The Big Hop

David Rooney

Newfoundland, 1919. Buffeted by winds, an unwieldy aircraft - made mainly from wood and stiff linen - struggled to take off from the North American island's rocky slopes. Cramped side by side in its open cockpit were two men, freezing cold and barely able to move but resolute. They had a dream: to be the first in human history to fly, non-stop, across the Atlantic Ocean. But there were three other teams competing against them, and as the waves raged a few miles below, memories of wartime crashes resurfaced. Mining letters, diaries and evocative unpublished photographs, David Rooney's deeply researched account of the audacious contest shows how it was the airmen's thrilling wartime experiences that ultimately led them to the 'Big Hop', and brought old friends together for one more daring adventure.

Author(s): Rooney, David
Binding: Hardback
Date of Publication: 12/06/2025
Pagination: 320 pages
Series: N/A
Imprint: Chatto & Windus
Published By: Chatto & Windus
Book Classification: Social & cultural history|Biography: historical, political & military|Biography: historical, political & military|Biography: science, technology & medicine|History: specific events & topics|Impact of science & technology on society|Aerospace & aviation technology|Aircraft: general interest
Dimensions: 242x164x30
Weight: 531
ISBN13\EAN\SKU: 9781784745080