ON THE WAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 75, 29 March 1934, Page 10

ON THE WAY

THE SOUTHERN CROSS

FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA

INCIDENTS OF THE TEIE

The famous monoplane Southern! Cross. left Ninety Mile Beach, North ' Auckland, at 3.50 a.m. today for Sydney. The progress of the machine on , her long westward flight was reported by means of frequent radio messages, iv characteristic breezj' Kingsford Smith style and these- were supplied by j the Press Association. A telegram-from New Plymouth on Tuesday stated that the heavy air mail had caused a reduction of the crew to four, and that the co-pilot (Mr. T. Pethybridgc) would not make the flight. This arrangement appears to have been countermanded, however, for Mr. Pethybridge went with Sir Charles Kingsford Smith as co-pilot. The other members of the- crew in addition to Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, are Captain P. 6. Taylor (navigator) and Messrs. J. S. W. Stannage (radio operator) and J. Pereival (journalist). The beach was in perfect condition for1 the take-off, which was aided by moonlight. There was a light north to soutli-west wind. The weather report: gave'promise of a fine trip all the way. The total weight of the aeroplane, with her huge mail and full tanks, was 5J tons. The ■'runway- course was marked out by .flares, and about a thousand spectators cheered the departure, which was perfectly smooth. . The 'fuer taken'aboard for the trip consisted -of 650 gallons of petrol and 30 gallons of oil. The mail comprised 20,000 letters. ' ;_ ■ . . A Press Association message from Whangarei states that it is understood that upon his arrival ■in Sydney Sir Charles will commence organising for his participation in the Melbourne Centenary air race. ■ . _•-.-.• A MINOB MISHAP. \ The first radio message, sent out tenminutes after the departure, was to the effect that during the loading of the mail somebody . disconnected ,the radio batteries. Stannage took off. his coat, to effect repairs, but smilingly discovered the cause of the hold-up. "What a relief; thought the set had gpne bung." At 4.15 . a.m.. "Smithy" and Pethybridge were at the controls, while Taylor was working out the- course by the light of. a torch. The Cape Maria Van Diemen light was seen to the right.; The-monoplane was flying at a height of 500 feet, and heavy cloudbanks were, reported. ; • , ■ At 4.20 a.m. a message stated: "Officers of the Wanganella think we.shall miss her owing to her estimated position at 8 a.m. New Zealand time being latitude 34.12 south, longitude .165.5 east." This message also Biated that there were six overflow mailbags in the cabin, also twelve four-gallon petrol tins. - "Not enough light -to see the water," the, radio operator flashed at 4.30 a.nif, "so Taylor must wait to get accurate drift reading. He has just had .a, peep at the clouds. Slight wind, so he, put on three degrees for : drift. "Ban into small patch of dirt," '/Smithy" gave out at 5 o'clock; "nothing serious, but pitch black outside." A quarter of an hour later the monoplane was flying absolutely blind, and at 5.30,5 he was^ making good headway at 1000 feet, a 450 ft aerial trailing below.' Taylor took the controls; at 6 a.m., when the ship was cruising at 90 miles an hour. At. dawn there, were heavy cloudbanks andthe seas appeared in the half light to be moderate. ' SIR CHARLES SICK. .It was reported at 6.4"that the drift was 34.24 S.. 168.55 E., the wind being SSE 20 m;p.h.; ground speed 10Q nv.p.h.: '.'Smithy had' a 'sick • spell. Ate something at the beach which disagreed." At 7 a.m. he was resting, with mail ,for. a pillow. "Though the sea is fairly calm," .the observer reported, ;" the action of the sea against the wind causes a great number.of 'white horses,' which' give deceiving drift observations." . ... . r At 9 a.m. Sir..Charles spoke to his wife: aboard the Wanganclla by wire-less-telephony.. .Lady Kingsford Smith's conversation was transmitted in Morse .back ; to the. Southern .Cross by Mr. Vincent, the Wanganelia?s wireless operator.- Arrangement's, were made for Lady Kingsford Smiih to be oh the bridge with it . flag.' As the Wanganella drew closer her message from: Mr. Vincent thundered in, but visibility closed in, and' although she was only a few miles away the ship could not be-secn. Sir Charles did not wish to-waste petrol by-circling. The course was then altered for Lord Howe Island. . v . At 9.30. a'jn.,.. Sir Charles reduced .altitude and flew over the sea at six feet while the navigator took the first sextant, sight. ". Stannage is tapping this through with, a. toheroa- fritter in the other hand,', 3.the message added. SKIMMING THE WAVES. Smithy was relieved .at the' controls by Petherjdge at 10 o'clock, when the Southern Cross was entering a bad visibility area. The three motors were running perfectly: Half an hour ; later Sir , Charles .again . took, over the . controls, flying just above the tops of the waves so as to allow Captain Taylor to get a,true horizon sextant shot. "Three feet off'the water," the operator remarked, "it is possible to appreciate the speed of the aeroplane cruising at 100 m.p.h." . ■'.'.-'■ It was estimated at 11 a.m. that the machine had flown 700 miles. since taking, off. The'position was then lat. 32.50 south, Long. 161.7 east. ./.At ■ 11.30. Sir Charles reported that he was right on' his course and Lord Howe Island was. in sight. Taylor received - congratulations from Smithy on his excellent navigation job. At 12.15 p.m. the Southern Cross circled-.Lord Howe Island several times before continuing on to Sydney. "The island may be a show place from the ground," said the report, "but from the air it is a gem." Stannage was in touch with the island by radio. It -was estimated: at 12.45' p.m; that the Southern Cross had. approximately 440 miles to go, and- by- 2.15 p;m. this had been reduced to 275 miles. The seas and the wind were then freshening, and, Sir Charles expected to arrive at Mascot about 4. p.m. Australian time (6 p.m. New Zealand time).