Hammer highlights
On July 19, 1909, Hubert Latham (1883-1912) took off from Cap Blanc- Nez, several miles west of Calais, in his Antoinette IV monoplane, hoping to be the first man to cross the English Channel.
He managed just eight of the 20-something miles before an engine failure forced the first-ever landing of an aircraft on the sea. The fuselage remained afloat, so Latham lit a cigarette and awaited rescue by a nearby French destroyer.