CHRYPLIN (ukr. Хриплин , formerly Stanislavsky district). Flight of a Polish Motobalon BD-434 airship over Chryplin; aerial photo by Capt. Korsak, ca. 1925; on verso signature of the author, handwritten description and traces of gluing; photo p.b.; st. bdb.; dimensions 172x122 mm; extremely interesting photo, as one of the few showing this airship in flight; UNIQUE!
In 1925, three Caquot BD observation balloons purchased in France were imported to Poland. Based on their design, a Polish version of the French balloon was developed at the Central Balloon Factory in Legionowo. By the end of the 1930s, however, the decline of the era of tethered observation balloons was already predicted, and they were intended to be completely withdrawn from army equipment in 1942. They were considered obsolete equipment. However, it was decided to improve them by introducing a new type of balloon, the motorized balloon. This is how the concept for the creation of the Motobalon BD-434 was born. Its construction used the idea applied by the Italian balloon company Aerostatica Avorio Societa in Accomandita, which in 1926 constructed a motorized tethered observation balloon using the Avorio Palloni observation balloon shell. The creator of the Motobalon BD-434 design was Eng. Józef Paczosa. Equipping the balloon with a motorized gondola was supposed to solve the problem of slow and cumbersome transportation to the new observation post. Traditionally, such transport was done by tether with the help of a car jack or a column of marching soldiers. This activity was very time-consuming. The work was completed in the spring of 1938. Later that year, Major Kazimierz Kraczkiewicz and Capt. Zbigniew Burzynski made a test flight of the new design. It is worth noting that the Motobalon WBS is, after Lech (in service from 1922-1928), the second and, until recently, the last Polish manned aerostat with a motor drive.
