Welcome to the second part of our Midlands Air Festival special shape blogs for 2021. Find the latest weird and wonderful hot air balloons to be attending this year's festival at Ragley Hall below. Follow us and the official Midlands Air Festival account for special shape reveals on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
If you missed the first blog, read part 1 here.
For more information and to book tickets visit the Midlands Air Festival website.
| 11. Dolly the Sheep | Reg: G-OEWE |
First up is new Dolly the Sheep! Piloted by Neil Edmunds and recently built last year by Cameron Balloons, Midlands 2021 will be the balloon's second event appearance. The maiden flight took place in Wales on 31st August with 7 others including Tall Steve the Penguin!
| 12. Truck | Reg: G-BLDL |
From new to vintage; this truck is 37 years old after completion at the Cameron's factory in 1984! 12 years later it was de-registered and its last inflation was in 2008 at Kirby Lonsdale, Cumbria. Three of these truck shapes were built, at Arbury Hall we saw newer Shell Truck tether on Saturday morning, and it's much smaller than many special shapes you'll see at the event holding 56,000 cubic feet of air (small in balloon terms!)
Photo: Ballooning Pictures UK
| 13. Wes the Wolf | Reg: G-WESS |
A familiar balloon to many of you, Wes the Wolf will be returning to the Midlands Air Festival in 2021. Piloted by Ashley Moore, Wes was built by Lindstrand Technologies 4 years ago and has even attended the Albuquerque Balloon Festival in New Mexico.
| 14. Saucepan | Reg: G-BHRK |
Built in 1980 by Colt Balloons, the Saucepan is one of the earliest shapes created. After spending a short time in the UK it went to Switzerland and was put into storage in America from around 1983 after only a handful of flights, completely forgotten about. Current owner Damian tracked the balloon down and shipped it back to the UK in 2018. We're looking forward to see it tethering at Ragley Hall!
| 15. Cornetto Ice Cream | Reg: G-OZOE |
Next up is 1995 Lindstrand-built Cornetto, which has recently been registered in the UK, previously D-OICE. It will be flying out of Ragley Hall in June; its first ever UK event.
Photo: Johan Hetebrij (Flickr)
| 16. Financial Times Newspaper | Reg: G-ETFT |
Time for another retro one, the FT newspaper! Three of these FT shapes were manufactured; G-FTFT in 1988, followed by G-ETFT (this one) in 1990 and finally G-FFTT in 2000, all with slightly different designs. The trio were last inflated at the 2016 BBM&L (British Balloon Museum & Library) inflation day. Look out for this very rare balloon tethered in June!
| 17. Maxwell House Coffee Jar | Reg: G-BVBK |
Registered in July 1993 to Flying Pictures and standing 90 feet tall, this coffee jar is one of two identical special shapes built for Maxwell House, one of which appeared on their TV advert flying across Iguacu Falls in Brazil. Jamie Edwards will be bringing along G-BVBK to fly.
| 18. Roger the Panther | Reg: G-PAWW |
If you're from Bristol you've likely seen this balloon flying over your house on a warm summers evening; it is of course the panther! Privately owned by Steve Thomas, Ultramagic Balloons built this add-on shape in 2018.
| 19. Nescafé Mug | Reg: G-RMUG |
Number 19 is the brilliant Nescafe coffee mug brought by the BBM&L, surely one of the best special shapes in their collection. It's still in flyable condition after 26 years but with no current CofA. Upon hot inflation look out for the realistic coffee printing on the top and parachute of the balloon! Previously it's appeared at Joure in the Netherlands.
| 20. Fox | Reg: G-SLYY |
Joining other animal shapes is this very SLYY fox! Piloted by Jeff Lawton who also flies the owl, this Ultramagic balloon built 2 years ago will be flying high above Ragley Hall 4-6th June. Doesn't it look great?!
We hope you've enjoyed this part 2 summary of the Midlands Air Festival special shapes announced so far. Part 3 will be coming in April, but stay up to date on our social channels as mentioned above.
More information
For more information and to book tickets visit the Midlands Air Festival website. You really don't want to miss it!