Balloon Madness – Flights of Imagination in Britain, 1783-1786

Balloon Madness – Flights of Imagination in Britain, 1783-1786
Claire Brant
Boydell Press, 2017

The hot air balloon is the oldest transport device that has managed to fly. It was developed by the French Montgolfier brothers, who made their first successful experiments in 1783. Two years later the English Channel was crossed first time by a hot air balloon. The new invention created an immediate excitement in Britain. However, the phenomenon was more related to dreams, imagination of the future and popular culture than actual flying, which was only possible for a few.