History Trivia Thread Reducks

[Maximus]

balloon crash

[Razgovory]

Attaching a wicker basket was insufficient in moving the giant lead ball.

[Zanza]

Some Italian general or prince tries to fly with a balloon over the North Pole?

[The Brain]

Some Italian general or prince tries to fly with a balloon over the North Pole?

Very close.

[crazy canuck]

Its got to be an challenge of some sort to travel to the North Pole by Balloon.  Since you are you, there must be a Swedish connection so one or all of the Balloonists is Swedish.  Only two are in the shot so I am assuming this isnt the rescue party - they would also be in the shot.  Not a lot of equipment or supplies lying about so it is unlikely they survived to be saved.

I suppose the real question is why did they crash.  Aside from the obvious answer that they were Swedes, that remains a mystery.

[Warspite]

Was the ambient air temperature so cold that the gas in the balloon could not be heated sufficiently to provide height?

[The Brain]

@CC: Good reasoning, you win.

It's the Swedish 1897 Andrée expedition to get to the North Pole by hydrogen balloon. The picture is obviously taken after they were forced to land by hydrogen loss and ice after 2 days in the air. After the landing they started a 3 month trek across the ice trying to reach either of two prepared supply dumps. They kept journals and took photographs. After fighting ice and fatigue they were finally forced to make camp on the island of Kvitøya where they died shortly after. In 1930 their remains were discovered and caused quite a sensation in Sweden. Theirs is a great story of Victorian ideals and Vernesque technology.

Some photos, and some of their journals:

[The Brain]

Was the ambient air temperature so cold that the gas in the balloon could not be heated sufficiently to provide height?

The balloon hadn't been tested thoroughly because of time issues and leaked more hydrogen gas than calculated. Also the practical problems of ballooning in arctic summer weather and such had probably been underestimated.

[Maximus]

Was the ambient air temperature so cold that the gas in the balloon could not be heated sufficiently to provide height?

I don't think it works like that.

However, depending on the fuel used to heat the balloon, it could have gotten cold enough that it would not light. I think it would stay lit once started though.

Alternately, if it was a lighter-than air balloon, deflation due to the gas cooling might cause it to lose positive buoyancy.

[crazy canuck]

That is very cool!

No pun intended.

More proof that reality is often stranger then fiction.

[crazy canuck]

Ok, this one might be a bit more difficult.

Everyone remembers who Pizarro was.  But does anyone know who his partner in the conquest of the Inca was? 

[Oexmelin]

Lots of people, IIRC, but you are perhaps thinking of Almagro ?

[crazy canuck]

Oex, I thought I had a stumper there.  Well done.

I await your question.

[Oexmelin]

Well, it's not quite fair, since I am teaching colonial history. I should have let others answer.

Who is this guy who links Mozart with Voltaire, clockmaking with arms selling, the American Insurgents to Louis XVI; spy, harpist, inventor, publisher, judge and speculator... (as well as his first occupation) ?

[Admiral Yi]

Well, it's not quite fair, since I am teaching colonial history. I should have let others answer.

Who is this guy who links Mozart with Voltaire, clockmaking with arms selling, the American Insurgents to Louis XVI; spy, harpist, inventor, publisher, judge and speculator... (as well as his first occupation) ?

The Scottish banker dude for France.  Locke?