The helium-filled balloon, which took months to construct at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s Plant One in Akron, was indeed an impressive sight.
Not only did kids read Superman comic books and Superman newspaper strips, they bought Superman toys, wore Superman outfits and listened to Superman radio episodes.
Superman was one of more than 90 balloons that Goodyear built for Macy’s parade from 1927 to 1980.
Superman, who folded up nicely into a box 3 feet square, was unpacked at Central Park and inflated with 9,000 cubic feet of helium.
The following year, Superman assumed an alter ego — and it wasn’t Clark Kent.
This barrel-chested version — some would say bosomy — was 65 feet high, 33 feet wide and filled with 9,483 cubic feet of helium.
Six stories tall, the balloon was made with 500 square yards of rubberized nylon fabric and built with 16 compartments, including six in the head alone.
The hero shrugged off the setback and completed the parade with Donald Duck, Bullwinkle, Popeye, Underdog, Smokey Bear, Elsie the Cow, Linus the Lionhearted and other colorful balloons.
Flying overhead with outstretched arms, the Man of Steel was 104 feet long, 35 feet wide and filled with 12,000 cubic feet of helium.
It was the largest of the 92 balloons that Goodyear created for Macy’s over 53 years.