"Drachen sausage Balloon Colors" Topic

Well got my Drachen Balloons from Dave Schmidt --

These are just grand -- highly recommended for anyone doing 1:144 or 1:72 WWI aircraft.

How to paint these? What were the original colors for Germans, French, Brits (yep they all used these balloons at one time or another).

What color did they fade to after some use?

How did they fade? -- more on top than the bottom?

I must confess I cannot remember running across any commentary on this subject in my rather extensive reading but . . . never really looked just at balloons either.

mjc

Good topic Mike. I have a German balloon sitting on the "To Paint" table. I was thinking of using the WOW Drachen card as a painting guide. There are two German examples supplied with that set. I too wondered about the historical color thing, is the WOW card representation accurate? Close enough for our group?

Well from all the photos I have seen they are all a shade of Gray :)

I referenced this site when I was painting my Drachen Balloon link "To preserve the India rubber from the effects of the sun, balloons are painted with lead chromate, thus producing a characteristic yellow color."

Here's how it turned out: picture picture

The model is from Armaments in Miniature and the national markings are decals from I-94 Enterprises.

Kevin

I would have to agree a rubberized/vulcanized cotton was the material used to make balloons during the Great War. Drachen or Caquot -- same stuff.

In September 1977, the USAF Museum accepted an offer of technical assistance from a company that had manufactured the Caquot balloon for the US. government during World War I, the Goodyear Aerospace Corporation of Akron. Ohio Museum restoration personnel and Goodyear representatives subsequently patched weak interior areas and applied two coats of special rubber-based paint to the balloon's exterior. Staff members then designed and fabricated a suspension strap-cradle and air replenishment system. Three coats of paint, specially formulated and mixed for this purpose by Goodyear, brought the balloon back to the 1918 color and ready once again to "fly." Finally, in May 1979, the Caquot Type R was placed on exhibit over the World War I display area in the main display building.

But look at the 'restored' balloon:

link

Looks silver or grey in these photos.

I am hesitant to say dmebust is right or wrong here. The color yellow appears as 'black' in the old photos.

Well dunno if this helps. Just stirring the pot.

mjc

Here's another picture.

In this one, it appears to be yellowish:

link

mjc

Here's a bunch of pictures.

If the balloons were yellow -- likely they would appear as 'black'.

link

mjc

Art?

windsweptwings.com/art6.html

link

link

link

auction

Well this is looking clear as mud to me.

mjc

More stuff:

link

mjc

Sounds like you need more balloons so you can paint one gray, one silver, and one yellow.

I will have a foam cast Caquot in 1/285 scale by the end of August… I already have the SP 'Sausages' from Goblintooth. Anyone looking to expand their sets feel free to contact me – log your comments here and I will e-mail you ASAP. Happy gaming!

– Pete