Up, up and away! Popular Maxwell House coffee jar balloon from the 1990s takes to Northampton skies again

The Maxwell House coffee jar hot air balloon – G-BVBJ – was a favourite at Northampton Balloon Festival in the 1990s.

When its commercial contract ended, it was preserved by the British Balloon Museum and Library.

Speaking to the Chronicle & Echo, Liam Menzies, from Molly Mae Ballooning, said: “The museum kept the balloon safe and flew it occasionally until 2018 when it went into storage.

“Our team, with permission from the museum, got the balloon out of storage this year and got it back into an airworthy state. The flight on Sunday was its first flight since 2018.

“We launched from Billing Aquadrome, flew over riverside, the A45, over St Andrews Hospital, over the Bedford road and then safely landed on Midsummer Meadow, much to the delight of the families in the park,” Liam said.

Liam said the intention was now to take the balloon to next year’s Northampton Balloon Festival.

For more on the Maxwell House coffee jar balloon, visit mollymaeballooning.co.uk