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What was the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, in 1919?

The U.S. Navy flying boat NC-4, in several hops.

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  1. The U.S. Navy flying boat NC-4 ✔
  2. Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis
  3. The Wright Flyer

Why: The NC-4 flew from New York to Lisbon, Portugal, stopping along the way, with a crew of six. A few weeks later, two British pilots made the first nonstop crossing. Lindbergh's solo flight came in 1927.

Huh, didn't know that: The NC-4 was a seaplane, so it could land on the water at its stops.

The dad joke
Why did the NC-4 land on the ocean? It needed to take a quick dip.
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References

Answer: The U.S. Navy flying boat NC-4. The NC-4 flew from New York to Lisbon, Portugal, stopping along the way, with a crew of six. A few weeks later, two British pilots made the first nonstop crossing. Lindbergh's solo flight came in 1927.

  1. FAA: 100 Years of Sustained Power Flight History www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/education/educators/curriculum/k12/K-12_One_Hundred_Years_of_Sustained_Flight.pdf
    Lt. Cdr. Albert Read & pilot Lt. Walter Hinton fly first aircraft to cross the Atlantic, a US Navy seaplane
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. CAP Teacher's Guide for Aerospace: The Journey of Flight (lesson outlines) www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/2nd_edition_Teachers_Guide_5D3166D76F9B1.pdf
    Flying the Atlantic was conquered in 1919 by the United States Navy flying three new Curtiss flying boats.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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