A Strut from the First Transatlantic Flight Airplane

"This is a strut from the Vickers Vimy plane that took part in the first transatlantic flight that crash landed in Clifden, Co. Galway on the 15th of June, 1919. It was a huge moment in Irish history and was a truly global news event at the time. The two men who flew the plane were called Alcock and Brown and because of this flight, this plane is one of the most important in aviation history. As a young man, I purchased this object when the opportunity arose. I was into history and up to that stage I had been collecting dinky toys all my life. I had a number of tea chests full of them and when this strut came in front of me, it was a natural progression, so I saved and purchased it. Subsequently, my father got rid of the tea chests with the dinky toys (he said I was too big for them), but I held on to the strut."