1921 National Balloon Race

Route of the winning balloon

The 1921 National Balloon Race was a ballooning competition hosted by the Birmingham Aero Club in Birmingham from May 21 to May 23, 1921.

Following on the success of the 1920 International Balloon Race held in Birmingham the previous year, the 1921 National event was a centerpiece of the city's celebration of its "Semicentennial" year.

Results

1. "Birmingham Semi-Centennial" (2nd to start), Ralph Upson & C. G. Andrus, 10 miles W of Stuart, Virginia
2. "Riverview Club of St Louis" (7th to start), Bernard Von Hoffman & Hugo Mueller, 15 miles NE of Carthage, Tennessee
3. "City of Akron" (5th to start), Wade T. Van Orman & Willard P. Seiberling, 4 miles E of Lebanon, Tennessee
4. "City of Birmingham" (4th to start), Roy P. Donaldson & W. E. Seiberling, 10 miles SW of Nashville, Tennessee
5. "St Louis Chamber of Commerce" (8th to start), H. E. Honeywell & J. M. O'Reilly, Nashville, Tennessee
6. "Alexandra" (1st to start), John Berry & Charles A. White, 7 miles from Smyrna, Tennessee
7. "U.S. Army Balloon No. 1" (6th to start), Frank P. Lahm & Oscar Westover, 6.5 miles E of Columbia, Tennessee
8. "St Louis No. 5" (3rd to start), J. S. McKibben & C. W. Merrell, 4 miles W of Columbia, Tennessee
9. "U.S. Navy" (9th to start), L. J. Roth & H. E. Holland, 8 miles E of Laurenceburg, Tennessee

References

• Hornady, John R. (1921) The Book of Birmingham. New York: Dodd & Mead
• "Winning Balloonists to Fly in Belgium" (June 5, 1921) The New York Times
• "Ralph Upson Wins National Balloon Race" (June 6, 1921) Aviation and Aircraft Journal. Vol. 10, p. 712-3