View of Piccard Balloon from Airplane during the Stratosphere Flight, Altitude 16,000 Feet, October 23, 1934

Summary

The Piccard stratosphere flight departed Ford Airport field on October 23, 1934. Spouses Jean and Jeannette Piccard ascended 10.9 miles in a metal gondola carried by a hydrogen balloon. Jeannette was the first American woman licensed as a balloonist, and first to reach the stratosphere. William Duckwitz's shortwave radio maintained communication until their landing 400-miles away, in Cadiz, Ohio.

The Piccard stratosphere flight departed Ford Airport field on October 23, 1934. Spouses Jean and Jeannette Piccard ascended 10.9 miles in a metal gondola carried by a hydrogen balloon. Jeannette was the first American woman licensed as a balloonist, and first to reach the stratosphere. William Duckwitz's shortwave radio maintained communication until their landing 400-miles away, in Cadiz, Ohio.

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

23 October 1934

Collection Title

Henry Ford Office Papers 

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

64.167.285.34.4

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Inscriptions

Handwritten on back: Balloon photographed by Captain [Stevens?] at elevation of about 16000 feet.

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