GEAR IDENTIFIED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22777, 10 July 1937, Page 15

GEAR IDENTIFIED

SIR C. KINGSFORD SMITH EXPERT'S VIEW ON WRECKAGE 1 NEW YORK, July 8 The vice-president of the Lockheed Aircraft Company, Mr. Squier, has positively identified a rubber tyre and landing gear found off Burma as belonging to the aeroplane of the late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. Mr. Squier said a close inspection indicated that the ..aviator descended on land. As proof that the flier had not landed in water the wheels would hare been folded into the wing, which is the normal flight position in the typeof Lockheed machine he flew. A strut supporting the gear., itself was in good condition, although one shaft was twisted, indicating that the airman might have pancaked his aeroplane in landing. The famous Australian was lost in November, 1935, whci making, in company with Mr. T. Pethybridge, what promised to be a record flight in his speedy American Lockheed, Vega monoplane Lady Southern Cross. The machine was making for Singapore and bad passed, during the -night, about 200 ft. over the slower aeroplane of Mr. Ji Melrose, who was flying solo along the same route. Mr. Melrose was the last person to see the aeroplane, which was then going fast, at an altitude of over 8000 ft., dead on course. A painstaking thorough search proved fruitless. Many rumours have been heard since of the fliers, but nntil last May, when a wheel, tyre and axl<? from an aeroplane was found in Burma, no tangible clue was discovered. Only a week ago a cablegram from a Mr. Jack Stodder. of Kanbank, Burma, informed the- Australian civil aviation authorities of the finding of a wheel from "Smithy's" machine.