American Ballooning
American ballooning began in the early half of the 19th century using light coke gas for inflation. This gas, if inflated into a relatively well-sealed silk envelope, could sustain flight nearly indefinitely. Balloons were mainly used as amusement rides, so initially the military had no use for them at all.
Read more about this topic: History Of Military Ballooning
Famous quotes containing the word american:
“If today there is a proper American “sphere of influence” it is this fragile sphere called earth upon which all men live and share a common fate—a sphere where our influence must be for peace and justice.”
—Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)