Balloon post

Balloon post is mail carried experimentally by hot air balloon.

Ballon monté
During the Franco-Prussian War, Paris was completely surrounded by Prussian forces with the standard mail services suspended 19 from September 1870 to 28 January 1871. Mail could be sent into Paris by homing (carrier) pigeons smuggled out of the city with multiple letters eventually reduced onto microfilm. Still, carrier pigeons would be shot if seen. For outgoing mail, hot air balloons were constructed to (hopefully) lift high over the Prussian lines and land in friendly territory, to be sent on to their destinations. These could include a passenger or two and (more) carrier pigeons. Covers are recognizable by the cancel date and frequent endorsement "Par Ballon Monté".

See: Richard Frajola's site on Ballon Monté service

Buffalo balloon
Stamps were created by John Lillard for flights by Samuel Archer King on the hot-air balloon Buffalo. It was launched in Nashville, Tennessee on 18 June 1877, bearing 5c semi-official stamps on covers also bearing US postage. Covers were dropped en route with 23 reported flown. 



Modern balloon mail
Modern hot air balloons also will carry souvenir mail with and without regular postage and/or local post stamps. There are typically endorsements of balloon name, pilot, etc. on each cover. 



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