Bristol has been well known for Hot Air Ballooning in the United Kingdom since Don Cameron introduced it with the ‘Bristol Belle’ in July 1967. However, as well as Cameron Balloons and the now world-famous Bristol Balloon Fiesta a pair of brothers from South Bristol have made a name for themselves, both with the hardcore enthusiast community and the local families, by re-introducing some of the most recognizable and loved balloons ever made.
Dan and Liam Whitlock started Bristol Balloon Collectors back in 2014 when Liam acquired Colt 90A ‘Badgerline’ so he could practice his inflations whilst training for his balloon pilots license. Since then, the collection has grown rapidly with pilots offering old envelopes to the collection from across Europe. More recently the collection policy has been refined with an emphasis on balloons that have a particular connection with the Bristol and Bath area, as well as specials shapes. Whilst their collection has participated in numerous ballooning events up and down the UK since its formation, this was the first time they had put on an event themselves. Hosted at Snake Meadows in Saltford by the Bath Hot Air Balloon Club which is headed up by Able Scaffold balloon team chief pilot Jerry Davis, the day saw six hours of tethering planned by 27 different envelopes.
Arriving just after 0900hrs the crews were busy laying out Cameron Thomas-110 and Cameron SS 90 Sonic. The latter owned by Dan and Liam’s friend and fellow balloon enthusiast Matt Joyce of MJ Ballooning. Neither of these envelopes had been seen in the UK for a number of years prior to Bristol Balloon Collectors and MJ Ballooning acquiring them. Thomas the Tank Engine had been put into storage for a number of years after the demise of Virgin Airship and Balloon Company Ltd, whilst Sonic ended up in the United States of America. Neither balloon is particular easy to inflate, Thomas is very large and weighs in at around 350kg and can become particular problematic if the big side panels of the balloon get caught by a gust of wind, whilst the extremities in particular the legs and feet of Sonic have become difficult to inflate as the balloon ages.
A series of round balloons were then inflated in the form of Cameron N-77 balloon G-BOFF, originally manufactured in 1988 for Systems-80 Double Glazing Ltd, Colt 105A Balloon G-BSNU, originally manufactured in 1990 for Sun Life Assurance Society PLC. The Sun Life balloon was a regular sight throughout its airworthy life within the western region area alongside the only overseas balloon on display, Schroeder Fire Balloons D-OBLU which was in almost immaculate condition as it was manufactured in September 2000 for Hildesheimer Ballonteam GmbH, so is quite a ‘modern’ balloon compared to the rest of the collection. Next up to inflate was a very strange balloon, a home-built envelope from Myanmar built from panels of Cameron A-210 Balloon XY-AHA as a concurrent activity during the flying season of 2005. The Bagan-42 eventually got brought to the UK and was placed in storage before being donated to Bristol Balloon Collectors in 2020. Another envelope with connections to Myanmar is Cameron Thunder AX8-90 balloon G-BWKW Road to Mandalay, previously owned and operated by Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Ltd and more recently Bristol based local balloon operator Gone with The Wind Ltd.
The highlight and surprise of the day to many of the hardcore balloon spotters came in the form of a very simple looking white envelope which had been in store for the majority of its life. Built in 1999 and owned by Cameron Balloons Ltd until this summer when it was donated on loan by Cameron Balloons Ltd to Bristol Balloon Collectors and MJ Ballooning the Cameron RX-105 has only been seen in public once before, inside No.1 Shed at Cardington Airfield, home of the Royal Airship Works. The second surprise of the day was a guest appearance by Cameron SS 65 Egg balloon G-OEGG Cadburys Cream Egg special shape, which was built in 1989 and operated by the well-known special shape and advertising operator Virgin Airship and Balloon Company Ltd throughout the 1990s and is in very good condition for a balloon of its age.
Next up prior to the lunch break was Cameron N-90 Balloon G-BUVW which, prior to being donated by its owner to the Whitlock brothers, was originally owned by Bristol Balloon Fiestas Ltd to promote the Bristol Balloon Fiesta at other Ballooning events and later utilized by Bristol University Hot Air Ballooning Society. More recently the balloon has received a Velcro panel advertising the Bristol Balloon Collectors. Dating back to 1989 is the classic balloon shape of the Cameron V-77 G-BPYV Spa Vehicle Electrics which is certainly showing its age but still stands up with no issues whilst inflated. MJ Ballooning was preparing Colt Flying Coffee Jar balloon G-BVBK, more commonly known as Maxwell House. Colt Balloons built two identical balloons in 1993 for Flying Pictures (Balloons) Ltd both envelopes are still preserved with G-BVBJ being housed with the British Balloon Museum & Library whilst G-BVBK joined MJ Ballooning’s growing fleet of special shapes in 2022 and is actually airworthy (in fact part of the its annual Certificate of Airworthiness inspection was being carried out that day). Unfortunately, the winds had picked up by the time the CoA inspection had been completed and it was decided that a hot inflation would not be possible, a great shame but safety and preservation of the envelope is key.
After the break for lunch a balloon once registered to the Inland Revenue was inflated, the pink Cameron O-90 Balloon with the wording ‘Let’s make a record’ stood up in a rather strong breeze, alongside G-BXGC The Royal Crescent Hotel, a Cameron N-105 balloon which once advertised that hotel which is now advertised by a Cameron Z-105 operated by local ballooning legend Clive Bailey’s company Bailey Exclusive. Following on from those two were G-RIZE, a Cameron O-90 balloon first flown in 1993 and donated to the collection by a Dutch individual, along with two well-worn stinky balloons Cameron N-65 G-BSGP Have a Nice Day along with G-TOOL, a Thunder AX8-105 balloon which was regularly seen at Bristol Balloon Fiestas throughout the 1990s. Alsom inflated was an almost identical balloon to G-BUVW, Cameron Z-105 G-CBHW which was owned by Bristol Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Shipping for many years to promote the European Capital of Culture Bid 2008 and flown by legendary adventure balloonist Brian Jones. Another classic V- Series in the form of G-BOWL, a Cameron V-77 inflated after that prior to another of the stars of the collection, that being G-IBBC the famous BBC Globe from the BBC Idents of the late 1990s. Operated from 1997 – 2002 by Virgin Airship and Balloon Company Ltd it was with a lot of help from former (as you say above that they demised) Head of Operations from Virgin Airship and Balloon Company Ltd Mark Lockwood, Dan and Liam obtained permission from the BBC to inflate the balloon again and actually going one step forward with the brothers appearing on both local and national television at the Midlands Air Festival 2023 with the balloon. The day concluded with another special shape inflating, that of the Kubicek BB-SS Poppetse balloon, which is quite unusual as this Czech built special shape is actually a hopper, designed for only one person.
We cannot fault the enthusiasm and dedication of everyone involved with Bristol Balloon Collectors Inflation Day 2024. We really hope this becomes an annual event and South West Aviation Photographers will certainly be there to support them.
More information on Bristol Balloon Collectors can be found on there website
Report by Gary Morris & Matt Sudol
© South West Aviation Photographers 2024