THE BIG FLIGHT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11837, 19 January 1933, Page 4

THE BIG FLIGHT

HOW TASMAN SEA WAS

CROSSED

DETAILED ACCOUNT

(By Jack Percival, passenger on the Southern Cross.) (Copyright.)

With a very short run, considering the weight with, which the machine was burdened, “Smithy” lifted the Southern Cross off the beach at Gerringong iwitli a load of more than 060 gallons of petrol, 30 gallons of oil, and a crew of four.

As the giant Fokker soared over the sea a rocket leapt skyward to mark the Pnd of the beach, and following on a request, motor car headlights were turned on and a flare was Ht 50 that the pilot could set his course. “Smithy” immediately climbed to a height of 1200 feet in a slight fog. During the early portion of the Alight the wind gave the plane assistance, and it was quite a sight to see tho sparks dashing over the wings from the exhaust pipes which had been arranged over the wings to lessen noise*.

At 3.10 a.m., Sydney time, Captain Taylor, tho navigator and co-pilot, left the cockpit to make observations. At 3.20 a.m. nve flew into a- very heavy fog and lor a long time “Smithy” was flying blind.' At this stage Captain Taylor again Look drifjb readings.

The golden rim of the sun commenced to peep over the horizon at about 4 a.m. At this time the wind was blowing very hard from the north-east. It was whipping the sea into a veritable maelstrom, and Stan Nielson remarked to me tliat be d sooner be up in tlie air than down below in a bucking boat. From then until well after sunrise the Southern Cross winged her (way ■towards New Zealand sandwiched between a billowing bank of white clouds and a ceiling which was dully overcast. UNFALTEKING POWER Monotonously the three perfectly tuned motors of tho famous old bus purred, suggesting unfaltering power. John Stannage left his wireless cabin several times to check the motors turning over. He was with “Smithy” on his big trails-Atlantic hop, and is an invaluable aid to the world’s greatest pilot. Neilson and I ate chocolate, while Stannage enjoyed an orange- “ Smithy” left Captain Taylor at the controls to get a drink of water. As the plane left Gerringong, Neilson was handed a small parcel marked “Not to be opened until well at sea”. It was from “Slops” Allsopp, an aviation expert, aud although its contents caused merriment they cannot be described. At 5.45 a.m. the cruising speed of tho Southern Cross was 75 miles per hour and the course, according to Neilson’s compass, was due east. We were now flying at an altitude of 4500 feet, making heavy progress against a northerly wind which was forcing “Smithy” to take a crab-like course across the Tasman.

Neilson at this stage produced a bottle of pickled onions and invited me to have a few. We decided to have breakfast at 7 a.m.

Captain Taylor was evidently determined to keep a rigid cheek on the drift as he again made a very careful reading at 7.10 a.m., aided by a stop watch. By 6.30 a.m. we liad climbed to 7000 feet, and it wa's becoming decidedly cold. Height evidently made a difference for at 6.40 a.m. .our

cruising speed was SO miles an hour. “Smithy” made. a drift reading at 6.45 a.m.. when we had climbed to 7500 feet. He found that tlie indicator showed four degrees of drift, meaning to the layman that the wind was forcing the Southern Cross four degrees off its course. AN liile Captain Taylor made another drift reading, “Smithy” took over the controls to counteract the effect of the wind. INTO COATS Neilson settled down to reading a copy of ‘•Ballyhoo’’ but donned his coat-, and the cold' forced me to put mine on too AN c had breakfast at, 7-15 a.m. Captain Taylor came out of the cockpit with his sextant to make observations. Down below us were the yawning canyons of tho clouds and, here and there, a suggestion of blue —the sea. Now and then one could see the top of a high white-flecked Tasman roller. So far we had seen no 'ships, but Stannage had received advice from Sydney that the Alaunganui and AVblieino were somewhere in the vicinity. It would have been impossible to pick them out as tho cloud bank beloiW was thick.

At 9.15 a .in., the weather commenced to clear up. Soon there were only a few clouds about, which were rapidly being chased away by the wind. The water — deepest- blue—was bathed ill glorious sunshine. At this stage I looked at the in - struments in front ol “bmithy and saw that we were cruising miles an hour at a- height of 5090 feet.

Staimage found that he was ge ting the best results with his radio gear. The sea looked as placid a* a mill pond, but the puny waves wo could seo from 5000 feet might well have been great Tasumn waves. OBSERVATIONS TAKEN

At 9.30 a.m. Captain Taylor dropped an aluminium bomb into the surface of the 'sea, and it spread out Ijko : a ,big circle of silver paper. “Smithy” manoeuvred tho plane around it while it was sighted f°r observation purposes. X pointed out a smalL leak in tho connecting tube of one of tho pumps used to draw petrol from the reserve tanks to the main tanks. With characteristic thoroughness and efficiency “Smithy” had had two pumps installed, aud it was only necessary to change over the pipes. Captain Taylor informed me that although niy watch read 10.45 a m. ijtt was really 11.15 a.m. in the tarfc of: the world we Were flying over. My watch, of course, was set at Oyrringong. Noil son and I sgnv, basking-is. the

f>un, only a few feet below the surace, two huge sea monsters. Wo , thought they were whales. '' ' ® only cargo aboard the Soutbern Cross was a copy of tho Universal % flm ’ , Alr which Sir Charles,-/ ngrecd to carry with him to New Zen. nd to go into immediate release cn the arrival of the Southern Cross at New Plymouth. “Smithy” it .will to " remembered, flew the mail s for some time in America while working there as an -aviator. “Air Mail” is now screening at the Majestic Theatre, where it got an excellent reception last night. MOUNTAINS AHEAD Captain Taylor dropped two more aluminium bombs on the surface ~f the sea at 1.10 p.m. “Smithy” turned the Southern Cross round so that his navigator could get a good view of the object he had marked. Early in the afternoon Sir Charles received a weather report on New Zealand coastal conditions and he told the crew that lie expected to land at New Plymouth by 7 p.m., New Zealand time. Scattered, fleecy clouds about 1000 feet below the plane, leaving the in■nito blue asr a ceiling, were the < rder between 1 and 2 p.m. At 4.25 p.m. New Zealand time and 2.25 p.m. Sydney time, Captain Taylor estimated that we were about 140 miles from land.

It was not long before we saw mountains, and “Smithy” turned the Southern Cross straight towards them. He called me up from the cabin, where I was pumping petrol, to the cockpit, so that I could see the welcome sight. Tlie drift evidently put us a little off our course, for when land was sighted the Southern Cross was headed well south'. The course was then changed from east to direct north. Mount Egmont soon hove in sight, and in no time v.e were over the New Plymouth Aero Club’s grounds, where a great welcome awaited us.

’Hie flight from Rotorua to Gis. borne yesterday took approximately an hour, and was glorious flying all the way. Farmers and their wives waved sheets at the plane as it pa*-s----ed overhead, and when a town appeared below the streets were thronged (with people who crammed every vantage point. To.day the Southern Cross v/ill commence joy-riding flights at 2.30 p.m., and a booking office, for the convenience of residents, has been erected 300 yards west of Grey street The public is asked by Sir Charles to keep dear of the propellor blades, and away from the runway used by him while landing and taking off. Yesterday several children approached too close to the machine. This'is dangerous. ,

The film, “Air Mail” will conclude its season on Friday night. There is a heavy booking list, so patrons are advised to reserve their seats ana avoid the crush.