- Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race
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The Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race was a race between London and New York to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the first trans-atlantic crossing by Alcock and Brown.
Contents
The race
The race was held between the 4 and 11 May 1969, although named an air race it was actually a race of individuals between the Empire State Building in New York to the Post Office Tower in London. Each of the individuals or "Runners" had to use some form of air transport. With a number of different categories a total of 21 prizes could be won. A number of point-to-point world records for aircraft were broken.
The shortest overall time between London and New York was by Squadron Leader Tom Lecky-Tompson flying a Royal Air Force Hawker Siddeley Harrier in 6 hours 11 minutes. The shortest time between New York and London was by Lieutenant Commander Peter Goddard a passenger in a Royal Navy McDonnell Douglas Phantom in 5 hours 11 minutes.
Civilian competitors
The first competitor to leave London was Miss Anne Alcock the niece of Sir John Alcock, she was followed by a number of other runners including Sheila Scott who used her own private aircraft, Stirling Moss and Mary Rand.
External imagesFlight crews of the Royal Navy involved in the race 
Team entered by Royal Navy from Fleet Air Arm Officers' Association The Royal Navy entered three "runners" each to be flown across the Atlantic in a McDonnell Douglas Phantom. The navy runners used Phantoms which flew from the Floyd Bennet Naval Air Station to Wisley Aerodrome and were refuelled by Handley Page Victor aerial tankers over the Atlantic.
On 11 May 1969 a Royal Navy Phantom of 892 Naval Air Squadron set a new world air speed record between New York and London in 4 hours and 46 minutes.
The Vickers Alcock and Brown trophy was awarded to Lieutenant Commander Peter Goddard for his 5 hour 11 minute crossing which was the fastest West to East crossing.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force decided to use the unique Vertical Take Off and Landing capablilty of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier.[1] The Harrier used a coal yard next to St Pancras station in London and landed on the quayside of the Bristol Basin in New York.[1]
London to New York
External imagesHarrier XV741 landing at St Pancras Harrier GR.1 landing at St Pancras from Royal Air Force Museum Event Name Aircraft Time[2] Prize Shortest time Squadron Leader Tom Lecky-Thompson Hawker Siddeley Harrier 6 hrs 11 min £6,000 Sub-sonic aircraft R.W Selph 7 hrs 6 min £4000 Scheduled passenger flight via Shannon C R Freud 8hr 4 min £5000 Unsponsored personal attempt via Shannon E.A.Freudmann 8hr 14 min £2,500 Chartered business jet Sir Billy Butlin Hawker Siddeley HS.125 11 hrs 30 min [3] £500 Light Aircraft (single seat) S Wilkinson Beagle 20 hrs 23min £1000 Light aircraft (woman) Sheila Scott Piper Twin Commanche 26 hrs 34 min £1000 New York to London
Event Name Aircraft Time[2] Prize Shortest time Lieutenant Commander Peter Goddard McDonnell Douglas Phantom 5 hrs 11 min £6000 Sub-sonic Peter Hammond 6 hrs 54 min £4000 Direct passenger flight K J Holden 6 hrs 48 min £5000 Unsponsored personal attempt Miss S M Scribner 6 hrs 55 min £2,500 Charter business jet Tony Drewery Vickers VC10 7 hrs 3 min £500 Light aircraft (man) Michael Fallon 21 hrs 31 min £1000 Light aircraft (woman) Nancy Kelly 22 hrs 31 min £1000 References
- ^ a b "British Military Aviation in 1969". Royal Air Force Museum. http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1969.cfm. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- ^ a b Henry Stanhope. "US loading trouble balks Prince's air attempt" (News). The Times (London). Monday, 12 May 1969. Issue 57557, col C, p. 2.
- ^ less a 6hr handicap
External links
- The Atlantic Race - Details of Categories in the "Daily Mail" event - 1969 Flight pre-race article
- Harrier at St Pancras? - a 1969 news item in Flight about the probable take-off point for the RAF's Harrier entry
- Air Race Record news of the unofficial New York - London record set by the Royal Navy Phantom
Categories:- Air racing
- Aviation history of the United Kingdom
- 1969 in aviation
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