Balloon on Welsh coast

[J D 8 - Moderator]

I was having a late breakfast when something caught my eye out of the window. On this lovely quite nearly windless morning [ unusual here]  Floating low over fields 1/4 mile away I saw what I thought was a party balloon [ hate the things, stock try and eat them ] It had to have come across the sea from the north. It was coming my way so got out the 12g to bring it down.

When back out side it was now obvious it was something much larger, oblong in shape white in colour with two black objects below the body and several feet in hight and diameter.

  However as it approached the farm it rapidly started gaining altitude [ way out of 12g range] and in another two minuets was just a dot in the sky I could see with my binoculars.  Could not get a pic in time.

 Made for an interesting morning even if toast went cold.

[Gary Manuel]

UFO

 

[Robin Colbourne]

Meteorological balloon?



If it had come down at night, when the sun warmed it up, its buoyancy would increase, causing it to become airborne again.

Edited May 21, 2024 by Robin Colbourne

[Ernie]

what's a 12G?

ernie

[Philip Lewis 3]

12 gauge shotgun, a 12 bore.

[Ernie]

Wow, sounds a bit wild west

ernie

[RottenRow]

Perhaps Baron Bomburst is invading Wales…

 

 

Best take care in your shed…. you never know….

 

 

If you’re young, look up Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
 

Brian.

 

[J D 8 - Moderator]

  Yes Ernie this is www.com. That is Wild West Wales. 

  Gary, UFO, no a balloon of sorts.

Robin, Have seen some meteorological before and even have the payload package of one that fell to earth so a no

Brian, Just too long and the wrong way up/down.😁 He will need a bigger balloon to lift my shed.

All good suggestions but not what I saw.  

 Cheers, John.

  Just for context pic of direction it came from. Flying object is an Easy Pigeon.

[J D 8 - Moderator]

           Balloon interceptor now ready for immediate launch.

[Robin Colbourne]

10 hours ago, RottenRow said:

Perhaps Baron Bomburst is invading Wales…

 

 

Best take care in your shed…. you never know….

 

 

If you’re young, look up Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
 

Brian.

 

RottenRow, That brings back some memories.  The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang airship was built by Malcolm Brighton, who lived in our road.  His wife Janet used to look after my brother and me after school, as her children were the same age as us.  Sadly Malcolm was lost at the age of 32 in 1970 whilst attempting to cross the Atlantic in a balloon.  I can still vividly remember the moment my Dad told me that Malcolm was missing presumed dead.  The broadcaster, Anthony Smith, later wrote a book, The Free Life, about Malcolm and the balloon.  
The airship had steering issues and ended up in power lines, so only featured very briefly in the film, far less than originally intended.  Fortunately though, it was the first British airship to use helium rather than hydrogen.


 

Edited May 21, 2024 by Robin Colbourne

[EvilC57]

The Chinese at it again? Only spying on Wales instead of America this time 🕵️.

Edited May 22, 2024 by EvilC57

[Don Fry]

17 hours ago, RottenRow said:

Perhaps Baron Bomburst is invading Wales…

 

 

Best take care in your shed…. you never know….

 

 

If you’re young, look up Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
 

Brian.

 

Naaaaah, look at JD’s photo of the direction of travel,  it’s the English mounting another invasion. Llywelyn will be turning in the grave

[J D 8 - Moderator]

            French more likely.🍟They have tried before in 1797.  

            Chinese baloon!!! 😨 Going to need F22 and multi million dollar missile.

[Robin Colbourne]

3 hours ago, J D 8 said:

           

            Chinese baloon!!! 😨 Going to need F22 and multi million dollar missile.

One oif those occasions when almost any of the Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines weapons would have been more effective than what was used; if only they could have reached the altitude.  I wonder if the Americans have since come up with a weapons fit (grappling hook?) for the U-2?