So, since I've started getting active in this section of the forum, I figured I might as well try and come up with more ideas I can share rather than just commenting on everyone else's ideas. Admittedly this idea is a bit out of left field, but it won't leave me alone, so here it is.
The primary concept of the ship is really good vertical movement, but only decent turning and speed. The ship would be split into two decks, an upper deck, and a lower deck. Not sure on the number of guns, but they would be split between the two decks =. The lower deck would have really good visibility below the ship and behind, but not so good above or to either side (and only semi-decent in front), while the upper deck has good upper visibility and to either side, but poor visibility behind the ship (the majority of the guns would be here, at least 2/3rds of the guns). The pilot's wheel would be positioned on the upper deck by default.
Now here's where the left field idea comes in. When the ship moves vertically, either just the pilot's wheel, or maybe even all the guns can change positions. While moving up, everything is in the default position, but when above a certain altitude and while not ascending, the positions are reversed so the majority of the guns are on the lower deck, and the pilot's wheel lowers to the lower deck. The reverse is true while descending; the pilot's wheel and guns switch to the lower deck while descending, but move to the upper deck when below the the previous altidude and not moving vertically.
Alternatively, all the guns and the wheel are moved to the lower deck when above a certain alitude, and above when above a certain altidude, but split as normal when between the altidudes.
As another variation, only 1 gun moves instead of all the guns, and it's a Medium gun.
Obviously this is intended to be a high fire power ship, but it's not too fast. Decent defenses though. Requires a lot of coordination between the crew and captain.
Balloon may be partially protected by the hull of the ship, making it hard to hit, or move along with the components, changing how much of it is visible.
So that's all the ideas I've had sitting in my head. Let me know what you think and I'll keep trying to refine the concept.