SMITHY’S LAST FLIGHT

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1937, Page 6

SMITHY’S LAST FLIGHT

VIEWS ON WRECKAGE FROM ’PLANE While many ’plane experts in Sydney‘have accepted the decision of the vice-president of the Lockheed corportation of America, Mr. Sqmer, that a rubber tyre and landing gear found recently in the sea off Burma belonged to Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s ill-fated Lockheed monoplane, Lady Southern Cross they do not concur with his opinion that the 'plane came down on the land. Mr. Squier said that an inspection of the gear indicated that the Altair had been brought down on ’the land. The reason for his decision was that if the 'plane had landed on the water the wheels would have oeen folded back into the wing.

Local experts pointed out that the Altair was not fitted witn wing naps, and that “Smithy,” when some trouble occurred while flying over the water, may have lowered his undercarriage to reduce for a landing his speed and also to have broken the water.

Further, it was stated that if the ’plane had been brought down on the land, how did the wheel and landing gear find their way into the sea. A well-supported theory is that the Altair came down on the sea with its undercarriage lowered, and eventually sank. ■ Mr. Jack Kingsford Smith a nephew of the airman, suggested that Sir Charles and his companion Tommy Pethybridge, may have landed on the sea, detached the undercarriage and thrown it into the water in the hope that it might have been •Seen by searchers. Then they may have tried to reach land on a raft.