Something you don't see everyday! WW2 RAF / USAAF weather balloon

[Grimebox]

Another recent purchase, a rather large WW2 weather balloon. The box is dated 13th January 1945. It is US made, although I guess the RAF used similar. The box states that it is made of neoprene. Despite the creases it is still very supple and looks as if it would inflate, although, as my son said wide eyed, 'it would take thousands of hundreds of puffs!'

[Grimebox]

[SteveR]

That is a rare item.

[colt45]

1st one i saw

[Wagriff]

Back in the 60's, you could quite often find these old war surplus weather balloons available in all sorts of places and magazine ads for using as fun novelties. Some would even recommend inflating with Helium for "tremendous lifting power"! Unfortunately, the rubberized materials they were made of never aged well and to see one today is, indeed, a rarity. A true "blast from the past"!