Piece of the First Hot Air Balloon to cross the Atlantic

An opportunty to own a piece of aviation history. A small part of the Virgin Atlantic Flyer Balloon which, in 1987, became the first ever hot air balloon to cross the Atlantic. Flown by Richard Branson and Per Linstraad, the balloon took off on 2nd July from Maine, USA and landed in the United Kingdom on the 3rd July. A feat which was commemorated in the Guinness Book of Records. The piece of material from the ballooon,s envelope is framed and glazed alongside a picture of the balloon and the two pilots, Richard and Per. Approx. 33cms x 27.5cms including frame. A unique and decorative item.
The Balloon
The purpose-built Flyer, now preserved at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK, was the product of major advances in balloon technology. Built by Thunder & Colt, the 'envelope' was the largest ever flown at the time at 65,000 m³ (2.29 million cu ft, approximately the size of a 21-storey building, and was made of laminate fabric on a 'skeleton' of load tapes and webbing, with solar heat absorption fabric used around the bottom half. The Virgin-branded vessel utilised solar power to boost the effect of the propane gas burners heating the air, while the two-man capsule was pressurised to allow the crew to survive at high altitudes.