First non-stop transatlantic flight - Clifden, Ireland, EU
Posted by: 
Jarda315
N 53° 28.028 W 010° 01.958
29U E 431451 N 5924733
This memorial honours the achievement of John Alcock and Arthur Whitten-Brown.
Waymark Code: WM77T3
Location: Munster, Ireland
Date Posted: 09/15/2009
Views: 10
In April 1913 (renewed in 1918), the Daily Mail offered a prize of £10,000 to "the aviator who shall first cross the Atlantic in an aeroplane in flight from any point in the United States of America, Canada or Newfoundland and any point in Great Britain or Ireland" in 72 continuous hours". They flew a modified Vickers Vimy IV twin-engined bomber powered by two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines, each of 360hp, taking off from Lester's Field in St. John's, Newfoundland at around 1:45pm, June 14, 1919. The aircraft crashed on landing (N53°26.748 W010°01.295) in a bog near Clifden in Connemara, Ireland, at 8:40am on June 15, 1919, crossing the coast at 4.28pm. They flew 1890 miles (3040 km) in 16 hours 27 minutes, at an average speed of 115 mph (185 km/h). The altitude varied between sea level and 12,000 ft (3,700 m) and 865 gallons (3,900 L - assuming imperial gallons) of fuel (Shell) were on board.
Cover of civic reception programme for Alcock & Brown, given by the Corporation of Manchester on 17 July 1919.
The flight nearly ended in disaster several times owing to engine trouble, fog, snow and ice. It was only saved by Brown's continual climbing out on the wings to remove ice from the engine air intakes and by Alcock's excellent piloting despite extremely poor visibility at times and even snow filling the open cockpit. The aircraft was badly damaged upon arrival due to the attempt to land in what appeared from the air to be a suitable green field but which turned out to be the bog on Derrygimlagh Moor, but neither of the airmen was hurt.
Alcock and Brown were treated as heroes on the completion of their flight. In addition to the Daily Mail award of £10,000, the crew received 2,000 guineas from the Ardath Tobacco Company and £1,000 from Lawrence R. Phillips for being the first British subjects to fly the Atlantic Ocean. Both men were knighted a few days later by King George V.
Alcock and Brown flew to Manchester on 17 July 1919, where they were given a civic reception by the Lord Mayor and Corporation and awards to mark their achievement.
Two memorials commemorating the flight are found near the landing spot in County Galway, Ireland. The first is an isolated cairn four kilometres south of Clifden on the site of Marconi's first transatlantic wireless station from which the aviators transmitted their success to London, and around 500 metres from the spot where they landed. In addition there is a sculpture of an aircraft's tail-fin on Errislannan Hill two kilometres north of their landing spot, dedicated on the fortieth anniversary of their landing, June 15, 1959.
Memorial, County Galway
A third monument marks the flight's starting point in Newfoundland.
FIRST - Classification Variable: Person or Group
Date of FIRST: 06/15/1919
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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