HISTORIC AEROPLANE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20766, 8 January 1931, Page 10

HISTORIC AEROPLANE.

SOUTHERN CROSS JUNIOR.

KINGSFORD SMITH'S PLANE.

ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA FLIGHT. While tlio paramount interest in yesterday's transtasman flight attaches to the aviator who dared the long crossing alone, the Avro Avian biplane, Southern Cross Junior, in which he made the flight, also claims attention, because it figured in the conspicuously successful solo flight made by Air Commodore Kingsford Smith from England to Australia last October. Kingsford Smith flew this speci-ally-designed plane from Heston aerodrome in England to Port Darwin in the amazing lime of 9 days, 21 hours, 41 minutes, thus easily lowering the record set up in 1928 of days by Mr. Bert Hinkler.

The aeroplane was built by A. V. Roe, subject to conditions laid down by Kingsford Smith, whose knowledge of what an aeroplane should be capable of and the type of instruments to be included is unsurpassed.

The arrangements of the most important item, the fuol system, on this machine is much more elaborate than that of the ordinary light aeroplane. The tanks and piping are so placed as to ensure almost complete immunity from breakdown during flight. Benzine is carried in two tanks—a main one of 91 gallons' capacity placed in the front cockpit, and a gravity auxiliary holding 24 gallons, directly above it. Margin of Fuel.

The total full load provides a range of 1860 miles in still air, so that the piano had a comfortable margin of fuel on the flight from Sydney to the west coast of the South Island, a distance of 1066 miles. An interesting fact in connection with the Southern Cross Junior is that under full load it carries a load equal to its own weight, and even then will take off the ground with a remarkably short run of 360 yards. The instrument board is particularly well equipped, and reveals experience and foresight. There are 10 dials, including a turn and bank indicator for "blind flying," compass, oil pressure and temperature gauges, clock and altimeter. This board is lighted from flashlight batteries, and there is also a flashlight lamp obtaining current from the same source. In addition to the compass fitted on the instrument board another one is mounted at the side of the cockpit, and this is used entirely for navigation. Only One Ship Near Course. The engine used on the historic flight is the well-known Gipsy 11., which develops almost 130 h.p. at 2400 revolutions. It consumes one pint of oil every hour, and the total amount carried is 3£ gallons. The duration, or maximum time, that the plane is capable of staying up while cruising at 92 miles an hour is just under 20 hours, and the time taken from Sydney to New Zealand was 12 hours 12 minutes.

In the flight from Sydney Mr. Menzies could not have chosen any time when the Tasman Sea would have been more deserted by the intercolonial vessels. The only vessel which could have. rendered any immediate assistance was the Port Fairy, bound from Hobart to New Plymouth.

It is an interesting circumstance tfct the only previous aerial machine to fly the Tasman was named the Southern Cross. This monoplane made both the eastward and westward crossings- in 1928, and now the pioneer machine has been followed by a smaller aeroplane named the Southern Cross Junior.