FLYING BLIND SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE LANDING

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6890, 22 April 1929, Page 7

FLYING BLIND SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE LANDING

KINGSFORD SMITH’S STORY. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph —Copyright. PERTH, April 20. Kingsford Smith, before departing from Derby, told a brief story of the Southern Cross’s forced landing to Colonel Mansfield. He reiterated a number of points disclosed in Ulm’s diary, and went on to state that they were flying blind for several hours before they were forced down. When over the Port George Mission they had about an hour and a half’s petrol loft, so they dropped a message asking in which direction Wyndham was. The reply was made in figures on the ground —namely, 150 miles, and the man pointed in an easterly direction. “We thereupon,” said Smith, “flew in that direction for approximately fifty minutes and then, realising that the petrol was insufficient to get us there, we turned back for 25 minutes in the rain, with low clouds asi bad visibility, and, being unable to sight the mission, wo landed safely on a soft grassy swamp, with approximately ten minutes’ fuel supply left. Our position was somewhat obscured from rescuing aeroplanes, aud owing to weakness and damp fuel we were unable to make big fires. We, however, were always comforted by Mac.’s efforts ait receiving Sydney radio stations, which told of aitempts to find us.” Smith said: “Although wo said to each other we must eventually get out of this all right, nevertheless I knew from my own personal thoughts that we were all fearful that the only thing that would be found would be our dilapidated old bus and some bones. When we were sighted Litch and I, ( with tears in our eyes, hugged each other and said: “God bless old Lee. Holden.’ ”