An aviation themed final jeopardy

[danielfindling]

Today's final jeopardy question.

[Mayhemxpc]

Did they all answer correctly?

[danielfindling]

Did they all answer correctly?

The third place contestant answered correctly (finished second). The champion and remaining contestant failed to answer correctly.

[FlyingRon]

I had it before Alex finished reading the clue.

[rwanttaja]

Coincidentally, I'm currently reading Richard Bak's "The Big Jump: Lindbergh and the Great Atlantic Air Race." Good book, lots of background detail including about the other contestants. At the time, people were worried that the French were going to lynch Lindbergh when he arrived, since feelings were running hot after the disappearance of the main French team (Nussenger and Coli).

Ron Wanttaja

[Floatsflyer]

Prize should have gone to Alcock and Brown in 1919 for first to fly the Atlantic. The feat was so amazing and groundbreaking that it should not have mattered that the crossing was not solo or did not involve NYC and Paris.

[rwanttaja]

Prize should have gone to Alcock and Brown in 1919 for first to fly the Atlantic. The feat was so amazing and groundbreaking that it should not have mattered that the crossing was not solo or did not involve NYC and Paris.
The Paris/New York terminus points for the prize was not accidental. Orteig was born in France, and had emigrated as a penniless young man. He made himself rich as a hotelier in New York, and was proud of both his countries and was eager for closer ties. Hence the Paris-New York connections.

Something NOT commonly known is that the prize was for *Allied* pilots only. Germans and Austrians did not qualify. There was actually a German team preparing for the trip...wouldn't qualify for the $25,000 but they would have been real spoilers.

One interesting thing out of Bak's book was how close the race was. Three contestants ready to go on the 19th of May, 1927. The Bellanca was hampered by a court injunction brought by a former pilot on the team. The remaining two, Byrd and Lindbergh, had checked the weather that evening and decided to wait another day.

Lindbergh and his team headed into town to catch a play. On the way in, he decided to pull over and call the weather service again. The forecast had changed. He turned back to the airport and finished preparations for his takeoff the next morning.

Ron Wanttaja