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Article: Archive: Climbing into the clouds for glory and science; Wolverhampton was the unlikely setting for one of the greatest ballooning adventures of all time, as two courageous aeronauts soared into the record books. Chris Upton reports.
- Article from:
- The Birmingham Post (England)
- Article date:
- June 9, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Chris Upton
Not many months ago it was impossible to open a newspaper without reading stories about high-altitude balloons.
Around the world they flew, rose, plummeted and disappeared in a vain attempt to circumnavigate the globe.
This is the last great endurance test to be conquered, apart from hopping to the North Pole on one leg.
All these heroic tales recall the golden age of ballooning, a period which in fact spanned the whole of the 19th century and a little on either side. In the absence of anything with wings, the balloon ...