Look at this nice clip:

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65...ds_World-War-I

French Observation balloon in Essises, France during World War I. The French observation balloon in flight. Observation balloon fly over the trees and grasslands. Children on the street look at the balloon in flight. A man in the basket of the observation balloon. The observation balloon descends near Essises. French men pull the strings of the balloon.