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25 March 1778. Birth of Sophie Blanchard, (born Marie Madeleine-Sophie Armant). French aeronaut and wife of ballooning pioneer Jean-Pierre Blanchard, first woman to work as a professional balloonist. First woman killed in an aviation accident (6 July 1819 in Paris).

25 March 1858. William Dean and C. H. Brown made the first night-time balloon ascent in Australia, flying the British coal-gas balloon `Australasian’ from Cremorne Gardens, Melbourne and landing in ‘Spring Vale’.

Sunrise at Stonehenge today (25th March) was at 5.59am, sunset is at 6.27pm ☀️

23-24 March 1875. The lunar halo and luminescent cross observed by five aeronauts during the flight of Zenith from Paris to Arcacheon. The flight broke all world duration record, surpassing the 18-hour flight of the English aeronaut Charles Green, made in 1836.

The Midlands Air Festival couldn't be without this firm favourite could it? It's Thomas the Tank Engine! Now retired from flying you can see this family friendly special shape in the Cameron Arena! Thomas is now preserved by the Bristol Balloon Collectors

15 March 1957. The crew of U.S. Navy ZPG-2 'Snowbird' non-rigid airship set a new unrefuelled endurance record when they landed at NAS Key West, Fla., having remained aloft for 264 hours 12 minutes.

Sunrise at Stonehenge today (15th March) was at 6.24am, sunset is at 6.10pm 🌤️

His Majesty's Airship R34. Art by Anthony R G Cowland.

The NATO phonetic alphabet is the most widely used radiotelephone spelling alphabet. Its use ensures clarity in transmission of critical information, commonly used in military and aviation communications. Do you know all the letters?

Air Display 1910 - by Kevin Walsh

Sunrise at Stonehenge today (12th March) was at 6.28am, sunset is at 6.06pm 🌧

Many hands make light work #ballooning @VirginBalloons

Everything you need to know about every German air raid of the First World War can be found on my website. iancastlezeppelin.co.uk

9 March 1832. Death of Abraham Hopman (b.13 March 1770). Dutch aeronaut pioneer. On 29 September 1804 he became first Dutchman to fly in the Netherlands, from Rotterdam to Schiedam, in his homemade balloon 'De Unie'.

9 March 1877. Birth of Albert Leo Stevens (d. 8 May 1944). American pioneering balloonist who also played a key role in the development of safety features for parachutes. In 1895, he made his first parachute jump from a church spire in Montreal, Quebec.

Zeppelin over the battlefield artillery

Australian troops watching an observation balloon being prepared for ascent above the Western Front.

A German Type Ae 800 observation balloon ascending

@ron_eisele A type of incendiary air-to-air rocket used in World War I against observation balloons and airships. First used in the Battle of Verdun in May 1916. Due to great inaccuracy their range was limited to about 115 metres (126 yards).🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧

Born 6 March 1867 in Davenport, Iowa, USA. Samuel Franklin Cody (d. 7 August 1913). American early pioneer of manned flight and first man to conduct a powered flight in Great Britain.