Forbes Special Shape Balloons
During the 1980s Malcolm Forbes, publisher of the Forbes magazine, built up a stunning collection of special shape balloons; in fact, the best in the world. All built by Cameron Balloons in Bristol, Forbes had a special shape commissioned for each country he had visited. From the early 1980s balloonists from all around the world were invited to fly from Balleroy, his French estate, in Calvados, Northern France where he would unveil his newest creation. Nobody had ever seen hot air balloons like this before with only a very small number of shapes made before the most well-known of the fleet, the original Chateau de Balleroy.
The Chateau, registered G-BKBR and built in 1982, was just one of many other spectacular special shapes which followed, including:
- the Minar-e-Pakistan (G-BKNN, 83)
- Sphinx (G-BLFE, 84)
- Thailand Elephant (G-BLRW, 85)
- Harley Davidson (G-BMUN, 86)
- Golden Temple (G-BMWN, 86)
- Rosebud Egg (G-BNFK, 87)
- Beethoven (G-BNJU, 87)
- SulIman the Magnificent (G-TURK, 88)
- Forbes Magazine (G-BPOV, 89)
- Santa Maria (G-BPSP, 89)
- Mcaw (G-BRWZ, 90)
- Chateau de Balleroy no.2 (G-BTCZ, 91)
- Sphinx (G-BLFE, 84)
- Thailand Elephant (G-BLRW, 85)
- Harley Davidson (G-BMUN, 86)
- Golden Temple (G-BMWN, 86)
- Rosebud Egg (G-BNFK, 87)
- Beethoven (G-BNJU, 87)
- SulIman the Magnificent (G-TURK, 88)
- Forbes Magazine (G-BPOV, 89)
- Santa Maria (G-BPSP, 89)
- Mcaw (G-BRWZ, 90)
- Chateau de Balleroy no.2 (G-BTCZ, 91)
Test Inflations in Bristol
Cameron Balloons test inflated each of Malcolm Forbes' balloons at Ashton Court Estate early in the morning, which is still done with new balloons to this day before they are shipped to their new home. Here are just some photos of the tests.
Photos courtesy and copyright Ballooning Pictures UK / Paul Churchill
Forbes at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta
Only a small selection of the Forbes special shapes attended the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. Here are which ones came and which years. There may have been others in the back of trailers, but who knows! Photos of the Sphinx are extremely rare but there a few online.
- Harley Davidson, 1986
- Beethoven, 1987
- Sphinx, 1988
- Mcaw, 1990
- Beethoven, 1987
- Sphinx, 1988
- Mcaw, 1990
Photos courtesy and copyright Ballooning Pictures UK & Chris Leader
Video Links
Here are some YouTube videos we found. Excuse the French!
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQIaseRcbp8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB3pqNl0Nos&list=PLZfRDOpsU-j8Tzho15ZmKyZd6g_gxZUrp&index=6
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg0e-Q2cqik&list=PLZfRDOpsU-j8Tzho15ZmKyZd6g_gxZUrp&index=8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQIaseRcbp8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB3pqNl0Nos&list=PLZfRDOpsU-j8Tzho15ZmKyZd6g_gxZUrp&index=6
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg0e-Q2cqik&list=PLZfRDOpsU-j8Tzho15ZmKyZd6g_gxZUrp&index=8
Chateau de Balleroy Gallery
Photos courtesy and copyright Ben Bläss. More coming soon!
More on MJ Ballooning
Find out more about special shape hot air balloons on MJ Ballooning on our blog or main page.