Working model of the first airplane " Predatory bird» in flight

In the center of Rio de Janeiro, on the waterfront near the ultra-modern Museum of Tomorrow, there is a model of the world's first airplane, the 14-bis or "Oiseau de proie" (in French, "bird of prey").
Today, Brazil occupies one of the world's leading positions in the field of aircraft manufacturing. Brazil's Embraer (E-Jet) leads the world in the medium-haul (regional) aircraft market.
Thanks to the dominance of the American media in the world, there was a belief about the priority of the Wright brothers, who made the first flight on an airplane. In Brazil and France, undeniable primacy is given to a native of Brazil, holder of the Legion of Honor, aeronaut, pilot and inventor Albert Santos-Dumont(1873 - 1932), who lived for some time in France. The Brazilian was the first in the world to prove the possibility of regular, controlled flights. Santos-Dumont made a public airplane flight in Paris on October 23, 1906. It was the first heavier-than-air vehicle to take off, fly, and land and, unlike the Wright brothers, did not use catapults, high winds, launch rails, or other external devices. The inventor was against the use of aircraft for military purposes.

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The first transatlantic direct flight was made from Newfoundland (Canada) to Ireland by British pilots John Alkon and Arthur Brown on June 14 - 15, 1919 in 16 hours 28 minutes at an average speed of 190 km per hour. The effect of the jet air current in the Northern Hemisphere from west to east was used. In the opposite direction it would have taken more time, and there were no aircraft with the appropriate resource at that time. The first non-stop 36-hour flight across the Atlantic from Europe (Dublin) to North America took place only a decade later in April 1928.

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Today, flying across the Atlantic to South America is an everyday affair and requires only patience (up to a 14-hour flight from Paris to Santiago). I first saw the monument to the first airplane (seaplane) and crew that flew from Europe to South America many years ago in Lisbon.

On an English-made Fairey 17 seaplane, Portuguese pilots Gago Coutinho and Sakadura Cabral made the first dramatic flight from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro, dedicated to the centenary of Brazilian independence. Aircraft of this type were produced from 1918 to 1941, and took an active part in the Second World War.

During the flight to South America, a new attitude indicator device was tested, allowing one to control the position of the aircraft beyond the visibility of the ground or sea surface.

On March 30, 1922, the pilots took off from the Lisbon naval base and reached Canary Islands(Las Palmas) for refueling. On April 5, another rush was made to the Cape Verde Islands (San Vicente), where engine repairs were required. On April 17, the pilots continued their journey to the rocky desert island Sao Paulo (St. Peter and St. Paul). Here, during splashdown in a stormy sea, the airplane lost one of its floats and sank. The aviators were rescued by the Portuguese cruiser Republic, which assisted in the flight. The cruiser delivered the pilots to the port of the Brazilian island of Fernando de Noronha.

But the epic did not end there. Enthusiastic Brazilians and Portuguese watching the flight forced the government in Lisbon to send another seaplane to the aviators.

The new plane was delivered to the island and on May 11, the pilots took off... in the opposite direction to the island of Sao Paulo to resume the flight from the crash site. However, engine failure forced them to make an emergency landing in the ocean again. The seaplane successfully sank again, and the pilots were picked up by a British cargo ship and taken back to Fernando de Noronha.

But this time, with the support of the Brazilian government, the brave aviators received a third plane, on which they were able to complete the flight with stops in Recife, Salvador da Bahia and Vitoria. Finally, on June 17, the flight was completed in Rio de Janeiro, where the seaplane landed in Guanabara Bay. Brazil greeted the aviators as heroes; at a rally of thousands on the embankment, aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont gave a welcoming speech. The journey lasted 79 days, of which the actual flight time was 62 hours and 26 minutes. The aviators covered a distance of 8,383 kilometers (5,209 miles) by air.

Flight map

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In 1930, a French pilot Jean Mermoz made the first non-stop flight in history across the South Atlantic. From French Toulouse he flew to the African port of Saint Louis (Senegal) located on the Atlantic coast. From here, with 130 kg of mail on a converted plane, he completed a transatlantic flight to Rio de Janeiro in 21 hours. In 1936, the pilot and the plane disappeared on a regular flight over the South Atlantic.

