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The man who shaped the history of hot air balloons

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How are hot air balloons made? And how are they designed and sewn into incredible shapes and characters? This BBC News video spends some time with Don Cameron, the man who shaped the history of hot air balloons.

For more than half a century, Scotland-born Don Cameron has been a pioneer in the world of hot air balloons. He built and flew western Europe’s first modern hot air balloon in 1967, before founding his company Cameron Balloons from the basement of his flat.

hot air balloon - Don Cameron

The company has since become one of the world’s largest balloon manufacturers, making hundreds of balloons each year. It is the market leader in special-shaped balloons, producing the likes of Darth Vader, Vincent van Gogh and a dinosaur.

bagpipes hot air balloon
darth vader hot air balloon
Dive deeper into the physics with Ross Exton in this video visit to Cameron Balloons: How to make a hot air balloon.

Plus: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2014 Time Lapse and Recreating the balloon house from Pixar’s Up!

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