Special Shapes at Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 1979-2024
Special shape hot air balloons always take centre stage at balloon festivals around the world. Many spectacular special shapes have appeared in Bristol every summer at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta, so here is a chance to view them with a little information about them too. See which ones you like, whether it's old classic Action Man or recent creation Stuart the Minion.
Which special shape is your favourite? Let us know on social media @mjballooning!
View the special shape balloons by clicking on a year of the fiesta. 2018 was a good recent year with a record 31 shapes attending for the 40th anniversary.
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Click to view all special shape balloons that appeared at the fiesta during the 1990s and 80s.
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Below find out about the newest special shape balloons around the world, view archive images of Cameron Balloons' test inflations and much more!
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Special Shapes at Midlands Air Festival & Longleat
Although historically the Bristol Balloon Fiesta has attracted the most special shape balloons, other UK events also have many attending too. The Midlands Air Festival had over 45 shapes in attendance at their 2019 event including Peg leg Pete, the Superbike, Snow White and Rupert Bear. Longleat's event every September has seen international pilots bring the Orient Express, Brandenburg Gate and Alfred the Carpenter.
Click below to explore all the special shapes that have appeared!
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Special Shapes in Bristol & Bath
Here are some interesting balloons that have appeared locally around Bristol and Bath whilst not participating in a big event. Big, complex shapes used to fly over Bristol quite regularly back in the 90s, as Cameron Balloons took them on test flights to check everything was working. These below are not including test inflations, just when they have randomly popped up, either for a flight or a tether!
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???
Which will be next
in 2025? |
G-FFTT
09/11/24 Snake Meadows |
G-PSON
09/11/24 Snake Meadows |
G-RNDE
13/10/24 Maize Field |
G-LTSB
04/08/24 Snake Meadows |
G-LIPS
31/07/24 Ashton Court |
G-BVBK
28/07/24 Keynsham |
G-OJBW
28/07/24 Snake Meadows |
G-BVBK
20/06/24 Snake Meadows |
G-PNAD
12/05/24 Snake Meadows |
G-PNEU
11/05/24 Snake Meadows |
G-BVDF
10/05/24 Ashton Court |
G-BTML
03/03/24 Snake Meadows |
G-SNKE
22/10/23 Royal Victoria Park (+ lots of other local flights from Saltford) |
N750SH
08/10/23 Ashton Court |
G-CGIS
03/09/23 Ashton Court |
G-CGIS
28/08/23 Ashton Court |
G-GUIN
25/08/23 Ashton Court |
G-WINZ
25/08/23 Ashton Court |
G-LIPS
23/06/23 Ashton Court |
G-DIPI
23/06/23 Ashton Court |
G-PNAD
27/05/23 Royal Crescent |
G-BVDF
19/05/23 Ashton Court |
G-SEUK
07/04/22 Ashton Court |
G-BWBV
07/04/23 Ashton Court |
G-OMIB
07/08/22 Newton St Loe |
G-PNAD
06/08/22 Ashton Court |
G-BVBK
16/07/22 Norton St Philip |
G-PNAD
10/07/22 Ashton Court |
G-BVBK
10/07/22 Ashton Court |
G-CDXW
20/06/22 Ashton Court |
G-LIPS
28/05/22 Royal Crescent |
G-LIPS
30/04/22 Ashton Court |
G-LIPS
16/04/22 Maize Field |
G-LIPS
15/04/22 Maize Field |
G-DIPI
15/04/22 Ashton Court |
G-CDXW
15/04/22 Ashton Court |
G-LIPS
14/04/22 Ashton Court |
G-CDXW
20/03/22 Ashton Court |
G-PAWW
Owned locally 2018-2022, many flights |
G-OJBW
18/09/21 Newton St Loe |
G-LIPS
05/09/21 Maize Field |
G-LIPS
04/09/21 Maize Field |
G-LIPS, G-DIPI
18/07/21 Ashton Court |
G-DIPI
26/06/21 Ashton Court |
G-LIPS
16/06/21 Ashton Court |
G-GUIN
13/06/21 Glasshouse, Bath Fiesta |
G-GPIG
31/03/21 Ashton Court |
G-EDAM
29/09/20 (PM) Ashton Court |
G-EDAM
29/09/20 (AM) Lloyds Amphitheatre |
G-GPIG
22/09/20 Ashton Court |
G-RNDE
30/08/20 Timsbury CC |
D-OBWG
02/08/20 Ashton Court |
G-BIRE
12/07/20 Maize Field |
G-MORG
25/01/20 Ashton Court |
G-BIRE
16/11/19 Ashton Court |
G-PNAD
01/06/19 Shirehampton |
G-DAAY
25/05/19 Bath Balloon Fiesta |
G-BZJA
07/07/18 Cheddar Rugby Club |
G-BZJA
04/05/18 Ashton Court |
G-LAMP
07/04/17 Ashton Court |
G-LEAT
17/06/17 Ashton Court |
G-LAMP
23/05/15 Bath Balloon Fiesta |
G-LAMP
23/08/14 Bradley Stoke |
G-UPOI
2014 Bath Balloon Fiesta |
G-RCOH
17/04/14 Maize Field |
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Photos Ballooning Pictures UK: G-BIRE 2+3, G-DAAY, G-BZJA 1, G-LAMP 3, G-EGES, G-CDOG 1, G-BWNP, G-CCYP, G-CDLB
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Photos Matt Cleaves: G-OXKB, G-MSTR 2
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G-EGES
06/07/13 Maize Field |
G-BIRE
25/06/13 Ashton Court |
G-RCOH
09/12 Royal Victoria Park |
Churchill
04/06/12 Durdham Downs |
Monster
2012 Maize Field |
Battery
2011 + 2012 Ashton Court + Maize |
G-PLLT
2010 Royal Crescent |
G-PLLT
2010 Ashton Court |
G-BWNP
2009 Maize Field |
G-OXKB
2009 Ashton Court |
G-MSTR
2006 Ashton Court |
G-CCYP
2005 Ashton Court |
G-CDLB
2005 Ashton Court |
G-CDOG
2004/2005 Ashton Court |
G-IKEA
2004 Ashton Court |
G-DIPI
2003 Ashton Court |