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Over time, regular passenger flights from Europe to South America began. On July 10, 1962, regular transatlantic flights of the Soviet Aeroflot began to Latin America to Cuba along the route Moscow - Conakry (technical landing) - Havana, and then through North Pole with an intermediate landing in Murmansk. The specially modernized Tu-114 could accommodate only 60 passengers, but had a large fuel supply. The flight took over 20 hours.

On May 27, 1973, regular flights to Peru and Chile began on the route Moscow - Rabat - Havana - Lima (Peru) - Santiago (Chile). For that time, it was the longest passenger airline in the world (18,000 km), travel time was 23 hours. Today, people fly from Moscow to South America with connecting flights through Paris, Amsterdam, Istanbul and other aviation hubs.

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On the air route between Europe and South America On June 1, 2009, one of the largest aviation disasters occurred. Airbus A330-203 airlines Air France operated flight AF447 on the route Rio de Janeiro - Paris, but 3 hours and 45 minutes after takeoff it crashed into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and was completely destroyed. All 228 people on board (12 crew members and 216 passengers) were killed. This biggest disaster in the history of Air France and the largest disaster passenger plane from 2001 until the Boeing 777 crash in the Donetsk region (July 17, 2014, 298 dead).

The causes of the disaster are indicated as freezing of the pitot tubes, the subsequent disconnection of the autopilot and uncoordinated actions of the crew, which led to the stalling of the aircraft, from which the crew was unable to recover. Inconsistency of actions, poor preparation and panic of the crew (co-pilot and trainee who were in the cockpit during the commander's rest). The called commander made the right decision and at an altitude of about 600 meters the plane began to pick up speed, but it was not possible to stop the stall in time. Experts point to shortcomings in the design of modern aircraft and in crew training. Computer systems control the aircraft for the vast majority of the flight, depriving pilots of direct piloting experience and reducing their preparedness for emergency situations.

The national air carrier of Russia - Aeroflot airline - is the most famous in the entire post-Soviet space. The successor to the airlines of the Soviet Union, the leading Russian airline, which accounts for the vast majority of flights. Where does Aeroflot fly? Almost all over the world! As befits one of the largest European air carriers.

Affiliated companies

The main Russian carrier is a very large and reputable company. Aeroflot is considered abroad the best Russian air carrier, and also has some prestigious awards. The company has long been famous for its reliability, quality and comfort in flight, level of service and attitude towards passengers. We can say that every flight will be comfortable, although exceptions do happen, but rarely.

Most of the company's shares belong to the state, so Aeroflot can easily be called a state carrier, but the situation is completely different with its subsidiaries. Where Aeroflot flies least often, its subsidiaries fly there, often acting as independent companies. A huge advantage of such carriers is the cost of a seat on board the aircraft. Most often these are low-cost airlines or charters.

The first ones are famous inconvenient places, not the newest ships, but at a price affordable to almost everyone. Today, many economy class tickets are cheaper than train tickets! The latter do not have a regular schedule and delight with unexpected discounts on comfort class seats.

Total of these subsidiaries Aeroflot has three. Namely, airlines such as Pobeda, Aurora and Rossiya.

Surprise on insufficiently popular destinations

On unpopular routes, passengers often encounter problems. The most common of them is changing an Aeroflot flight to a flight with a subsidiary carrier. This happens especially often when booking tickets online. The order details contain the name of the carrier and the flight number, but this does not mean that passengers will fly with Aeroflot. Don’t worry if, instead of an airplane in the national carrier’s corporate colors, a plane in the “Victory” livery appears. Legally, such manipulations are not a violation. When the main carrier does not have enough ships, it can use the aircraft of its subsidiaries.

Main directions

Where does Aeroflot fly? Almost all over the world, and this is true. The planes of this company fly regular flights to more than 51 countries. The most popular destinations- flights to the countries of the European Union, CIS countries and Asia. Popular tourist countries world-class airlines have more than one destination for a domestic carrier. Also, countries belonging to the CIS have more than one direction. The scheme is simple - if there is great demand, the company provides the route by plane.

Domestic flights

Where does Aeroflot fly within the country? On this moment This company's flights to almost any Russian airport are non-stop. In some cases, for example, with the Crimean direction, aircraft of subsidiaries are often used. This is due to the congestion of popular tourist destinations.

An interesting feature of domestic flights is the planes. International flights are carried out on the best aircraft from well-known manufacturers. However, within the country, many flights are carried out by domestically produced ships. No, there are no old Soviet aircraft in Aeroflot's fleet. Mostly Russian Superjets are used, and in the future there are plans to purchase new MC-21s.

