AFTER FRESH LAURELS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 291, 6 November 1934, Page 7

AFTER FRESH LAURELS

INDOMITABLE KINGSFORD

SMITH

SPEED FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA.

PLANNED FROM OAKLAND.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received November 6, 11.15 a.m. HONOLULU, Nov. 5.

The Army authorities here say they were told by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith that he plans a speed flight from Oakland to Australia. He plans to cover the 7400 miles in 36 hours, flying via Oakland, Honolulu, Suva, and Brisbane. He held a secret conference here with the Army technical experts for their advice. The officials understand he may obtain a bi-motored Lockheed Eleetra ’plane for the attempt. The Army understands he plans the flight for April or May. He has asked Captain P. G. Taylor to navigate. Sir Charles claims he can make the trip from Oakland to Honolulu in twelve hours, with a night landing at the Wheeler Field, and arrive at Suva before dark the following day, thence on to Australia in eight hours.

A SPLENDID WELCOME

AIRMEN AT LOS ANGELES.

KINGSFORD SMITH’S GRATITUDE

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 4. Fifty thousand greeted Sir Charles Kingsford Smith at Los Angeles municipal airport. As the Lady Southern Cross with an escort of three National Guard aeroplanes landed, the fliers were officially greeted by the Mayor (Mr Shaw) and a delegation of civic leaders.

When the propeller stopped,, specta-' tors broke through the police lines and swarmed about the craft. Fifty jaolice were required to escort the fliers from the field through the enthusiastic throng. Sir Charles, replying to the Mayor’s welcoming speech, spoke briefly over a public address loudspeaker system and patiently posed for newspaper photographers and sound cameramen.

He said: “I am very glad to see you, too. Much more glad to see you than you are to see me. We had a magnificent flight, although it was without interest. Most of our success is due to the navigation of Captain Taylor, f would be willing to fly anywhere in the world with him. It takes a mighty good man to pick cut tiny little specks in the great Pacific. Captain Taylor did that.” Captain Taylor, in the meanwhile, stood silently beside Sir Charles, shy and retiring, as the crowd applauded. Although Sir Charles said ho did not believe tho flight had any commercial significance, aviation experts checking over the astonishing statistics ventured to think otherwise. The flying time from Australia to Oakland, 51 hours, amazed all observers. Sir Charles and Captain Taylor were then escorted to. an hotel in Los Angeles for a banquet, but from this they asked to be excused on account of fatigue. They were, however, taken to a radio station where Sir Charles spoke briefly over a nation-wide hook-up. “I think I should like more than anything to have a hot bath, a meal, .a shave and some sleep,” he said. “Seriously, I am most grateful for the interest and good fellowship you Ameiicans have shown two poor Australians. We are most fortunate to have come to the United States through the air without mishap, and I want to say that Captain Taylor was far more responsible than I for getting the machine over the ocean.” Then' the fliers were taken to tlie Clark Hotel, where they promptly retired. Sir Charles said he would remain in Los Angeles for two or three davs, after which his plans were indefinite.

TRIBUTE FEOM SENATOR

ANNIHILATION OF SPACE

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4. Senator William Gibbs McAdoo, president of the National Aeronautic Assoeiation lauded Sir Charles Iviiigsford Smith in a formal statement tonight, saying: “The Australian deserves the title of the greatest of all annihilators of space since time beetle added that the flight demonstrated Hawaii’s importance as a landing field between the mainland of America and Asia.

AEROPLANE SEIZED.

ALLEGATION OF DEBT.

Received November 6, 12.45 p.m. LOS ANGELES, Nov. 5. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s ’plane, Lady Southern Cross, was today attached in a suit filed by Mr E. Beverley, assignee of Mr Tom Catton, who asserted that the flier owed him 2750 dollars for interest and services rendered in 1928, preparatory- to Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s westward flight to Brisbane. . . Under the Californian laws, it is necessary for Sir Charles to post a 5500 dollars bond to obtain release of the machine, which is now in the possession of a deputy-marshal.

THE ’PLANE’S LOAD

It is stated that when Sir Charles Kingsford Smith left Suva for Honolulu on the 3100-mile hop across the water he was carrying over a ton more petrol than the Aviation Department of Australia would grant a license for, this being one of the restrictions complained against in connection with the Centenary Air Race.