A little known piece of Newfoundland and Labrador history are the flying boats of Botwood. The first commercial trans Atlantic flights went out from there. In the Second World War, the Allies kept a squadron of amphibious planes there. Only about 16 kilometers off the Trans Canada Highway at Bishop Falls, the museum in Botwood is worth the side trip.

Other information: Botwood was an airport in the early 1920's, that Charles and Anne Lindbergh were here in 1933, that we were the North American terminus for Transatlantic flights, and that we were an RCAF reconnaissance base during World War II.
In 1933 another famous airplane pilot, Charles Lindbergh, and his wife, Anne, landed his plane in Botwood harbour for refueling. He was exploring the coast of the North Atlantic for suitable sites for the takeoff and landing of possible transatlantic passenger flights. His recommendation of Botwood for this purpose was accepted by Pan Am, BOAC and their respective governments. By 1937 all was in readiness for these flights and testing began and Botwood residents gaped in awe at these huge flying machines. Because flying facilities were already in place here due to the sheltered harbour, location and being relatively fog free, Botwood was chosen to be a reconnaissance base for PBY Catalina's. During the war over ten thousand troops passed through here as well as VIP's such as Winston Churchill and Bob Hope.

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