Transatlantic flights

Aeroflot transatlantic flights operate to 5 destinations. Moreover, 4 of them are carried out in the USA in cities such as Washington, New York, Los Angeles and Miami. Flights on the fifth route are to Cuba.

A few years ago, the number of transatlantic destinations was greater. Some flights were to Canada. Currently, Aeroflot planes do not fly to this country.

Transcontinental flights

Aeroflot's transcontinental flight routes are more popular. In total, the airline operates flights to 12 transcontinental destinations. Flights are made to such famous and interesting cities, like Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and even Ulaanbaatar.

It is interesting that formally, flights within the country can also be called transcontinental. Especially long flights - such as Moscow-Vladivostok or Moscow-Norilsk. Flights to some of these destinations are longer than transatlantic ones.

New directions of Aeroflot

It is known that only demand leads to supply. New directions depend on demand. Within the country, destinations appear as new air terminal complexes come into operation. International flights are carried out only to those countries with which the airline has an agreement. The inclusion of new countries in the route network (for the most part) does not depend only on the carrier.

NONSTOP FLIGHT AROSS THE ATLANTIC

Addressing historical events, which glorified the beginning of the last century with its legendary air flights, the question naturally arises: who was the first to fly non-stop across the Atlantic alone?

One hundred years ago (in 1913), a popular English publication advertised a £10,000 reward for flying across Atlantic Ocean. The Daily Mail predicted glory for the first aircrew or solo pilot to fly non-stop across the Atlantic in any direction from America to the shores of Ireland or Great Britain in 72 hours.

At that time, flights over such long distances seemed fantastic, because airplanes were just beginning to master the skies, and their structural elements were often destroyed even when trying to get off the ground.

Attempts to conquer the Atlantic sky

The Martinsyd Raymore crew was preparing to conquer the three thousandth distance, but the plane did not take off. The reason for the failure was a failure of the landing gear, in which the nose of the aircraft buried itself in the ground.

In the same way, during takeoff, another plane broke its nose (“Handley Page”).

The attempt of the Sopwith Atlantic crew was almost successful - they did not have enough strength to overcome the last 850 miles to the shore.

The first pilots to fly non-stop across the Atlantic (they had not yet flown alone at that time) were the British crew of the Vickers Vimi winged aircraft. The pilot, John Alcock, and the navigator, Arthur Whitten Brown, received a well-deserved cash prize in 1919.
Another pilot is much more famous, namely the one who was the first to make a non-stop flight across the Atlantic alone. But this flight took place already in 1927.

Charles Lindbergh's flight

In 1926, a wealthy New York hotel owner, Raymond Orteig, offered a $25,000 prize for a nonstop flight from New York to Paris.

Charles Lindbergh was 25 years old and a pilot for an air mail company. Lindbergh decided that existing models were not suitable for such flights and a special aircraft was needed. According to his calculations, such an aircraft should be a monoplane that can accommodate the required amount of kerosene. Maybe someone would have doubted it, but Charles Lindbergh decided to fly alone and a year later he was the first to make a non-stop flight across the Atlantic.

The plane ("Spirit of St. Louis"), named after St. Louis, was fully loaded with all 1,700 liters of fuel, and barely managed to take off on May 19, 1927. They say that during the climb the telegraph wires were cut off, so low above the ground this flight began.


The pilot had to determine the course by performing mental calculations based on the time of flight in any direction, and he estimated the wind speed from the waves! To do this, Lindbergh needed to descend to get out of the clouds and fog. On top of that, the plane became heavily icy and became much heavier. Flying in these conditions, fighting sleep, was incredibly difficult and dangerous.

However, luck favored the brave pilot, and after 28 hours, Charles Lindbergh's plane ended up near Valentine Island, which is located near Ireland. It’s simply amazing that the deviation from the chosen course was within 5 km!

And six hours later Lindbergh was received at Paris Bourget Airport. In Paris, over 200,000 French people greeted him as a hero, and some 4 million of his countrymen awaited his return to New York. We can compare this event with the meeting of the first cosmonauts by our fellow countrymen.

There was no end to the enthusiastic reviews of contemporaries: some admired the courage and courage of the first solo pilot who made a non-stop flight across the Atlantic; someone carefully analyzed the modernization of the aircraft commissioned by Lindbergh.

