SOUTHERN CROSS A HYBRID PLANE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 28 July 1928, Page 10

SOUTHERN CROSS A HYBRID PLANE

BUILT FROM TWO FOKKERj MACHINES “CRACKED UpWILKINS The Southern Cross, which or ried Captain Kingsford Smith v,r his three companions on theme*remarkable ocean flight yet accomplished, is in reality a hybns plane. JT was built from two Fokha which Captain Sir George £ Wilkins had during his first trous year in Alaska. One wu , three-motored plane and the other , single-motored transport with a l* erty engine, and both were ersetf . up. The planes were shipped bvk j j the Boeing factory in Seattle c- ! there rebuilt. The wing of the tfv* motored ship was placed on the j lage of the transport and threeWnri. | Whirlwinds installed. This gave fr plane, with its 72ft wing, a wingabor the same size as the one used m Byrds transatlantic plane America a ; high performance. In its final form the plane hie. ! gasoline capacity of more than 1> gallons. The engines used had * ready been flown 150 hours, but*»~ good for 150 more before they need" overhaul. They performed well n the long flight.