For Weekends Balooning... [PIC]

Although Charles Stewart Rolls was a true automotive pioneer, his true love was flying. Initially, he enjoyed racing and won a Gold Medal in a Thousand Mile Trial in the early '00s driving his Panhard. He was given a Panhard dealership that also included other French cars of the day. In 1904, he teamed up with engineer Henry Royce and the legendary brand, Rolls-Royce was born. The tension between the two had to do with the direction the brand would take. Rolls wanted power and performance where Royce and his chief engineer wish to market sedate luxury vehicles. He did race Rolls-Royce models throughout Europe, but that wasn't how Royce wanted to market the brand. So Rolls took to the air flying both balloons as well as his own Wright Flyer. He took a 1910 Silver Ghost series 1300 40/50 hp chassis and had H.J. Milliner build this extended body that would accommodate the balloon basket with the rear fenders made from leather to prevent scratches. This car was lost over time and there were a few semi-successful recreations built. The definitive recreation was done by Wilkinson & Sons of Derby, England which is replicated by Franklin Mint. That recreation was last sold in 2011 at Monterey for $485,000.