Lindbergh's innovation was that he preferred a single-engine aircraft, although multi-engine aircraft were considered safer. He also demanded that the wingspan be increased and the aircraft be equipped with additional fuel tanks. It was important for him to reduce the weight of the aircraft as much as possible, so he fought for every gram. Eyewitnesses claimed that Lindbergh refused to take a parachute and a walkie-talkie on board, he replaced the massive leather seat with a wicker one, special lightweight boots were made to order, and even the map lost an “unnecessary” part.

Charles Lindbergh's flight forever made him a legendary pilot, and for society it marked a breakthrough into previously inaccessible areas. He gave aviation strategic importance, bringing the distance between the European and American continents closer.


THE FIRST FLIGHT THROUGH THE ATLANTIC BY AN AIRCRAFT CREW

The first flight across the Atlantic Ocean was made by a brave British crew. The first non-stop flight across the Atlantic was carried out on June 14, 1919 by members of the crew of the Vickers Vimi aircraft of the British Air Force. Their names are Captain John Alcock (pilot) and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown (navigator).

There were other daredevils who flew across the Atlantic Ocean. Eight years after the British flight, everyone was talking about the American pilot Charles Lindbergh, the one who was the first to make a non-stop flight across the Atlantic alone. People liked Lindbergh's youth and courage. In 1927, the public was already able to appreciate such a flight. However, pilots Alcock and Brown were ahead of everyone.

Overcoming obstacles and difficulties

It was decided to fly from Canada to the shores of Ireland. At first it took a long time to find a suitable place to take off. The choice of site was approached carefully - after the accident of other British (the crew of the Martinsayd Raymore), it was clear what had to be risked by lifting a bomber overloaded with fuel into the sky.

When the airfield is near Canadian city St. John's was found, Alcock called it the first transatlantic airfield. They were waiting for the right weather to arrive and were very nervous because they were afraid that others would be able to get ahead of them.

One day, on the first fine day, a military plane flew right above them towards the ocean. John and Arthur only later learned that it was a test flight. And at first it seemed to them that they were seeing a terrible dream - another plane had already taken off first in order to fly across the Atlantic before everyone else.

The pilots were nervous because everything was ready for the flight, but they had to postpone the start due to heavy winds. A telegram arriving from England accusing him of indecision added to the excitement.

Finally, on June 13, favorable weather conditions emerged. At the command of Captain Alcock, refueling of the aircraft began. First, the fuel was filtered through a sieve, and then it was pumped using a hand pump into the aircraft tanks. It was a tedious and lengthy process. Closer to noon, a breakdown of the shock absorber of one of the chassis was discovered. He could not withstand such a heavy load, and the plane began to roll to one side.

To eliminate the defect, it was necessary to raise the plane, and for this it was necessary to drain all the previously filled fuel. People worked the rest of the day until midnight, then refilled the tanks with fuel, working without a break with car headlights on and illuminating the site with paraffin lamps.

The weather report received on the morning of June 14 promised a strong westerly wind that would intensify in the coming hours. The pilots who arrived at the airfield decided that if they did not take off now, they would have to give primacy to someone else who would fly across the Atlantic Ocean before them.

Brown and Alcock climbed into the cockpit, warmed up the engines, brought them to full power, and Alcock signaled to the mechanics to let go of the plane's wings. The bomber slowly rolled along the runway, not picking up enough speed and not getting off the ground. The long-awaited start came at the end of the runway, when the plane with great difficulty rose above the fence and trees, and then disappeared from view behind the hills.

All those watching decided that an accident had occurred and ran towards the supposed plane crash. People were worried, and the loudest scream was from the doctor, who asked to give way to him to provide first aid. The panic subsided when the silhouette of the plane, gradually gaining altitude, became visible in the sky again.

The crew experienced painfully tense moments; it seemed that the car would fall down, it was so difficult to gain altitude. But now St. John's is left behind. The ships sounded their horns to see off the retreating plane, which roared past the four-hundred-meter mark and was moving away from the coastline. The navigator set course in the direction of Ireland.

Incredibly difficult flight

They walked in continuous clouds, and barely visible accumulations of ice floated below. It became incredibly cold; even special heated suits could not save us from the low temperature. At first, Brown's radio messages about following the route were received on the ground, but then the wind generator broke down and they were left with a useless radio station.


