CROWN GILDED

Southland Times, Issue 20616, 15 October 1928, Page 5

CROWN GILDED

Return Tasman Flight

AIRMEN ATTAIN GOAL

Three Gallons of Fuel Left

Severe Storm Encountered

Courage and skill, combined with the great reliability of the Southern Cross’s engines and equipment, have carried the crew of this wonderful aeroplane back to Australia, a perfect landing being made at Richmond Aerodrome at 2 o'clock (Sydney time) yesterday morning. The actual flying time was 22 hours 51 minutes compared with 14 hours on the journey from Australia last month. On that occasion the plane was assisted by a following wind, but on Saturday conditions were totally different, a heavy head wind and fog causing considerable delay. The Australian coast was actually reached at midnight on Saturday, but the airmen hovered between Newcastle and Sydney for two hours trying to find their bearings. They did so, but with little to spare, for when the machine touched Australian soil only three gallons of petrol were left in the tanks. Interest in the flight in Australia was intense, thousands being present at the landing ground to accord the airmen the welcome they had richly earned.