the Balloon Museum Library!

Throughout the years there have been many attempts to research and fly or visit the North Pole. The pole has always held a certain fascination with the human species. In the late 19th century there was a great race to see what craft and which direction was the best and fastest to get to the north pole while still surviving the harsh climate. Unfortunately multiple lessons were learned the hard way- including a lesson on ballooning in the arctic. Of the 1,000 people that tried to reach the North Pole in the late 1800's, only 249 survived according NPR's "Lesson Learned: Don't Fly to North Pole in a Balloon". That's less than 1/4 of the explorers. Among these explorers was one S.A. Andree. In 1897, along with 2 crewmen, Andree took flight about 600 miles from the North Pole. He had believed that with "drag ropes" he could steer, much like the concept of steering a sailboat. The drag ropes would create enough resistance that they would be going slower than the wind and hence be able to steer the craft. At the start of the flight the ropes became entangled, and then they got untangled, and then they fell. Andree and the crew had lost their method of steering the aircraft. Andree and his two crewmen became the first men ever to be lost in the air. Thirty-three years later the skeletons of Andree and his crewmen were found on a Swedish island in the arctic by sealing sloops. In a book written by Alec Wilkinson, Andree's experience is described in detail. They had found Andree's journal, notes of the journey in air as well as on foot, and some undeveloped film in a tin can. There is much speculation to this day as to the cause of deaths, however the skeletons were cremated soon after their discovery. Now it's 85 years since their last campsite was found, and 118 years since that fateful day the aircraft left Sweden. Much has changed, balloons have updated, and there have many excursions to the North Pole, but our sense of exploration and adventure has never diminished.

The year is 1976 and time again for the Indiana State Fair. It’s on his way to work that Gary Tarter Sr. sees a balloon out flying. Three hours later and Tarter Sr. finds himself at the landing zone, invited to attend the flights that weekend, and looking forward to flying in his first hot air balloon. Three months later Gary had bought his own balloon. At that point on he never stopped flying. “He loved it as much the day he died as when he first started,” claimed Gary Tarter Jr. “I thought it’d be like a passing fancy, but no,” recalled Linda Tarter, wife of Gary Tarter Sr. and mother of Gary Tarter Jr. Unlike many balloon enthusiasts, Tarter Sr. had a full time job and was only able to balloon on the weekends. Tarter Sr. looked forward to being retired and flying in his balloon whenever he wanted. Albuquerque, NM and Forest Park, MO were among Tarter Sr.’s favorite locations to fly. In almost every location that the Tarter family flew there was a crew waiting for them, welcoming them back like family. Tarter Sr. was an easy-going captain, one of the reasons all of his crews loved to fly with him. There was a good reason for that easy-going demeanor: he loved flying. “This was his salvation,” reflected Tarter Jr. “To see my dad so happy and have that life that he always wanted up until his very last day was the best part.” Since age nine Tarter Jr. had grown up with ballooning. He looked forward to weekends of ballooning because that’s when he’d get to see and play with his friends. “We’d tell my son we were going to a ballooning race or event,” said Linda Tarter, “and he’d say “Who’s going to be there?”” Families knew each other, the children played together, and the Tarter family loved the atmosphere it created. It was and is truly a tight knit family event, and something that Gary Tarter Sr. enjoyed until the day he died.

The Sky’s the Limit BalloonScape is a one-of-a-kind attraction at the National Balloon Museum that reflects the sights, scenes, and historical points of Indianola. Purchase a metal balloon and work with an artist of your choice to design and creatively paint a balloon that represents your organization and the theme, “The Sky's The Limit!” The balloon base is inscribed with the name of your organization or person purchasing the balloon. A BalloonScape would be a great way to honor a Ballooning Pioneer or enthusiast. You can choose to place your balloon in the BalloonScape Garden at the National Balloon Museum or place it at a destination of your choice. The 3 foot tall, 12-panel metal balloon weighs 150 lbs. Download Application

Here is a link where you can download and view the newsletter Airways Fall/Winter 2014 AirwaysFallWinter2014.pdf

FREE movies at the National Balloon Museum! Popcorn for $1 Come see some great movies! Click here for current Schedule Movies at the Museum 11x17.pdf

I’m looking for balloonists that are using the Go Pro during flights. I think it would be a neat exhibit to show the visitors to the Balloon Museum what flying is like from all over the USA and the world. If the pilots would explain during the flight who they were and where they were flying and what might be happening-- I think it would be a fabulous way to add to the adventure of ballooning. If they could then put it on a disk and send it to the National Balloon Museum PO Box 149 Indianola, IA 50125.