For about seven hours the pilot flew the bomber blind. Of course, they had to fly in dense clouds before, but not for such a long time, and problems began with the right engine. At first, frequent bangs were heard, the sounds of which were reminiscent of machine gun fire, and then the unit “spitted out” some part of its structure. The exhaust pipe quickly became hot: first it turned red, then turned white and was torn off by the air flow. The exhaust flame of a running engine reached the tension wire, which became heated, but withstood the temperature and did not change its shape.

At seven o'clock the pilots decided to have a snack; their dinner consisted of sandwiches and coffee. Now they could navigate by the starry sky, so Brown wrote a note to Captain Alcock about the need to see the stars. The pilot took the plane out of the clouds only at an altitude of 1800 meters. The navigator was able to determine their location: after eight hours of flight, the Vickers Vimi moved almost one and a half thousand kilometers from the coast of Newfoundland. The first half of the journey has been completed. It turned out that their ground speed was slightly higher than calculated. It was decided to descend and continue walking under the edge of the clouds at an altitude of 1200 meters.

At about three o'clock in the morning, their car began to be tossed around by strong gusts of wind, and a thunderstorm front appeared in the path of the plane. In poor visibility conditions, orientation was lost and the aircraft's speed dropped sharply. The bomber went into a tailspin. Flashes of lightning prevented the pilot from determining the position of the machine in the stormy space and leveling the plane. Alcock tried to put the rudders in a neutral position - nothing worked. The only thing he could see was the altimeter readings, which showed an increasingly smaller distance to the ground: first 900, then 600, 300, now 150...

Nothing was visible yet, but Alcock heard the sound of the ocean raging below them, and at the same moment the low sky around the plane cleared. They flew upside down, incredibly close to the surface of the ocean, huge waves rolling over their heads. There were split seconds left to make decisions.

In this critical situation, Captain John Alcock's piloting talent passed the most severe test. The experienced pilot instantly restored spatial orientation and in the last seconds leveled the plane, giving the engines full throttle. Both aviators felt that from their cockpit they could reach the foam ridges. Moving away from ocean waves, which were at a distance of some fifteen meters, the car picked up life-saving speed.

It continued to rain heavily, and as we gained altitude it began to snow. The weight of the plane quickly increased - dangerous icing began, which led to interruptions in the operation of the right engine. Its carburetor was clogged with snow, and the plane began to lose altitude due to a lack of power when one engine was running. The situation was becoming critical.

Alcock looked back at his navigator, but he was not there. It turned out that Brown went along the wing to the failed engine. He clung to the racks with all his might and scraped the ice with a knife. In their situation, this was the only saving solution. After some time, the left engine began to fail. Brown had to repeat his feat on the left wing. His brave actions saved the engines and saved the lives of both pilots. In total, Lieutenant Brown made 5 such trips.

On June 15, the Vickers Vimi jumped out of a layer of clouds in the morning, and half an hour later the crew saw two small islands, behind which they could already guess the Irish coast. They flew along the shore and found a green field to land. Not far from this place was the Clifden radio station. People noticed them and began to wave their hands, indicating that it was impossible to sit on the field - it was swampy.

However, the pilots seemed to be greeted, they waved back and continued landing. As a result, the plane buried its nose in a swamp and got stuck in the ground, but the guys were lucky: the damage to the plane was minor, and they themselves were not injured (except for Brown’s scratched nose).

Their legendary flight lasted 16 hours and 28 minutes. Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown were the first to conquer the skies of the Atlantic, having covered 3040 kilometers. average speed aircraft "Vickers Vimi" was about 190 km/h. Interestingly, after landing, the fuel supply in the tanks remained quite impressive; they could reach the English shores.

In the 20s of the 20th century, the planet literally froze in anticipation of the first transatlantic flight. French aviators Charles E. J. M. Nungesser and Francois Coli also began to prepare for the flight. For the first time, it was decided to fly from Europe to America, from east to west, against the rotation of the Earth.

The commander was Nungesser. One of the best aces in France, at the end of the First World War he had 45 enemy aircraft shot down. The “trademark” on board his combat vehicle - an ace of hearts with a coffin and a skull with two crossed bones - terrified German pilots.


