The hot air balloon I spent weeks making, my brother James and my Mum holding it up ready for a test flight. This one was to be a horizontal zeppelin and when I finally lit up the burners the whole thing caught fire and burnt up in seconds like the hindenberg. I did not allow for hot air rising to one end causing it to rapidly go vertical from horizontal. We had a good laugh and learnt a little. Other hot air balloons were much more successful, going high with us running after them. One was still alight when it landed on a house roof, and one of us distracted the owners while the other rescued it, before a fire started. Final versions all used a drycleaning bag - quick and simple and worked beaut. Cane ring for spreader frame, a single fuse wire (Dad: so that is where it went, i am sure he would say), with cotton wool and metho in the centre. Took experience to get the proportions right to get max lift and duration. We never flew them during fire risk times. and the burner only lasted a few minutes.