Today in aviation history – 9th October

On 9th October 1900 a French aeronaut Henri de La Vaulx set a new record in flying a hot air balloon without landing. De la Vaulx flew for over 35 hours. 1800 km flight started near Paris and finished on the territory of Sweden or Russia. De la Vaulx died in 1930.
On 9th October 1920 in Poznań was born a Polish pilot – Jan Marecki. He graduated from aerial schools in Bydgoszcz and Krosno. Shortly before World War II Marecki became an aerial mechanic and was assigned to No. 4 wing in Toruń. He fought in the September Campaign in 1939. He was evacuated to Romania, then he got to France, and in the end to Great Britain. He served in different units and attended many training, after which he was assigned to No. 1586 squadron in Italy. He was ordered with two Crosses of Valour.