Editing Vickers Vimy (section)

===Long-distance flights===
The most significant of the Vimy's many pioneering flights was the first non-stop crossing of the [[Atlantic Ocean]], made by [[Alcock and Brown]] in June 1919.  An example was specially constructed for the attempt, with additional fuel tanks to extend its range and a revised undercarriage. Only one such aircraft was built; it is preserved and displayed in the [[London Science Museum]].{{sfn|Bruce|1965|pages=9–10}}{{sfn|Jackson|1988|page=201}}

In 1919, the Australian government offered £10,000 for the first All-Australian crew to fly an aeroplane from [[England to Australia flight|England to Australia]]. [[Keith Macpherson Smith]], [[Ross Macpherson Smith]] and mechanics Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers completed the journey from [[Hounslow Heath Aerodrome]] to [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] via [[Singapore]] and [[Batavia, Dutch East Indies|Batavia]] on 10 December 1919. Their aircraft [[Aircraft registration|G-EAOU]] is preserved in a purpose-built, climate-controlled museum in the grounds of the airport in Smith's home town [[Adelaide]], Australia;<ref>{{cite web|title=Aviation Heritage |publisher=Adelaide Airport Limited |url=https://www.adelaideairport.com.au/corporate/environment/aviation-heritage/ |access-date=16 July 2019 }}</ref>{{sfn|Jackson|1988|page=202}}{{sfn|Bruce|1965|pages=10–12}} "The trip from Darwin to Sydney took almost twice as long as the flight to Australia."<ref name="DC Vickers Vimy">[http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/aviation/crossing_oceans/vimy/index.html "Vickers Vimy."] ''Discover Collections: State Library of NSW.'' Retrieved: 4 December 2012.</ref> Vickers Vimy Reserve in Northgate, a suburb of Adelaide, is named in honour of the place the plane landed on its return to South Australia in 1920.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/anzac-centenary/shilling-fund-set-up-to-help-honour-semaphore-aviator-sir-ross-smith/news-story/ec30d93c1ef155580eeb0a45bcf59562 |title=Shilling fund set up to help honour Semaphore aviator Sir Ross Smith |first=Kurtis |last=Eichler |work=Adelaide Now |date=10 February 2015 |access-date=16 February 2019}}</ref>

In 1920 [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Pierre van Ryneveld]] and Major [[Quintin Brand]] attempted the first England to South Africa flight. They left [[Brooklands]] on 4 February 1920 in Vimy G-UABA, named ''Silver Queen''. They landed safely at [[Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb)|Heliopolis]], but as they continued the flight to [[Wadi Halfa]] they were forced to land due to engine overheating with {{Convert|80|mi|km}} still to go. A second Vimy was lent to the pair by the RAF at Heliopolis, and named ''Silver Queen II''. This second aircraft reached [[Bulawayo]] in [[Southern Rhodesia]], where it was badly damaged when it failed to take off.{{sfn|Jackson|1988|page=202}} Van Ryneveld and Brand then used a [[South African Air Force]] [[Airco DH.9]] to continue the journey to [[Cape Town]]. The South African government awarded them £5,000 each.{{sfn|Bruce|1965|page=12}}