Designed to fly in the trans-oceanic jetstreams the Pacific Flyer recorded the highest ground speed for a manned balloon at 245 mph (394 km/h).

The Flying Corps' initial allowed strength was 133 officers, and by the end of that year it had 12 manned balloons and 36 aeroplanes.

In the two centuries since aeronauts have been flying balloons, no manned balloon has ever circled the earth.

This had previously been done from manned balloons, but they were vulnerable to enemy fire and had to be kept behind the lines.

This flight set an absolute (and still unbroken) official altitude record for manned balloons of 113,740 ft (34,668 m).

Overhead a manned balloon was lit up with colored lanterns.

The flight was the first manned balloon crossing of the Atlantic non-stop.

Today, the majority of the use of manned balloons is recreational, whereas unmanned balloons are widely used for meteorological measurement.

Although manned balloons have crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, none has successfully circled the earth, the last great goal of record-seeking aeronauts.

But even the most dedicated balloonists have had doubts about whether it is possible even in principle to fly a manned balloon around the world.