HISTORY OF TASMAN FLIGHTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23014, 17 October 1936, Page 14

HISTORY OF TASMAN FLIGHTS

NINETEEN PREVIOUS CROSSINGS Appended is the history of Tasman flights:— January 10, 1928.—Captain G. Hood and Flight-lieutenant J. R. Moncrieff lost their lives in an effort to fly from New South Wales to New Zealand. September 10, 11, 1928.—Air-com- \ modore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his companions (among whom was Mr Ulm) succeeded in flying from Australia to Christchurch in 14£ hours October 13, 14, 1928.—Return flight of the Southern Cross to Australia, occupying nearly 23 hours. January 7, 1931.—Mr Guy Menzies made a solo flight from Australia to the West Coast of the South Island in the record time of 12 hours March 28TJune 6, 1931.—Mr F. C. Chichester, Parengarenga-Jervis Bay via Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands, in Moth seaplane. January 11, 1933.—Air-commodore Kingsford Smith, with four companions, flew in the Southern Cross from Gerringong Beach, Sydney, to New Plymouth in 14hr fmin. March 26, 1933. —Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, with four companions. including Mr H. M Mackay (New Zealand Airways) flew from Ninety-mile Beach to Mascot aerodrome (Sydney) in 13hr 40min, leaving the beach at 5.30 a.m. December 3,4, 1933.—Mr C. T. P Ulm, with “ Scotty ’’ Allen (copilot), Boulton (engineer), Mrs Ulm and Miss Rogers (his secretary), left Richmond (Sydney) at 7.27 p.m (New Zealand time) on the 3rd. reaching New Plymouth at 9.50 a.m,, in the Faith in Australia monoplane. It was an uneventful flight of 14hr 23min. January 13, 1934.—Sir Kingsford Smith, with Mr T. Pethybridge (co-pilot), Captain P. G. Taylor (navigator), J. S. W. Stannage (radioist), and Mr Neilson (New Plymouth, passenger), flew in the Southern Cross from Richmond (Sydney), leaving at 2.7 a.m. (Sydney time), and landing at New Plymouth at 7.32 p.m. (New Zealand time)—a flight of 15hr 25min. Strong head winds were encountered February 17, 1934.—Mr C. P. Ulm, accompanied by Messrs G. U. Allen and R. N. Boulton, left Muriwai Beach at 5.59 a.m. in the Faith in Australia, carrying the first trans-Tasman air mail of 39.600 letters. The plane landed at Mascot airport (Sydney) at 6.15 p.m. (8.15 New Zealand time)—a flight of 14hr 16min. March 29. 1934.—The Southern Cross left Ninety-mile Beach at 3.45 а. under the command of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, and landed at Mascot aerodrome 13hr 25min later, creating a new record. An air mail of 20,000 letters was on board. April 11, 12.—Mr C. P. Ulm. in the Faith in Australia, took off from Richmond aerodrome at 5.7 p.m. (Sydney time) and landed at New Plymouth at 11.45 a.m., the flight occupying 16hr 46min. The plane brought the first official air mail from Australia, consisting of 39,000 letters, weighing scwt. April 14, 1934.—Mr Ulm made his return flight from Ninety-mile Beach to Sydney in llhr 58mtn, a record. The Faith in Australia carried a mail of 22,000 letters. May’ 11-12, 1934.—Mr Ulm left Sydney in Faith in Australia at 9.40 p.m. (Australian time) and landed at New Plymouth at 2.36 p.m. (New Zealand time). Time, 14hr 26min. His companions were Messrs G. U. Allen (copilot and radio engineer) and R. B. Boulton (engineer). The plane arrived with about 300 yards of wire on the tail wheel, which was picked up when it was taking off from Richmond Field. July 2, 1934.—Mr Ulm, in the Faith in Australia, left Ninety-mile Beach at 5.8 a.m. and arrived at Mascot at 7.10 p.m. (Australian time). Time, 15hr 35min. He carried 10,000 letters. November 14, 1934.—Hewett, Kay and Stewart (New Zealand), Melbourne Air Race competitors, left Richmond Aerodrome for New Zealand at 5.45 a.m. (Australian time). Landed at Milson Aerodrome, Palmerston North, at 8.4 p.m. Sighted New Zealand at Westoort at 5.30 p.m. Flew up coastline and across Golden Bay to over Blenheim and carried on to Palmerston North, November 22, 1934.—R. G. Whitehead, aged 24, of Wellington, and E. R. Nicholl, aged 26, of Manly, New South Wales, left Gerringong (New South Wales) at 3.55 a.m. (New Zealand time) on November 22, 1934, bound for New Plymouth, and landed on Ninety-mile Beach, Auckland, at б. p.m. the same day (14hr 40min). They remained on the beach all night, and flew to Mangere in the morning. Much alarm was created at their nonappearance until 24 hours after taking off, for no one knew that they had been driven off their course and landed elsewhere. They flew a four-year-old Puss Moth, the certificate of airworthiness for which had been cancelled. May 15, 1935.—The Southern Cross, with a crew consisting of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (pilot), Captain Taylor (navigator) and Mr Stannage (radio), left Richmond Aerodrome (Sydney) at 0.30 a.m. (Sydney time) for New Plymouth with the jubilee air mail of 34.000 letters and freight. About 660 miles out the starboard propeller broke, and the plane fought its way back to Australia, several times nearly falling to the water She reached Mascot at 5.42 p.m. (New Zealand time). All the freight and the bulk of the mail had to be dumped in the emergency. October 18, 1935.—Walter Martin O’Hara, a New Zealander, left Sydney at 7.45 a.m (New Zealand time), arriving at Mangere Aerodrome (Auckland) at 8.32 p.m., flying a small Klemm Eagle monoplane, solo.