26 September

Concorde's Atlantic crossing anniversary

Air Mail

So we are drinking an...

Air Mail

Oh Concorde! How we miss you. On this day in 1973, Concorde slashed the transatlantic air-crossing record, making the journey between Washington and Paris in just over three and a half hours and averaging an impressive 1,535 kph (954 mph).

The supersonic jet was developed and produced under an Anglo-French treaty, with planes supplied to both British Airways and Air France, and its name reflected the agreement between the two nations.

Concorde plane was supposed to usher in a new era of air travel, when folk would regularly flit between London and NYC in a mere couple of hours, cruising at 60,000 feet and dining on oysters and champagne. Sadly, some three decades on from that record-breaking flight, after a tragic crash, Concorde was grounded for good. And, so far, no super-fast passenger aircraft has replaced it.

We are raising a glass to aviation dreams gone by with an Air Mail cocktail, a drink we found in Esquire's 1949 Handbook for Hosts - it's essentially a Honeysuckle enlivened by a hint of fizz.

Join the Discussion


... comment(s) for Concorde's Atlantic crossing anniversary

You must log in to your account to make a comment.

Report comment

You must be logged in to upvote or downvote a comment

Click here to login
Welcome to Difford's Guide

All editorial and photography on this website is copyright protected

© Odd Firm of Sin 2024