EarthWinds trans-global-balloon project

[Tom Corten]

Hello everyone,
In the 12 years that I'me part of the ballooning-family, I have collected a lot of information, documets,documantation... about "special" balloon projects...most of them where the around the world attempts.
Everyone knows the projects of : Solo Spirit, Spirit of Freedom, J.Renee, Breitling Orbiter, Virgin Global Challenger, you can fiend all the information on the internet of these projects...

I'me now searching for information/documentation about the very first teams that wanted to fly around the world like : Jules Verne ( Maxie Anderson en Don Ida ) or the EarthWinds ( Larry Newman )...but there is nothing or whrealy no information on the internet or books...Maxie Anderson & Don Ida unfortunatly died in a balloon crash in 83 and nobody knows where Larry Newman lifes or how to contact hem...

So my question is: Is there somebody ho can help me to get more information, pictures, documentation about these early around the world attempts? Where you,or do you know somebody ho whas part of these projects? I hope that there is somebody here on Aunty Monkey ho can help me update my collection...or that there is somebody ho can give my the adress of Mister Newman or of somebody else from the EarthWinds-team...

Thank you for your time Aunty Monkey's ;-)

Tom

[alan tabaj]

Hi tom, I was just searching online trying to find out what i could about the earthwinds project. I was born in 81 and loved balloons as a kid. my grandmother turned me onto the earthwinds project and told me about Larry Newmans accomplishments. I was very interested in earthwinds and cut newspaper articles and my grandmother got me pictures of filling the balloon the night before what i believe is the third attempt. i also have envelopes from the hilton with the logos on them. I also have all the crews autographs on a earthwinds letter head laminated, including Larry newmans. And the coolest thing of all I have is an actual piece of the material of the helium balloon. In my search today I learned Larry Newman has passed last year. If you are Interested In these items or know anyone who is. What are they worth or are they better for a museum? Hope to hear back soon ~Alan~

[Marc a. Giaccardo]

Hi, I did the drawings, model, coordinated the frame fabricators, insullators and painter, and was on the fabrication crew for the JV gondola. Also designed (working with National Geographic folks - think his name was Conron?), fabricated and installed the remote camera boom for Maxie and Don. Have many slides of the project development in Albq.  Did not have time to document anything while in Eygpt. That was a very frustrating time because we had to wait much too long for the helium to arrive by ship at Alex. port.  Threw off the schedule (re: weather and wind conditions) and then the inflation and launch ran way too late into the day - probably how the balloon got damaged - maybe one of the horsetail inflation tubes.