THE “EARLY BIRDS”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 303, 23 December 1933, Page 11

THE “EARLY BIRDS”

AUSTRALIAN FLYING. PAGEANT IN - ‘SMITHY” FILM. Australia gave to the world the germ of the aeroplane, yet the first machine to go there was thrown out. Australian aeroplaning began with the arrival of tho Wright Bros.’ machine in December, 1909. It was a failure; the nearest approach to flying being a run round a field towed by a motor car. A young Australian named Banks, one of Harry Houdini’s mechanics, essayed a trial, and, setting the machine going, managed to glide for 100 yards, turned a somersault and smashed up the concern, he himself escaping with a black eye. Then Customs officers swooped down upon it at a lime when there was litigation as to who was the owner. Tho litigation ended by the dumping of the machine into the sea outside Port Phillip Heads. These interesting facts are revealed in data supplied by Mr. J. Percival—now producing the film story of "Smithy’s” “Old Bus"—by Mr. W. E. Hart, holder of Australia's No. .1 pilot’s certificate. The next machine to visit Australia was a Voisin type, and was flown by Mr Houdini on 14 occasions in 1910. The third machine to go to Australia was a Bleriot. To escape the claims of tho Customs authorities this, too, had to bo destroyed. It was chopped up for firewood, upon which there was evidently no duty. A young Victorian named Duggan was the next to come before the limelight of aviation. This youth, who was living on a farm near Bendigo, built a machine and engine complete, and actually made several short straight flights. This was the first Australianmade aeroplane; it possessed many clever points, but suffered from complicated gear. Another Australian now came forward to weave greater success from the threads spun 30 years before by a brother Australian —Lawrence Hargrave. Mr. W. E. Hart was tho first Australian to make cross-country flights, and way back' in 1911 ho made a flight from Penrith to Sydney in a fog and in unfavouifaiblo weather, making a safe landing in an awkwardly enclosed space. There is no doubt that Australia had boon prominently identified with the development of world aviation. A pageant

of Australian flying history from the days of power-driven box kites up to tho present era is to bo included in "Smithy’s” picture, “The Old Bus.” Germany to day possesses a number of Hargrave’s original models. It has been claimed that Hargrave’s experiment of 1894, wherein he was lifted to a height of 16ft. supported by four box kites, first gave the world conclusive proof that man would some day be able to fly.