Édouard Corniglion-Molinier

In spring 1934, together with his friend André Malraux , he embarked on a much publicized and dangerous expedition to find the lost capital of the Queen of Sheba, flying several weeks over the deserts in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, who were at war with each other.

In November 1936, he was the co-pilot of Jim Mollison in his last major record attempt to fly non-stop from Croydon to Cape Town, South Africa.

The others were Lionel de Marmier and Marcel Haegelen who obtained, respectively, three and one aerial combat victories in 1940.

He joined the Resistance Movement Libération-sud led by Emmanuel d'Astier de La Vigerie and was taken prisoner in December 1940.

Designated to take command of the French air forces then in Great Britain in 1943, he took part in numerous missions over Germany and the occupied countries.

[3] He died from heart failure in Paris on 9 May 1963 and he was buried in the Cimetière du Château in his native Nice.