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Alcock and Brown

  • 15-06-2020 7:48am
    #1
    smurfjed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,270 ✭✭✭✭


    British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight on 14JUN19. They flew a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Clifden, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The Secretary of State for Air, Winston Churchill, presented them with the Daily Mail prize for the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by aeroplane in "less than 72 consecutive hours. A small amount of mail was carried on the flight, making it the first transatlantic airmail flight. The two aviators were awarded the honour of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) a week later by King George V at Windsor Castle.

    There is a nice memorial to them in Galway.


Comments

  • #2
    Davidth88
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭Davidth88


    There used to be a statue of them beside the old brick built tower at LHR

    You got a great view of it from the old bus station ( I spent many an hour there waiting for the 140 or 223 )

    I learnt recently they were both Knighted after doing this flight .


  • #3
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,492 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    I was always under the impression that they put down in Galway because of engine trouble or they were running low on fuel but in fact they landed near Clifden precisely because they knew there was a Marconi wireless station nearby and they desperately wanted to get the message to London that they had completed the crossing and claim the Daily Mail prize before anyone else. The requirement was to land anywhere in GB or Ireland.


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