It is a balloon cover. The Gordon-Bennett Race is a balloon race.
http://www.si.com/vault/1979/06/11/823695/soccer/college-football
"Most of the launchings were stirring--up, up and away while
thousands cheered. But a few were tragicomic. Columbine II, an
unofficial entry because it held more helium than the rules allow,
had too much ballast, lifted briefly and then splashed down into
the harbor like a returning space capsule before taking off again.
Two balloons, Columbine II and Belgium's Belgique, were shot at by
nuts on the ground."
That's awesome! Thanks Roy.
I found this cover in a box of junk. It looks like a cover made at a show, but the part about Columbine II is confusing. All I could find was that Columbine II was the first Air Force One for President Eisenhower, but no mention of it ever crashing. Why they would fly mail on Air Force One makes no sense anyway. Can someone shed some light on this?
re: Columbine II cover
It is a balloon cover. The Gordon-Bennett Race is a balloon race.
http://www.si.com/vault/1979/06/11/823695/soccer/college-football
"Most of the launchings were stirring--up, up and away while
thousands cheered. But a few were tragicomic. Columbine II, an
unofficial entry because it held more helium than the rules allow,
had too much ballast, lifted briefly and then splashed down into
the harbor like a returning space capsule before taking off again.
Two balloons, Columbine II and Belgium's Belgique, were shot at by
nuts on the ground."
re: Columbine II cover
That's awesome! Thanks Roy.