1928. First East-West Transatlantic Flight

1928. First East-West Transatlantic Flight, Baldonnell Ireland to Greenly Island, Newfoundland - important archive of correspondence from Colonel James Fitzmaurice (1898-1965). typescript and manuscript, various sizes Consists mainly of correspondence from Colonel James Fitzmaurice, Officer Commanding the Army Air Corps, 1 February 1927 to 7 February 1928, seeking support for his planned attempt to cross the Atlantic. It also includes letters to Fokker Aeroplane Co. concerning the acquisition of a suitable aircraft, letter from the Department of Defence refusing official cooperation also Fitzmaurice's threatened resignation from the Air Corps in order to pursue his goal. In the end Fitzmaurice had to settle for being a co-pilot of a German led team, but secured for Ireland the honour of being the starting point for the first successful Trans Atlantic crossing by air, in April 1928. (10 letters, 4 signed by Fitzmaurice).