Preparing for the flight
The White Bird, the plane on which the pilots were going to fly, was, in the words of one French journalist, a “flying tank” - the ship weighed a total of five tons, four of which were fuel in the tanks. In order to make the car as light as possible, the pilots even abandoned the radio. In addition, immediately after takeoff it was necessary to get rid of the wheeled chassis. Which obliged the plane, not intended for landing on water, to land on the surface of the sea in New York Bay. And yet, despite all these tricks, fuel was running short.

Flight from Le Bourget to New York On May 8, 1927, an enthusiastic crowd gathered at Le Bourget airfield (a suburb of Paris). Everyone wanted to take part in the event of the century. At 5 o'clock in the morning, the "White Bird" with Nungesser's "trademark" on board began its takeoff run. The heavy machine did not want to obey the will of the pilots and rise into the sky. Finally, as if reluctantly, she lifted off the ground and, escorted by several military aircraft, disappeared into the sky.

Sensation from the Press
Since there was no radio on board. Messages could only be expected from the ground. The “White Bird” was seen over the Ile de France, Normandy, and there the ocean began... The next message came a little more than a day after the start of the flight. Hurray, they are already in America! They telegraph from Boston: they have been seen, they have flown over, they are heading to New York! All of France held its breath. Only an hour later, at 17:15, the Parisians were able to catch their breath. Excited by the long wait, they literally snatched the new issue of the Press, still smelling of printing ink, from the hands of the newspaper delivery men. The front page was full of assorted headlines:

“Glory to the masters of French aviation!” “Nungesser and Koli took the gold!” “Incredible details of the perfect raid!” Then the newspaper reported the very details of the splashdown of French aviators in New York Bay. Nungesser's plane flew out to meet an entire squadron of fighters led by Major Foulois. Accompanied by American warplanes, the White Bird landed on the water. The ships in the bay raised welcoming flags and sirens blared. Some New Yorkers, in disbelief, got into their boats and went out into the bay. The sky is flooded civil aircraft, hired by various members of the press. The "White Bird" landed on the water incredibly easily, after which the ship was immediately surrounded by several large ships. Four seaplanes were allocated, which circled over the triumphant aircraft at the lowest possible altitude, acting as insurance. Having splashed down, Nungesser and Koli hesitated, as if their victory over the ocean was a trifle not worth the general rejoicing. But a few minutes later they emerged from the plane and hugged. To the applause of the spectators, the howl of engines and the howling of sirens, the pilots descended onto land. Yes, it was a great day of French glory!

"White Bird"


Tragic mistake
Clouds of enthusiastic telegrams flew after the White Bird overseas. And - not a word in response... No, two Frenchmen failed to become the first to cross the ocean by plane. They flew, they waved their wings to the Bostonians... but they did not show up to meet the New Yorkers who were waiting for them. They went missing, Nungesser and Koli. They were expected, they were looked for. When all the deadlines had already expired, it became clear that they had died. A few minutes, several kilometers before its triumph, the “White Bird” with the ace of hearts, a coffin and a skull fell into the waters of the ocean. This is probably the greatest disappointment, the most spectacular failure in the history of aviation. If they had landed near Boston, they would have become winners and gone down in history. But this was established in advance: a triumph in front of the multimillion-dollar New York City, from there it will be seen and heard throughout the world!

A whole squad of police held back crowds of offended Parisians who tried at any cost to break into the offices of the Press and smash it to smithereens. But the reason for this incomprehensible and senseless newspaper deception remained a mystery then. The whole world, despite the grief for the two pilots who almost accomplished the almost impossible, could not resist a sarcastic grin: they say, it all turned out too “French”. It was as if the poor guys themselves - Nungesser and Kolya - turned out to be boasters. Even grief for them was somehow tainted by this scandal. The greatness of a hero's death turned into a joke. All that's left More than 30 years have passed since the disappearance of the White Bird. On a cold winter morning, Cliff Iceland (American, lobster fisherman) went out to sea on a boat. While raising the anchor of my boat, I felt that it had caught some kind of thing from the bottom. When the anchor emerged from the water, there were some sheets hanging on it, similar to the skin of an airplane... This was all that remained of the proud and mighty “White Bird”, which once decided on an unprecedented feat.

