On May 18-19, 1919, British pilot Harry Hawker and navigator Kenneth Mackenzie-Grieve took off from Newfoundland in a Sopwith Atlantic biplane, attempting to become the first to fly the North Atlantic nonstop. They didn't make it — but their story is one of aviation's greatest tales of courage.
Hawker and Grieve flew through fog, mechanical trouble, and exhaustion before being forced to ditch their aircraft 1,100 miles from Ireland after the engine overheated. They were rescued by a Danish cargo ship and presumed dead for a week before news of their survival reached the world.
They were celebrated as heroes on their return to Britain, and King George V awarded Hawker the Air Force Cross for his bravery. The attempt, though unsuccessful, advanced understanding of what it would take to cross the Atlantic by air — knowledge that directly contributed to Alcock and Brown's successful crossing just weeks later, and ultimately to Lindbergh's solo flight in 1927.
Harry Hawker died in a crash in 1921 while preparing for an air race, but his place in aviation history is secure. His attempt at the transatlantic prize was among the most audacious in aviation's early years.
Hawker didn't make it across, but he proved the attempt was worth making. At Cleared4Tees, we honor aviation's boldest chapters.
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Blue skies and tailwinds — The Cleared4Tees Crew ✈️
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