Aeronautics: Balloon Luck

C. The Soviet Army’s stratostat U.S.S.R., largest balloon ever made, was finally ready last week in Moscow for a flight to the stratosphere. A morning fog had weighted the turnip-shaped gasbag with a heavy load of moisture; a drop in temperature had caused the hydrogen to contract. Nevertheless the crew of three aeronauts and two ‘chute jumpers sealed themselves in the spherical gondola for a takeoff. W^ith a dramatic flourish Air Commander Garankidze waved the ground crew to cast off. The huge bag rose groggily about 10 ft. It wobbled sideways across the airdrome, but not an inch higher would it go. The ground crew dragged the bag back; part of the heavy apparatus was unloaded. Still no luck. After two hours of struggle, Air Com-mander Garankidze wearily ordered: “De-flate.” The ripcord was yanked and the silvery bag billowed to earth. C. A German racing balloon, blown by a stiff wind clear out of Germany and across the North Sea, landed on the English coast. Its crew of three suffered first a ducking, then the embarrassment of being arrested for trespassing on the scene of British secret naval practice.