[balloon-makers] envelope shape

[Tom Deering <private e-mail address>]

>I see (most) everybody using either the Smalley or Boland
>envelope design.

There's also the Rally-style balloon.  That's the one with 
alternating straight and curved panels.  Some reverse engineering 
confirms it based on the Smalley factors as well, only the gores are 
cut in three pieces instead of two.  I added the "tri-gore to my gore 
spreadsheet at http://www.deering.org/balloon.

Arnaud Deramecourt wrote a piece of software that can calculate three 
balloon shapes: "sky, smalley, rolland".  I haven't quite gotten it 
to work, although I speak no French.  It's at 
http://aerostation.free.fr/mfr/panel.zip

>I took a look at a local Cameron Viva a few months ago and was
>surprised at how the individual panels were cut.  Has anyone spent any time
>on this?

All I know is the horizontal edges are curved, which gives it bulbousity.

Curved how much?  I can't say.  There is someone on the list with a 
bit of experience in the matter.  :^)

Tom

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tmd@deering.org    http://www.deering.org
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