EARLY ARRIVAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 263, 6 November 1934, Page 5

EARLY ARRIVAL

SMITHY AT OAKLAND PACIFIC AGAIN CONQUERED FLIGHT FROM HONOLULU NEW RECORD FOR JOURNEY [By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright! OAKLAND, Nov. I. Completing a remarkable flight in almost J 5 hours, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith landed the Lady Southern Cross here at 7.44 a.m. (Pacific time) to break all aerial records between the , American mainland and Honolulu. Although disrupted radio communivutions , were maintained with the 'plane throughout lhe night, the suddenness , with which it appeared was a surprise . to those awaiting him. At 7 o'clock, local time, the Radio Corporation intercepted a message from i the ’plane that the airmen had sighted • land. At 7.40 the machine was sighted oxer the city of Berkeley, and a few minutes later it landed. , Sir Charles was in excellent spirits and did not appear to be very fatigued. He greeted interviewers jovially. “Everything was O.K. We had a west wind most of the way. 1 am sorry to disappoint the people by landing so soon. Taylor’s perfect navigation deserves credit for our early arrival.” Sir Charles’ first request, after land ing was for a cigarette. Indicating the ease and efficiency of the flight. Sir Charles revealed that he landed with 160 gallons of petrol, lie turned over to a well-wisher the , thermos bottle and remnants of sand ; wielies for lunch and an unopened ; bottle of whisky, which, he jokingly > said, he carried in rase Taylor got sirk . on route. “1 guess this is allowed here

now, he added. After signing clearance papers lor a continuation of the flight to Los Angeles, Sir Charles retired to his brother's home for a few hours’ rest. Mr. Taylor informed the Australian Press Association that he hit the coastline just north of the Golden Gate, coming in at 7000 to 8000 feet altitude above the clouds. They encountered a small storm at 10 o’clock last night, but it cleared within a quarter of an hour. He was not aware of any trouble with the radio. He thought that ii was functioning properly throughout the High t. Messrs. Lyons and Warner, members of Sir diaries Kingsford Smith’s crew on the 1928 flight, were among those who greeted the fliers. “Smithy” was dressed iff a flying suit and Mr. Taylor in a light Nuit and tweed coat. “Smithy” announced that lie was jii'oceeding to Los Angeles, his original destination, at 1 p.m., local FOR LOS ANGELES MAY GO TO NEW YORK. NEW YORK, Nor. 4. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and -Mr. Taylor took off from Oakland airport at 1.17 p.m. for Los Angeles, where they expected to land within two hours. Regarding rumours -that he planned to fly from London to Melbourne, Sir Charles said: ‘‘There is nothing in it.” ‘‘Smithy” said that; ho contemplated going to New Vork from Los Angeles. " A throng of 5000 people watched him take off in contrast to the lack of greeters this morning, because of the surprisingly speedy arrival. After resting at his brother s home, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith did not touch the luncheon which had be.-ii prepared, but left promptly lor the airport. Tho fliers eil.lcd the field several times, escorted by several prix ate ’planes, before heading south. His brother informed the Press that Sir Charles estimated that he had averaged 160 miles an hour from Honolulu. "ANNIHILATION OF SPACE” GREATEST of all time. Received Nov. 5. 9.5 p.m. \YASHJNH TON, Nov. 4. Senator William GiLbs Mnv.idoo, president of the Natioi .1 Aeronautic Association, lauded Sir diaries Kingsford Smith in a formal statement tonight. He said: “The Australian deserves the tith' of the greatest ol ail annihilators of space since time legan. ’ ’ He added: ‘The flight demonstrated Hawaii’s importance as a landing field between the mainland of America <:nd Asia.” GREAT WELCOME FLIERS AT LOS ANGELES. Received Nov. 5, 10.10 p.m. LOS ANGELES, Nuv. 1. Fifty thousand greeted Sir Chat les .Kingsford Smith at Los Angeles Municipal Airport. As the Lady Southern Cross, with an escort uf three National Guard aeroplanes, landed, the fliers were officially greeted by the Mayor, Mr. Shaw, and a delegation of civic leaders. When the Lady Southern Cross propellers stopped the spectators broke through the police lines and swarmed about the craft. Fifty police were required to escort the fliers from the field through the enthusiastic th rong. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, replying to the Mayor’s welcoming speech, spoke briefly over the public address loud-speaker system, and patiently posed for newspaper photographers and sound •cameramen. He said: “I am very glad to see you, too, 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 tho navigation of Taylor. I would be willing to fly anywhere in the world with him. It takes a mighty good man to pick out tiny little specks in the great Pacific. Captain Taylor did that.” Taylor, mean while, stood silently beside Sir Charles, shy and retiring as the crowd applauded. Although “Smithy'- said he did not believe the flight had any commercial significance, aviation experts, checking over the astonishing statistics, venI tured to think otherwise. The elapsed

flying time from Australia to Oakland —5l hours —amazed all observers. Sir Charles and Taylor were then escorted to a hotel in downtown Los Angeles for a banquet, but from this thev asked to be excused on account of fatigue. Thev were, however taken to a radio station where Sir Charles spoke briefly over a nation-wide hookup. “I think I should like, more than anything, to have a hot bath a meal, a shave and some sleep. Seriously, I am most, grateful for the interest and good fellowship you Americans have shown to two poor Australians. We were most fortunate to have come to the United States through tho air without mishap, and I want to say that Taylor was far more responsible than T for getting the machine over the ocean. ” Then the fliers were taken to the Clark Hotel, where they promptly retired. Sir Charles said he would remain in Los Angelos two nr throe days, after which his plans were indefinite.