Abstract
At 1.42pm on Saturday 14 June 1919, two intrepid adventurers – John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown started the attempt of what many thought was impossible - to fly non-stop over the Atlantic Ocean in less than 72 hours.
Using a modified World War 1 bomber their flight was beset with problems from overloading, heavy fog, snow and ice, electrical problems, broken exhausts and a stall that allow most caused them to ditch in the sea.
From their beginnings in Manchester, to the Royal Air Corps, to becoming Prisoners in World War 1, to their meeting at the aircraft manufacturers Vickers, this is a story of engineering, stubbornness and determination that allowed them to fly the 1890 miles in 16 hours to claim the £10,000 prize - worth over £1 million today – an achievement that made them knighted national and international heroes.
Using historical and modern footage we chat to two experts who bring the story to life, explain the significance of the journey and why they aren’t as well known to the general public as their contemporaries Lindberg and Earhart.
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