The world became smaller 100 years ago. John Alcock and Arthur Brown climbed into a bomber from WWI and took off from Newfoundland. Their goal was to complete the first non-stop transatlantic flight. The pair encountered almost every type of failure, from instruments, the intercom, and freezing rain. Their only saving grace was a pair of 360 HP Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines. To celebrate 100 years of building amazing engines the 2019 Rolls-Royce Wraith Eagle VIII Collection honors their transatlantic flight.
It took them 15 hours and 57 minutes to make the crossing, at an average speed of 115 mph. To put that into perspective, an SR-71 Blackbird did the same run 55 years later in 1 hour 54 minutes.
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“I do not know what we should most admire – their audacity, determination, skill, science, their aeroplane, their Rolls-Royce engines – or their good fortune”, commented Sir Winston Churchill. This quote is on a gold plaque just below the inner door handles.
The grilles for the speakers are engraved with 1,880 miles, and the dash is a view of the Earth along their flight path. The House of Rolls-Royce is capable of building the car of your dreams, so click the link below to find a Wraith near you and stay with us for all your Rolls-Royce updates.