John Alcock & Arthur Brown

In 1919, British aviators,

Alcock & Brown flew from Newfoundland in a modified WW1 Vickers Vimy  biplane

to take part in the 'Daily Mail

Non-Stop Cross-Atlantic Race' and a chance of winning  £10,000. Against all the odds, 16 hours later, a telegram arrived announcing to the world they had  flown the 1st non-stop transatlantic flight, and had delivered the

1st aerial  mail too.