compound balloon

English

Etymology

From compound +‎ balloon.

Noun

compound balloon

1. (comics) A type of speech bubble that splits dialogue into smaller pieces.
2. (aeronautics) A variation of the hot-air balloon that is lifted by two separate balloons of different types, usually suspended one over the other.
   • 1850, John Wise, A System of Aeronautics, page 55:

     For the purpose of avoiding the difficulty which attended Blanchard's balloon in keeping her up, the constructed a compound balloon. This was arranged by suspending a fire balloon underneath the hydrogen balloon.

   • 1895, Transactions of the Liverpool Engineering Society, page 16:

     I may remark that this had been previously done, for Pilatrede Rozier had lost his life and that of two of his companions in attempting to cross the channel in a compound balloon with the Charliere above and the Montgolfiere below.