Dartford Talk: Alcock and Brown, Knights of the Air with David Gillham

Doors open 9.45am.  Meeting and Talk start 10.30am.  Meeting will finish by 12.30pm

The meeting will start promptly with the Dartford Branch Annual Meeting at 10.30am so members are requested to arrive in good time.

David Gillham will tell us the story of the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight in 1919 in a Vickers Vimy designed and built in Crayford.

In 1913, Lord Northcliffe, owner of The Daily Mail, offered £10,000 to the first pilot who flew fly non-stop across the Atlantic taking no longer than 72 hours.

Due to the disruption of the First World War, the first attempt was not made until April 1919 by the Short brothers; their Shamrock plane flew only 12 miles before crashing into the sea. In May 1919, the second attempt was made by Hawker and Grieve. They had to be rescued by a ship in the Atlantic. Just one hour behind was the Martinsyde Raymor but it crashed on take-off. The Berlin Bomber and the Vickers Vimy were the final two contenders left to embark on the challenge. After mechanical difficulties concerning the Bomber, Alcock and Brown’s Vimy was the only remaining aircraft to take on the feat.

John Alcock was born in 1892 in Manchester, England. He first became interested in flying at the age of 17. He gained his pilot’s license in November 1912. He was a regular competitor in aircraft competitions. During the First World War he served as an RAF pilot.

Arthur Whitten Brown was born in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland. He began his career as an engineer before the outbreak of the First World War when he joined the army then the Royal Flying Corps as an observer, later training to become a navigator.

Both men were captured during the First World War, Alcock while he was in Turkey and Brown while in France by the Germans.

After the war Alcock wanted to continue his flying career and took up the challenge of attempting to be the first person to fly directly across the Atlantic. Alcock and Brown first met by chance at the Vickers Weybridge/Brooklands site, when the attempt was being discussed. Alcock was impressed when he first met Brown, whose ability as a navigator far exceeded his own. Brown was assigned to the attempt alongside Alcock.

(The speaker originally planned for today, Nicola White on Mudlarking, has had to cancel).

There is a large, free car park but it is shared with other users and can be busy at times.

No booking, just turn up.

The Society is a registered charity and membership fees and donations are an important part of our income. The Talk is free to members but guests and visitors are asked to make a donation towards hall hire and speaker's fee. There will be a donations box at the venue.

Event Information

Event Date 01-10-2022 9:45 am
Event End Date 01-10-2022 12:30 pm
Capacity 100
Individual Price Free to members. A donation towards hall hire and speaker fee is appreciated from visitors.
Location Dartford Branch

Venue Information - Dartford Branch

Dartford Science and Technology College Heath Lane Dartford Kent DA1 2LY

There is a large free car park at the College but it is shared with other users and can be busy at times.