"Eyes to See" And three years later, in 1964, the mystery of the newspaper deception, the most amazing in the entire history of the world press, was revealed. The famous French journalist Georges Raven published the book “Eyes to See,” in which he talked about how everything happened on that ill-fated day in the newspaper office, since he himself was one of the main characters in this ugly story. After it was reported that the pilots had been seen over Boston and, therefore, the main obstacle, the Atlantic Ocean, had been overcome, the editor-in-chief made a decision that led to the collapse of the Press. “We need our newspaper to be the first to report a safe flight across the Atlantic!” he told the staff. No one dared to voluntarily come up with the details of a feat that had not yet been accomplished, and then the editor-in-chief appointed Raven to this task, as the youngest.

“I need fifty live lines” - “Maybe we should wait for more specific news?” - the young employee tried to object. “To share profits with competitors and get only small crumbs from what they could get? You just don’t feel the situation, my dear! They won a victory over an entire ocean, which means we can win ours too!” This is such a sad story. In fact, the crew of the “White Bird” achieved success, they were the first to make a transatlantic flight, but died due to the tragic thirst for glory. And another vice of the human soul - greed - influenced the “Press”, which led to general indignation and hatred. Which “White Bird” did not deserve.

Ask any person: “Who was the first to fly across the Atlantic?”, and 90 out of a hundred people will answer: “Charles Lindbergh.” Lindbergh was an incredibly popular character in the 1930s, the hero of numerous newspaper publications, films, historical studies and fiction novels. However, he was not the first to fly across the Atlantic.

In 1913, the British newspaper Daily Mail established a special prize of 10 thousand pounds for the first air flight across the Atlantic Ocean. The prize aroused great interest, and several aviators and engineers began to make plans to win it. But in 1914 the First World War, and put an end to all plans. In 1918 the war ended and competition for the prize resumed with renewed vigor. The competition was made more intense by the fact that during the First World War, aviation made a qualitative leap, turning from an exotic toy into a real fighting force. The design and production of airplanes has ceased to be the lot of eccentric enthusiasts, and has become a powerful industry with serious engineering teams, large production capacities and considerable cash flows. In addition to money, the first transatlantic flight promised good advertising for the developers, so aircraft manufacturing companies did not stand aside.

In May 1919, pilot H.G. Hawker and navigator Mackenzie Grieve took off on the Sopwith Atlantic airplane. The attempt was unsuccessful - the plane fell into the Ocean, fortunately, both pilots were saved. Around the same time, several US Navy flying boats flew from Newfoundland to Portugal via the Azores. The purpose of the flight (initiated by none other than Richard Bird) was to practice flying over seas. There was no record, since the flight lasted 19 days, and the planes had a large number of landings.

On May 26, 1919, a container with a Vickers Vimy aircraft was delivered to Newfoundland. The airplane was unpacked and assembled in a couple of days without any troubles or delays. The wait for suitable weather began. In the meantime, it was raining, interspersed with sleet. The crew consisted of two people - the pilot, Captain John Alcock, and the navigator, Lieutenant Arthur Brown. Both officers were assigned to the Royal Firing Corps (the prototype of the Royal Air Force). The goal is a direct flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
The fates of these people were in many ways similar - both fought in the World War, both experienced the severity of captivity: Alcock in Turkey, and Brown in Germany, both returned to their jobs after the war, both were inspired by the idea of ​​​​a direct flight across the ocean. Captain John Alcock was born in 1892 in Seymour, Old Trafford, England. He began to show an interest in flying at the age of seventeen, and during the War he became an experienced pilot. Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown was born in Glasgow in 1886. He worked as an engineer in the development of aeronautical instruments. Having heard about the upcoming flight across the Atlantic, he expressed a desire to take part in it and was chosen to be John Alcock's partner.

By that time, the Vickers company had already taken one of the leading positions not only in Britain, but also in Europe. By the beginning of the twentieth century, this company was well known as a shipbuilder. In 1908, His Majesty's Navy turned to its long-time partner with an unusual order - the Admiralty needed an airship. Thus, the Vickers company moved from the sea element to the air element. Over the next few years, the company's factories produced French airplanes under license, and in 1913 they also produced their own design - the F.B.I. At the same time, Brookland opened summer school Vickers. By 1918, the number of Vickers military airplanes reached 4,500 copies.

