From the Washington Post, 3 July 1927:
Quote:

Coat of Arms of Balloon Corps

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Duck, Sheep and Rooster On Balloon Coat of Arms

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Army Unit Adopts Figures of Birds and Animals Which Were First to Make Bag Ascension in 1783

Pictures of a duck, a sheep and a rooster will decorate the coat of arms of the Twenty-first airship balloon group of the Army at Scott Field, Ill., because these birds and the animal were the first to make a successful balloon flight.

 

When questioned why two birds of limited flight power and a sheep were chosen for the blazonry of a famous flying balloon unit formed of groups that gained World War fame in Lorraine, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne, Air Corps officials gave the following explanation:

 

On September 19, 1783, Montgolfier, pioneer balloonist, at Versailles, France, in the presence of the court, conducted the first successful balloon ascension, sending up a hot-air balloon carrying a cage containing a duck, a sheep and a rooster. The balloon reached an altitude of 400 feet, remained in the air eight minutes, and fell 10,000 feet from the point of ascent. It fell so gently that it merely bent the branches of trees and when it struck the ground, the cage broke open without serious injury to the birds and sheep. A few months after this, humans began to make ascents in captive balloons.

 

The coat of arms contains the the colors green and black, of the old air service, [and] the duck, sheep and rooster[, the] figures on the crest being the face of the sun god, Helios, which was painted on Montgolfier’s balloon.

 

The Latin motto on the coat of arms, "Sic Itur ad Astra," meaning "Thus one goes to the skies," was given to Montgolfier by the French king. The face is of gold on a blue, wavy background, representing the new air service colors.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeohzt4/military/balloonunit.gif

What a very interesting coat of arms: no balloons, wings, or anything overtly ascribed to flight!  Compare to the USS Macon’s patch:

http://bluejacket.com/usn/insignia/av/vo-zp/zrs5_macon_moffett-field_insig.jpg

Both Mike McCartney and I work at Moffett Field and we see the dirigible hangers every day.  The patch, above, alludes to the USS Macon’s ability to carry winged aircraft in its belly, drop-launch them, then pull them back up into the belly via a hook: a technique not unlike a trapeeze artist.

http://airbot.net/gfx/tapety/gfx023_Macon_Curtiss.jpg

http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/MarApr04/MS937sp2_duo.gif

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h77000/h77437.jpg

Regards,

—Guy

Another image of the arms—a painted leather patch from the collection of the National Air & Space Museum:

http://collections.nasm.si.edu/media/full/19710542000.JPG

Guy Power;67845 wrote:

What a very interesting coat of arms: no balloons, wings, or anything overtly ascribed to flight!

Well, there are two birds, though domestic ducks and roosters are marginal as flyers, to put it mildly.    But to continue your point, there also isn’t any Bleu Celeste or Azure (except a little bit in the crest).

Joseph McMillan;67853 wrote:

Another image of the arms—a painted leather patch from the collection of the National Air & Space Museum:

http://collections.nasm.si.edu/media/full/19710542000.JPG

Although this may be interpreted as "slot machine heraldry" I really love this anyway.

Is it just me, or is that sun sad???

Yes it certainly looks a bit sad compared to that in the first pictures.