1913 Lord Northcliffe, founder of the Daily Mail, offers a prize of $50,000 for the first aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

1919 In June, John Alcock and Arthur Brown make the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic in a Vickers Vimy bomber, having converted the bomb bay to carry extra fuel. After 16.5 hours, they crash-land in an Irish bog, but both men collect a prize and a knighthood.

1924 The British government sets up Imperial Airways, its first international airline, to serve the national interest and to connect the Empire together.

1927 Charles Lindberg achieves great fame as the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic. He completes his 34-hour flight from New York in Le Bourget outside Paris.

1927 Juan Trippe, the American aviation entrepreneur acquires Pan American Airways and with Lindberg sets up America's first international airline.

1929 Imperial Airways introduces flying boats to its fleet. Pan Am follows on its tail.

1935 Imperial Airways commission the aircraft manufacturer Shorts to design a new class of flying boat, the Empire flying boats. They would carry 24 passengers in luxury, as well as the valuable mail cargo. Imperial Airways buys 28 of the new planes.

1937 In March, the Empire seaplane Capricornus sets out from Southampton for the first non-stop flight to Australia. Two hours after take-off she crashes in Beaujolais, killing all but the radio operator. In total, 9 of the original 28 Empire boats crash or are damaged in accidents.

1937 Until this point, the Hindenburg airship offered the only option of a transatlantic passenger flight, taking an average of 55 hours. In May 1937, this comes to an end when the Hindenburg bursts into flames, killing 36 people.

1937 In June, the Pan Am Bermuda Clipper and the Imperial Cavalier begin to operate a service part-way across the Atlantic between New York and Bermuda.

1938 Imperial Airways experiment with a composite aircraft, the Mercury-Maia. The huge Maia lifted the Mercury into the air after which the Maia took over the journey. On 21 July, it flies 3000 miles from Foynes in Eire to Montreal and then onto New York, becoming the first commercial flight across the Atlantic.

1938 B314, the first Boeing airliner and the largest ever flying boat, is under construction for Pan Am.

1939 In January, the Imperial Cavalier crashes on her 290th flight. Imperial have nothing to replace her with.

1939 In March, Eleanor Roosevelt launches the B314, Yankee Clipper.

1939 In June, Imperial Airways launch their new flying boat, the Golden Hind.

1939 On 28 June, Dixie Clipper leaves St John's, Newfoundland and arrives in Southampton 18 hours and 42 minutes later. The commercial passenger race across the Atlantic had been won. Ten weeks later, war is declared – the Golden Hind would never attempt the transatlantic crossing.

1939-1945 During the Second World War, 700 Sunderlands, the military sister of the Imperial's Empire boats, distinguish themselves in RAF coastal command. They play an active role in hunting down U-boats and rescuing pilots.

1947 Imperial's Golden Hinds are removed from service. Bomber technology, which developed throughout the war, the widespread construction of runways and burgeoning jet technology signal the end of the flying boat.

1970 On 22 January, Pan Am's Boeing 747, the jumbo jet, makes its first transatlantic passenger flight, carrying up to 400 passengers at over 600 mph.

1976 Concorde makes its inaugural flight. The transatlantic crossing can now be made in 3 hours and 45 minutes, travelling at an average speed of 1370 mph.

1991 Pan Am collapses following crushing financial blows and a series of disasters, including the Lockerbie bombing.