In the closing year, it seems important and necessary to remember this significant event for international aerophilately.
It was a major achievement for global aviation. British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown made the first nonstop transatlantic flight in June 1919, piloting a modified World War I Vickers Vimy bomber from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Clifden, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland, with an emergency landing from which they emerged unscathed. The then Secretary of State for Air, Winston Churchill, awarded them the Daily Mail prize of £10,000 for the first nonstop aerial crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, completed in less than 72 hours. The flight can be considered the first transatlantic airmail flight, given that the pilots carried a small amount of mail, which is now considered one of the greatest aerophilatelic rarities. A week later, the two aviators were honored as Knights of the British Empire at Windsor Castle.
Commemorative envelope carried by special FAF flight, prepared on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the achievement.
As expected, there were numerous commemorations of the centenary of this flight in 2019. In particular, besides the numerous philatelic issues (especially those of Australia and Ireland), the Alcock & Brown 100 Festival, held in Clifden, Ireland, from June 11-16, 2019, should be noted, for which the program is attached, showcasing the numerous initiatives carried out. For those who want to delve deeper into the subject, please visit the website https://alcockandbrown100.com/.