"HOW DO YOU DO?”

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

"HOW DO YOU DO?”

‘•SMITHY’S” GREETING SCENES AT RICHMOND AERODROME TREMENDOUS ENTHUSIASM (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, October 14. How do you do everybody! Here we are. We are glad to have a word with you. We have only three gallons of petrol left, but here we are.” In these word? ‘Smithy, the peoples idol of the moment, greeted waiting thousands on the wirele® in Australia and New Zealand soon after stepping down from the Southern Cross at the end of an epic night from the DominThe plane made the Australian coast at midnight at Newcastle. Thick heavy weather made the task of groping the way to Richmond difficult. Reports came in rapid succession from various points that the plane had been observed, but in the haze there was much uncertainty as to its location and thousands of people gathered at Richmond aerodrome and other thousands, waiting in their homes listening to the wireless accounts of the Southern Cross, spent an anxious time until at 2.15, Sydney time, ( Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith brought the plane down and made a perfect landing on a brilliantly floodlighted ’drome amidst the plaudits of huge crowds who maintained a night-long vigil. Those two hours had been filled with alternating hopes, exultations and fears as news filtered through the air that the plane was seen or heard here, there and elsewhere, then lost in silence for a while evidently trying to nick up its bearings. Thp actual flying time was 22 hours 51 minutes, two hours being occupied on the stage from Newcastle to Richmond coming down the coast, then across North Sydney westward to the ’drome. Wind and Fog. Kingsford Smith told the crowd that they they had a 40-mile an hour wind all the wav and on the journey down from Newcastle had to turn back to pick up their bearings. Fog also gave trouble. “Never at any time did I feel that we would fail, although I knew we were cutting things pretty fine.” he said. The first to greet the airmen was "Doc” Maidment, the man who superintended the planes engines, whom Kingsford Smith assured the engines had run splendidly. Next came Mrs Smith, the airman’s mother. Their affectionate meeting was soon ended by the hero-hunting crowd, however, and the personal touch was gone in a twinkling. Kingsford Smith, L’lm. Litchfield and McWilliams were seized by the cheering, surging crowd and carried shoulder high across the field till rescued from too boisterous admirers by a party of police and Air Force men and taken to the shelter of the hanger. Amazing Scenes. It was an amazing welcome. The crowd plunged through the barriers and cheers and motor horns made a wild babel of sound which almost drowned the roar of the giant Fokker’s engines before they stopped. The airmen at last got free and left for their homes. Mrs Ulm carried her husband off in triumph. Kingsford Smith accompanied his family and the other two men found muchneeded rest with friends, but the crowd remained long discussing the epic event and incidents of the night. Tremendous Odds. Yesterdays crossing of the Tasman briefly is the story of a wonderful achievement against almost heart-bearing odds. With the first streak of dawn after leaving Blenheim the plane ran into a cold, biting westerly. Realizing the impossibility of a heavily-loaded machine climbing high to get over this head wind which dogged the airmen all day, Kingsford Smith tried for hours to creep along under it. —-Ulm gives a vivid glimpse of that attempt. With rolling seas barely 500 feet below the ship pitching through buffeting gale, the Southern Crow with her powerful triple engines could at one time do no more than 49 knots an hour.

This lends emphasis to the recent statement by Kingsford Smith insisting that any regular trans-Tasman service of flying boats must employ craft powerful enough to climb above the tempest in an emergency. A Severe Test. Thousands of congratulatory messages are pouring in upon the Southern Cross’s intrepid crew. Among the first was one from Mr Bruce expressing gratification at the successful termination of the great flight. It was the severest test to which Ulm had been subjected. They came through with the same courage, determination and skill that marked previous flights. The people of Australia followed their fortunes throughout the day with the greatest anxiety and rejoice that they are safely back.—Australian Press Association. HOPE AND ANXIETY CROWD’S CONFLICTING EMOTIONS. KINGSFORD SMITH DEAD BEAT. (Rec. 11.5 p.m.l Sydney, October 14. Flight-Lieutenant Ulm appeared the least affected by the long hours of anxious work aboard the plane. Kingsford Smith acknowledged that he was dead beat and looked haggard and worn which was no wonder after the strain of such a journey. Several thousand people remained throughout the night awaiting the flyers, passing the time in a variety of ways. Cars were pressed into service as card rooms while music of a hundred varieties resounded around the ’drome. The night was dark and thick at times with low hanging clouds and as a result the guiding lights were not easily picked up from aloft. When word came that the plane had passed over Newcastle sighs of relief ascended from many breasts, only to be succeeded by a period of tense anxiety when it appeared from the plane’s long silence that she had missed the landmarks and was groping through the black night to find them. Then came reports that the Southern Cross was over Way W’ay, Wyong and Gosford. The airmen asked if fog was over Richmond and were told no. Petrol Very Low. Another hiatus followed, lasting nearly an hour till a little before two o’clock a message came that the petrol was practically down to the last drop and the craft must land soon and hoped to do so at 2.15. At 1.55 the plane passed over Roseville on the North Shore line and just 20 minutes later these argonauts of the air came out of the dark into the effulgence of many powerful floodlights placed in position around Richmond aerodrome. The plane's huge wings now silhouetted against the faint background of the night sky that had now grown grey as the clouds showed rifts here and there, the whirr of propellors and the acclamation of the spectators made up the accompaniment to the most unique act ever staged by human agencies in Australia. “Smithy’s” Perfect Landing. Then “Smithy,” for by this familiar title he will always be known to the people, brought the Southern Cross down gently as if going to exercise in broad daylight. It was a perfect landing and a fitting end to a wonderful adventure. Among the incidents of the evening at Richmond one of the most startling character was the failure of the floodlighting system from 10 to 11.30 o’clock. Mechanics worked feverishly till the light w*as restored. The danger of their absence if the plane arrived before they were restored was fully realized and motor cars were ranged round the field with headlights blazing while huge red flares burned high in the air to mark the danger zone. Fortunately the lights were restored in ample time. When the plane appeared further aid to her pilot was afforded by the ignition of a number of oil and petrol flares which created great black smoke streams indicating the direction and strength of the wind. All these precautions proved most valuable and the airmen feel greatly indebted for the great work they did. Mrs Ulm’s Faith. The most cheerful person in Richmond yesterday was Mrs Ulm who listened all day to spasmodic recitals of the Southern Cross’s progress. Never once did she have doubts regarding the issue of the flight. "Charlie will get here all right,” she declared. He did, and her feminine faith and intuition was vindicated. Among the spectators was Captain Frank Hurley, who shortly starts on a flight to England and back in the machine Spirit of Australia which Mrs Ulm inspected during the day at Richmond where it has just undergone final tests satisfactorily.