SMITH'S OWN STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20602, 28 June 1930, Page 13

SMITH'S OWN STORY.

IMPRESSIONS OF FLIGHT.

LONG DREAM REALISED.

CROSSING THE ATLANTIC.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (.Received Juno 27, 9.5 p.m.) JTEW YORK, Juno 26

Squadron-Leader Ivingsford Smith has related in Ins own words the story of the flight of the Southern Cross from Ireland to New York.

" In the first place," ho said, " I want to say to every one how glad we are to get here, and how sorry that wo were delayed on the way. It is a dream I have long dreamed, and finally realised. But let us go on to the flight itself. " I will try to tell you as best I can how I felt when I opened up the motors on the beach at Pcrtmarnock. Beside me, perched in front of the Fokker monoplane, was Van Dyk. Directly behind were four tons of petrol. Behind that were Saul and Stanuage. " I opened the engine and we started with a 7A-ton load. Very, very slowly, in split seconds; the ship picked up speed. At the end of a run of 3500 ft. we were in the air. We went straight out to sea, to the south, climbi'ng slowly in a sweeping left-hand turn that must have been five miles across. Conserving the Petrol. " At 12,000 ft. we had come around into the west, and were at last on our course for America. It took an hour and a-half to cross Ireland, and we saw very little of it, but I was not paying much attention to the scenery. " It was bumpy flying, and I was busy enough keeping on the course, conserving ever bit of petrol, and flying as economically as possible. We were out to sea before we knew it. When ICO miles out we saw fisher-boats, trawlers, schooners and small boats tossing on the black and white capped waves. " I have referred before to Stannage. and expect to refer to him again many times before this story is told. His steady radio bearings were all that kept us on our course. It seemed funny to Van Dyk and to me. to be taking orders from men we could not see or talk to, save by messages. Messages to the Crew. " We had just got over the ocean when I turned over to Van Dyk. I took a short rest, writing soino of the log and personal messages which we stuck on a stick with a paper clip at the end of it and passed them back over the tanks, and Stannage did the rest. Now and then he sent us a messago in the same way. Wo had a push-button red lamp in each compartment to attract each other's attention.

" There are many things that I want to write, and shall write, before my story is done. But to-night, so soon after getting here, they are pretty well mixed up in my mind. Those long hours of darkness, the dark ocean reaching up at us through the mist hi the night, and the dim horizon line that kept climbing away from us—all are passing kaleidoscopically before my eyes. Now after a wash anil some sleep I will try to straighten some of these things out, and write them down." Pine Work ol Southern Cross. " Wo knew before we started that the engines would stay with us and they did. We knew we would get head winds and we got them. But wo did not anticipate the deiav in getting our bearings ou the coast of North America. That prevented us from setting the wheels of our taithful old machine «>n the soil of the United States without an intervening landing. " That aeroplane has carried me with the same motors nearly 30,000 miles since I left Oakland a year ago. It has flowil ail the oceans except the Polar oceans. It has carried me safely over the deserts of Australia and America, the jungles of India ami Burma, the towns and cities of Europe and still has a lot of flying left." A GREAT attainment. airmen congratulated. OFFICIALS AT WASHINGTON. (Received June 27. 5.5 51.111.)

WASHINGTON. June 26.

Upon the arrival of the Southern Cross at Nuv York the Assistant-Secre-tary of War, Mr. F. T. Davison, and Major-General J. E. I' echet, chief of the Army Ah- Corps, telegraphed their congratulations. Mr. Davison said: Hearty congratulations on the splendid airmanship of yourself and your associates in piloting the Southern Cross to the United States. In the successful completion of your flight you have made a new and important entry in the log of international oceanic airways. Your pioneering effort has won world-wide acclaim and admiration."

Major-General Fcchet said: " The United States Army Air Corps salutes vour splendid attainment- and welcomes the Southern Cross on her return to American soil. Congratulations to yourself and your crew."