U.S. HAILS SMITHY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20454, 6 November 1934, Page 1

U.S. HAILS SMITHY.

Lauds Him as “ Annihilator of Space.” 50,000 CHEER AT LOS ANGELES United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. OAKLAND, November 4. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith took off from Oakland airport at 1.17 p.m. for Los Angeles, where he landed two hours later. A throng of 5000 watched the take off. in contrast to the lack of spectators this morning because of the ’plane’s surprisingly speedy arrival. After resting at his brother’s home Sir Charles did not touch the luncheon which had been prepared but left promptly. The flyers circled the field several times, escorted by several private ’planes, before heading south. The newspapermen were informed that Sir Charles estimated he had averaged 160 miles an hour from Honolulu. Lionised at Los Angeles. At Los Angeles a crowd of fifty thousand greeted Sir Charles at the Municipal Airport as the Lady Southern Cross, with an escort of three National Guard aeroplanes, landed. The flyers were officially greeted by the Mayor and a delegation of civic leaders. When the 'plane’s propeller stopped the spectators broke through the police lines and swarmed about the craft. Fifty police were required to escort the flyers from the field through the enthusiastic throng. Sir Charles, replying to the Mayor’s speech of welcome, spoke briefly over a public address loud-speaker system, and patiently posed for newspaper photographers and sound cameramen. “I am very glad to see you, too,” said Sir Charles: “much more glad to see you than you are to see me. We had a magnificent flight, although it was without interest. Most of our success was due to the navigation of Captain Taylor. I would be willing to fly anywhere in the world with him. It takes a mighty good man to pick out the tiny little specks in the great Pacific Ocean. Captain Taylor did that.” Captain Taylor meanwhile stood silently beside Sir Charles, shy and retiring, as the crowd‘applauded. Observers Amazed. Although Sir Charles said that he did not believe his flight had any commercial significance, aviation experts, checking over the astonishing statistics, ventured to think otherwise. The elapsed flying time from Australia to Oakland, fifty-one hours, amazed all observers. Sir Charles and Captain Taylor were then escorted to an hotel for a banquet, but from this they asked to be excused on account of fatigue. They were, however, taken to a radio station, where Sir Charles spoke briefly over a nation-wide hook-up. “I think I should like more than anything to have a hot bath, a meal, a shave and some sleep,” he said. “Seriously, I am most grateful for the interest and good fellowship you Americans have shown to two poor Australians. We are most fortunate to have come to the United States through the air without mishap: and I want to say that Captain Taylor is far more responsible than I for getting the machine over the ocean.” Sir Charles said he would remain at Los Angeles for two or three days, after which his plans were indefinite. Rtegarding the rumour that he planned to fly from London to Melbourne, Sir Charles said, “ There is nothing in it.” He added that he contemplated going to New York from Los Angeles. Senator William Gibbs MacAdoo, president of the National Aeronautic Association, lauded Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in a formal statement from Washington, saying, “ The Australian deserves the title of the greatest of all annihilators of space since time began.” He added that the flight demonstrated Hawaii’s importance as a landing field between the mainlands of America and Asia.