Vickers Vimy 4

At the end of the war, Great Britain began developing a twin-engine bomber designed to bomb German fortifications at the front and factories in the rear. The aircraft (heavy by the standards of those years), designed by engineer R.K. Pierson and built by Vickers, was named Vickers Vimy IV. A crew of two was required to operate the aircraft. The length of the aircraft is 13 meters (43 feet), the wingspan is 21 meters (69 feet). The power plant is two 12-cylinder Rolls Royce Eagle engines with 350 horsepower each. Like all aircraft of those years, the Vickers Vimy was made of wood, and the three-meter propellers were also made of wood. Maximum speed- 160 km/h, cruising - 145 km/h. Maximum height flight - 2100 m. Vickers decided that this aircraft was the best suited for the flight.
The aircraft was built at the Weybridge plant in Surrey (Weybridge, Surrey). The cost of a production copy was 3 thousand pounds. It did not have time to take part in the First World War, and was never used for its intended purpose. The aircraft was slightly modified for the transatlantic flight. Firstly, all military equipment was removed from it, and secondly, additional fuel tanks. In order for both pilots to feel a little more comfortable during a long flight, the cabin was slightly expanded. The pilots sat side by side on a narrow wooden bench, on which a thin bedding was laid.

Finally, on June 14, the long-awaited improvement came, and at 16.12 GMT Vickers Vimy 4 took off from a pasture near St. John's on the island. Newfoundland. The fuel capacity was 4,000 liters (1,050 gallons), giving a theoretical range of 2,500 miles (4,000 km). When fully loaded, the aircraft weighed 6 thousand kilograms (13,300 pounds).

Taking off from Newfoundland

There were enough problems during the flight; the danger of a forced landing (which in their situation meant almost one hundred percent death) did not leave the pilots during the entire flight. Radio communications failed immediately after takeoff, and the engines periodically failed. The fog that shrouded the plane prevented the pilots from seeing anything for most of the flight. At some point, the plane stopped obeying the controls and, spinning randomly, began to fall. Falling out of the fog, the pilots saw that the surface of the ocean was already very close. Fortunately, at this moment Alcock was able to regain control of the controls, and the plane began to slowly gain altitude. Orientation in the fog was almost impossible, and throughout the entire journey Brown had a very rough idea of ​​their location. An undoubted success was the brief clearing, during which Brown was able to decide by the stars.

Landing in Ireland

The next morning - June 15, 1919 at 8.25 am - Alcock and Brown crossed the coast of Ireland. The fog stretched all the way to the ground, but the pilots managed to find a suitable clearing and land. The landing was quite hard, the plane was damaged, but the pilots remained safe and sound. Behind us was 15 hours 57 minutes of flight and a journey of 3000 kilometers. The landing site turned out to be next to the Clifden Wireless Station, from where Alcock sent news of the successful completion of the first transatlantic flight.

Brown and Alcock were celebrated as national heroes. The Daily Mail hosted an incredibly grand celebration at the Savoy restaurant, with guests served Oeufs Poches Alcock and Poulet de Printemps a la Vickers Vimy, specially created for the occasion. The pilots and the Vickers company received a special prize of 10 thousand pounds. The plane was taken to the London Science Museum, where it is on display to this day.

In addition to the prize from the Daily Mail, participants received 2,000 guineas from Ardath Tobacco and £1,000 from Lawrence R. Phillips. Both Alcock and Brown were knighted. Much later, in 1954, a monument was erected at Heathrow Airport in honor of their flight. A memorial sign was also installed at the landing site.

John Alcock and Arthur Brown

John Alcock died on December 18, 1919, while flying a Vickers Viking to the Paris Air Show - in Normandy his plane fell into fog and crashed into a forest. Brown continued his work for the company and lived until October 4, 1948, but never flew again.

In 30-40 Vickers was a leading company in the British aircraft industry. Suffice it to say that bombers such as the Wellington and Lancaster and fighters such as the Spitfire were developed by this company. And the production of Vickers military aircraft in World War II already amounted to tens of thousands of units.

The historic British flight fell into obscurity after Charles Lindbergh made his solo flight in the single-engine Spirit of St. in 1927. Louis Lindbergh was the first to fly from continent to continent, which caused an immeasurably greater stir among the public. Well, it should be noted that his PR situation was much better.
The flight of Alcock and Brown ushered in the golden era of propeller-driven aviation, when the romantics' desire for adventure and the general public's interest in their achievements was successfully combined with the desire of the air force to create and demonstrate aircraft with ever greater speeds, payload capacity and range.

Sources used.