The Death Spin That Nearly Ended Aviation History

In this Footnotes of History mini episode of The Ready Room Podcast, Captain Tim “Lucky” Kinsella, U.S. Navy (Ret.), recounts the first transatlantic flight completed by the Curtiss NC-4 in 1919. The achievement was not the result of a single daring nonstop attempt. It was a deliberate, carefully supported naval operation designed to demonstrate that aviation could be integrated into national power. Led in vision by John H. Towers and executed by a disciplined crew under Lieutenant Commander Albert Cushing Read, the mission transformed the Atlantic from a barrier into a supported route of flight. This episode explores how preparation, logistics, and institutional resolve placed naval aviation firmly on the world stage.

In 1919, years before Lindbergh’s solo flight, the U.S. Navy quietly completed the first successful transatlantic crossing by air. This episode explores how it happened and why it changed aviation history.

While the world chased prize money and nonstop glory, the Navy pursued something different. Its mission was to prove that aviation could operate reliably across oceans under military planning and command. Led by Commander John H. Towers, the effort relied on engineering, logistics, and coordination, including a chain of 56 destroyers stationed across the Atlantic to guide the aircraft safely west to east.

We examine the Curtiss NC flying boats, the severe weather that forced two crews out of the attempt, and the determination that carried NC-4 through cold, darkness, mechanical strain, and even a dangerous spin over open water. With limited instruments and constant manual effort, the crew pushed both aircraft and endurance to their limits.

This was more than a flight. It was the moment naval aviation proved its operational value and secured its place in the fleet.

If you think the story of crossing the Atlantic begins with solo risk-takers, this episode offers a deeper and more strategic origin.

What You’ll Learn

Why the first successful transatlantic flight was a staged naval operation
How John Towers used strategic visibility to secure aviation’s future
Why the NC flying boats were adapted beyond their original design
How the Navy built a support network across the Atlantic
What daily flight conditions were like in 1919
Why only NC-4 completed the crossing
How this mission reshaped the role of aviation within the U.S. Navy

Highlights & YouTube Chapters

[00:00] A Spin Over the Atlantic
[00:54] John Towers and the Case for Naval Aviation
[02:30] The International Prize and Public Attention
[04:15] Design of the NC Flying Boats
[06:45] Building an Atlantic Support Network
[08:40] Weather, Damage, and Loss of NC-1
[09:50] Towers Sails NC-3 to Safety
[10:45] Life in the Open Cockpit
[12:30] The Spin and Recovery
[13:45] Arrival in Lisbon
[14:45] Lasting Institutional Impact