THE PILOT SUPERB

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11833, 14 January 1933, Page 4

THE PILOT SUPERB

'“SMITHY” IS ONE TO TAKE NO ; RISKS STORY OF EARLY FLIGHTS. To say that Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith is the premier airman, of the world is but to utter a platitude for be is indeed the pilot superb, writes “Propeller'’ m the “Dominion.” Before he lakes the air in. any of liis great efforts he puts in many hours of work, considering every difficulty that can be anticipated, .selecting apparatus, studying maps and meteorological matters, and the myriad of other details which arise in the organisation of a big flight. Not only does he excel as a pilot but he excels as an organiser also. Bom at Hamilton. Brisbane, on February % 1887, Sir Charles Kingston! Smith learned to fly during ibe war and gained his “wings” on May 13, 1917. lie served with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force during the war. reaching the rank of acting captain, and winning the Military Cross. It v.% then: that Baron Manfred von Richthofen nearly robbed the world of th<* man who was to he its distinguished aviator. In the course of a “dog fight” in which a number of maobnes of both sides were engaged, the famous Baron, who shot down 80 British aeroplanes, put a hurst into Kingsford -Smith’* machine. The bullets flew all around the pilot. One cut into his tunic, having pierced his flying coat, and then three of his toes were taken off. Sir Charles kept the bullet as a souvenir, but he lost his toes. He managed to reach his own lines, and then spent twelve months m hospital, after which he returned to France shortly before the Armistice. FLYING CORPS’ WELCOME Strangely, also, the man who was to set the seal on Australia, as a country of great airmen received a poor welcome when he joined the Flying Corps. With a detachment of Australians lie was sent- to Oxford for technical training. The colonel in c-harge of the school paraded the newcomers arid announced: “You are Australians. I have heard of your reputation. At the first- signs you give of behaving like Australians, out of the Royal Corps you go.” The war over, the 22-year-old young man found that, it had made flying his profession, and- his thoughts turned toward a flight across the Tasman.

It- was in connection with that project. that his name first came before the world. At the beginning of 192 fl it was announced that:— ,

“Mr Kingsford Smith is applying to Mr Brnce, the Prime Minister, for assistance for a flight from Australia to New Zealand. . It is believed that Leiutenant-Colenel H. C. Brinsmead, Controller of Civil Aviation, is inclined favourably to recommend and support Mr Smith’s application for use of the Widgeon flying boat design ed by Squac.Ton-Leader L. J. W ackett. head of the Randwic-k experimental station, which is now being dismantled for the purpose of installing more powerful engines to enable it to carry a. heavier load. Air Smith will require, on the flight, a minimum of In hours petrol.’' FIRST srCCESS. Nothing c-ame of the scheme, and it was nor, until tho following year he made his first record-breaking flight that notice was attracted to him. In company with Air C. I. P. Pint he flew around Australia. 7.Aft 1 miles, in 11 days. It was success that made the flights possible. His attention was attracted to the prospect* oi a flight across the trackless Pacific Ocean Afr I*l m and he set- out to collect the £IO.OOO necessary for the flight. It did not take them long to- find out that they could not get it in their own country, and they went to the I nited States. They soon discovered that even in the home of Big Business, philanthropists were tew. At- iast. when all seemed over and the airmen were almost penniless, they struck gold. Air G. Allan Hancock, a- noted banker and oil operator: paid all their debts and bought, tlie machine that- was to make hem famous. There is irony in the tact that- the Briton to set an aerial girdle around the wordl did so at the expense of an American. WORLD-FAMOUS FIGURE A year after ho left Australia, lie returned by air and astonished, the world. Oakland-Honolulu, HawaiiFiji. Suva -Brisbane—in those three •gigiant-ic hops he had leapt to fame! For this he was awarded the Air Force Cross and given the honoraryrank of spnadron-leader in the Royal Australian Air Force. His double crossing of the Tasman, after Hood and Aloncrieff’s failure, is -remembered by all New Zealanders. Pacific conquered, Tasman conquered, he flew from Australia in less than 13 days, then came a halt. lake all other airmen, he foresaw that great future of air transport; saw aviation, not- as the toy of the few, but as the servant and benefactor of aU mankind. With, tlie proceeds of his flights he founded Australian National Airways, which operated services between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with another leg running down to Tasmania. Other companies, established hi ‘various parts of tre Commonwealth, were in receipt- of Government subsidies, but- Australian National Airways was soon one of the great airlines of Australia without any subsidy.

jn 1930 Kings ford Smith went aloft in tho Southern. Cross once' more, and' made his great oast-to-west Atlantic crossing. He then " made a flight across the United States to the starting place of his Pacific , adventure. This done, he had completed his flight around the world. His reward was promotion to the rank of Wing Commander. 1

Continued from previous column) ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA FLIGHT. In the meantime Air. F. C. Chichester had made the first challenge to Squadron-Leader H.. L. J. Hinkler’s 151-day flight to Australia, and had set the fashion. After the others had failed te break the record Kingsford Smith reduced it to 10J days, and once more tho world marvelled. For this feat has was given the highest rank in the Royal Australian “ Air Force, that of Air Commodore. The loss of tlie Southern Cloud was a severe blow to tlie company, the cost of bacli of its machines running into five figures. Air Commodore .Sir Charles Kingsford Smith sought -a subsidy from tho Government," hut in vain. The shadow of - the depression was over Australia, and the company suspended its services.

The great pilot was still active, however, and when Jn. s knighthood was conferred on him last year, it was not only the hall-mark: of his success, hut an honor;*to whom; no one was more truly entitled*’ 4