hydrogen

For filling the blimp?

Likely the same gas bottles are visible on this photo: www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/33621457095/

Yes, this photo (others linked) posted by the Library of Congress is of hydrogen gas bottles at Roosevelt Field (formerly Hazelhurst Field, recently renamed in September 1918 for Quentin Roosevelt) for the re-gassing of the R-34. Here is archival film of the gas bottles and the re-gassing of the R-34 at Roosevelt Field after its transatlantic flight, posted at the U.S. National Archives. U.S. National Archives Identifier:24622 Local Identifier: 111-H-1117 Historical Film, No. 1117 - Signal Corps-Historical Film, No. 1117

TVL1970  Thanks for posting that footage from the National Archives -- it really brings all of the photos together!

Thanks TVL1970 and P.W., we can add info to the records.

Is this the balloon launched from atop the John Wanamaker store in Philadelphia?

So many wonderful photos...thank you for sharing them, and for all of your good work.

This is probably Leo Stevens, balloonist here in the 1906 NYT: query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F0DE6D81F3DE633A... And here (1906): query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A05E7D6103EE733A... See other L. Stevens image showing the man himself here: www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2162732173/ And I think our friend undeadsinatra has been at work making all the connections here before me - judging by the tags for this image.

We'll add Steven's complete name to the source catalog and reload the description. Thanks!

It does look like that balloon. Seems to be a July 8, 1911 date on there.

The date of this picture is likely July 11, 1897, or shortly before. "Andree" is Salomon August Andrée, who attempted to reach the North Pole with a hydrogen balloon. The expedition was a complete failure and led to the deaths of Andrée and his two companions, Knut Frænkel and Nils Strindberg.

Thanks for supplying a more precise date. We'll fix the source data and reload the description.

Arnold Pike, an Englishman, put up the house to the right of Andrées balloon house in 1888. Andrée used this house during both attempts, 1896 and 1897, to reach the North Pole with his balloon Örnen. Andrée renamed in 1896 this small bay on the northern side of Danskøya to "Virgos hamn" after his transport vessel S/S "Virgo". Today's name is Virgohamna. Fridtjof Nansen visited the bay in 1912 and he describes the constructions bear evidence of heavy decay.

The battle for the North Pole



Virgohamna
on Danskøya of today. Andrée's balloon house stood at the foot of the hill - see note.
(The note does not follow the image. You have to visit me to check it up!)
The remains in the foreground is from the Walter Wellman expeditions in 1906, 1907 and 1909. He tried to reach the North Pole with the airship America.

This image is shot 1992 on reversal film.

This photograph is featured in the Indicommons.org post Exploration across the Commons -- from the high seas to outer space, in archival collections from around the world.

Wow! That's quite the remarkable recent image!