Ballooning in the Civil War

Dr. Tom Crouch, senior aeronautics curator with the National Air and Space Museum chaired a panel of authorities on Civil War ballooning, including: Mike Boehme, director, Virginia Aviation Museum; Dr. James Green, NASA; and Thomas Hilt at the National Air and Space Museum on Friday, June 17, 2011. On June 18, 1861, Lowe s tethered ascent from the area in front of the present site of the National Air and Space Museum attracted the support of President Lincoln and led to the creation of a balloon cor