SYDNEY REACHED

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17533, 15 October 1928, Page 7

SYDNEY REACHED

SYDNEY, October 13. "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 words Squadron-Leader C. E. Kingsford Smith, the people's idol of the moment, greeted the waiting thousands on the wireless in Australia and New Zealand soon after he had stepped down from the Southern Cross at the end of the epic flight of his three companions and himself from the Dominion. The 'plane made the Australian coast at midnight at Newcastle. Thick, heavy weather made the task of groping their 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. Consequently the thousands of people gathered at Richmond aerodrome and the other thousands waiting in their homes listening to the wireless accounts of the Southern Cross, spent an anxious time. Finally, at 2.15 a.m, Sydney time, Kingsford Smith brought the 'plane down and made a perfect landing amid the plaudits of the huge crowd of spectators who had maintained an all-night vigil. '

Those last two hours had been filled with alternating hopes, exultations, and fears as the news filtered through the air that the- 'plane had been seen, or heard, here, there, and elsewhere, and then had been lost in silence for a while, evidently- trying; to pick up its bearings. Actual Flying Time. The actual flying time was 22 hours 51 minutes. Two hours were occupied on the stage from Newcastle to Richmond, in coming down the coast, then across North Sydney westward to the aerodrome. Kingsford Smith told the crowd they had encountered a strong head wind all the way, and that on the journey down from Newcastle they had to turn back to pick up their bearings. Fog also gave trouble. "Never at any time did I feel that we would fail," said the pilot, "although I knew we were cutting things pretty fine." The first person to greet the airmen was "Doc" Maidment, the man who had superintended the 'plane's engines. Kingsford Smith assured him the* engines had run splendidly. Next came Mrs Smith, the airman's mother. Their affectionate meeting was soon ended by a hero-hunting crowd, however, and the personal touch was gone in'a twinkling.

Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieu-tenant Ulm and Messrs Litchfield and McWiiriam were seized by the cheering, surging crowd and carried shoulder high across, the Held. They were rescued from their too boisterous admirers by a party of police and Air Force men, and taken to the shelter of the hangar. It was an amazing welcome. The crowd plunged through the barriers. Cheers and motor horns made a wild babel of sound, which almost drowned the roar of the Giant Fokker's engines before they stopped. Tbe airmen at last got free and left for their homes. Mrs Dim carried her husband off in triumph. Kingsford Smith accompanied his family, and the other two men found much-needed rest with friends. But the crowd remained a long time discussing the great event and the Incidents of the night. Yesterday's crossing of the Tasman briefly is a story of wonderful achievement against almost heartbreaking odds. With the first streaks of dawn, after leaving Blenheim, the 'plane ran into a cold, biting westerly. Realising the impossibility of the heavily-loaded machine climbing to fly over this head wind which dogged the airmen all day, Kingsford Smith tried for hours to keep beneath it. Ulm gives a vivid glimpse of that attempt with the rolling sea barely 500 -feet below and the 'plane pitching through the buffeting gale. ■I i A Very Severe Test. The Southern Cross, with her powerful triple engines, could at one time do more than 49 knots. 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 a tempest in emergency. , , « '' Thousands of congratulatory messages are pouring'in upon the intrepid the first was one from the Prime Mintater Mr Bruce, expressing his gratification at the successful termination of the great flight. He said it was the most severe tes to which Kingsford Smith and Ulm had been subjected. They came through with the same courage, determination 1 and skill that marked their previous flights The people of Australia had followed their fortunes throughout the day and night with the greatest anxiety; and rejoiced that they were safely back. , . . The Australian destroyers which were exercising in Jeryis Bay received instructions by wireless y"terfay to vpon a sharp lookout for the tlicrs. The destroyer Anzac put to sea immediately.

SOUTHERN GROSS' EPIG FLIGHT. NEARLY 23 HOURS ON THE JOURNEY. HEAD WIND ALL THE WAY. FUEL .SUPPLIES NEARLY EXHAUSTED. (By Teieg-raph—Prpss Assn. —Copyright.; (Australian Press Association). The flight or the Southern Cross aroused keen Interest throughout New Zealand, and anxiety was felt on Saturday night when the reports indicated that the* Intrepid aviators were meeting with unfavourable weather, encountering head winds all the way, and fears were felt that the oil would not hold out. Great relief was expressed when It was announced early yesterday morning that they had landed at Richmond after a trip of 22 hours 51 minutes. The petrol tanks were nearly ompty when the plane landed.