ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 160994
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| Date: | Sunday 15 June 1919 |
| Time: | 08:40 UTC |
| Type: | Vickers Vimy Mark IV (modified) |
| Owner/operator: | Vickers Ltd |
| Registration: | G-EAAR |
| MSN: | C105 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Near Clifden, County Galway -
 Ireland
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | St John's, Newfoundland |
| Ireland | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
At 1612 GMT (~1:45 p.m. local) on the 14th of June 1919, a Vickers Vimy twin-engined biplane took off from Lester's Field (near Mundy Pond), St John's.
Piloted by John Alcock with Arthur Whitten Brown as navigator the plane was heading for Ireland in an attempt to win a prize of ten thousand Pounds being offered by the Daily Mail newspaper for the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
A former bomber, the Vimy had been modified for the flight by the removal of its military equipment, installation of side-by-side seating in the cockpit, and additional fuel tanks to enable the carriage of 865 Imperial Gallons (~3,900 litres) of gasoline.
After a 16-hour flight plagued by rain, snow, fog, and airframe icing a landfall was made on the coast of Ireland, at County Galway.
The two fliers looked for a landing place and an area near Clifden seemed promising. However, the surface that seemed good for a landing when viewed from the air was actually a bog called Derrigimlagh Moor.
On touchdown at 0840 GMT on the 15th of June, the wheels of the Vimy sank into the soft surface and the biplane nosed over causing serious damage.
The fliers were unhurt, and the plane was repaired and can be seen today in the Science Museum, London.
Sources:
http://www.aviation-history.com/airmen/alcock.htm
Images:
The Vimy on display at the Science Museum, London (photo: H. Ranter/ASN, 2017)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2013 23:06 | angels one five | Added |
| 27-Sep-2013 23:20 | angels one five | Updated [Date] |
| 23-Dec-2018 18:43 | harro | Updated [Narrative, Photo] |
| 23-Dec-2018 18:44 | harro | Updated [Photo] |
| 15-Jun-2019 21:18 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
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