This film is part of Free
Balloon Accident at St Cloud
An aeronautical accident is caught on camera at a Parisian 'Aéro-Parc'.
Overview
Newsreels rarely caught accidents as they occurred, but in this case, the cameras were rolling at the Saint Cloud Aéro-Parc when a gigantic balloon was torn apart mid-flight by a gust of wind. Luckily its passenger, Madame Surcouf, was unharmed, and the resulting footage is spectacular: the balloons bob and sway precariously on their tethers before the airborne 'Rubis' deflates dramatically.
The Saint Cloud Aéro-Parc was home to the Aéro-Club de France, which pioneered competitive air-ballooning for sport and entertainment. The sport was enjoying its popularity peak at the time this film was shot (possibly during the club's annual Grand Prix). Madame Surcouf, the unharmed (and unseen) occupant of the doomed Rubis was married to a famous aeronautical engineer, and founded the first aeronautical club exclusively for ladies.
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