German engraving Hydrogen balloon crash in Gonesse after taking off from the Champs de Mars on 27th August 1783 Coloured engraving, with frame ( x cm) Muller-Quênot Collection On 27th August at five o'clock, a gunshot announced the beginning of the experiment. The balloon, free from its ties, rose rapidly into the sky to the amazement of the three hundred thousand spectators. Within two minutes it had already reached a height of 488 "toises". The balloon landed in Gonesse after a three-quarter of an hour flight, it had covered five leagues, equivalent to sixteen kilometres. The l
German engraving Hydrogen balloon crash in Gonesse after taking off from the Champs de Mars on 27th August 1783 Coloured engraving, with frame ( x cm) Muller-Quênot Collection On 27th August at five o'clock, a gunshot announced the beginning of the experiment. The balloon, free from its ties, rose rapidly into the sky to the amazement of the three hundred thousand spectators. Within two minutes it had already reached a height of 488 "toises". The balloon landed in Gonesse after a three-quarter of an hour flight, it had covered five leagues, equivalent to sixteen kilometres. The local farmers flocked to the fields, terrified at having witnessed the large, shapeless craft falling from the sky. Believing it was a sign of the devil, they called upon a priest to exorcise the cursed creature. The priest, unconvinced by his parishioners, didn't dare to approach the unknown being. It took the boldness of one man, armed with his gun to opened fire on the harmless balloon, riddling it with bullets. As the gunshots pierced through the aerostat, it began to deflate, advancing its decent. In order to atone for their previous display of fear, the locals rushed to the balloon, striking at it with their pitchforks and launching stones. The balloon's shapeless envelope was attached to the back of a horse and dragged along the ground, reduced to tattered strips of material.
Size: 4424px × 3656px
Photo credit: © Photo12 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: accident, balloon, crash, engraving, hot-air, landscape, village
