KINGSFORD SMITH

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1930, Page 5

KINGSFORD SMITH

i START FOR NEW YORK

PLANE DEPARTS PERFECTLY

[United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright.]

; HARBOUR GRACE, June 2(5. The Southern Cross departed perfectly for New York .at 3.05 a.m. New York standard time.

The fliers were fresh, after a rest, y anil they lost little time'in resuming their flight when dawn < broke over the historic air field.

FLYING BLIND AGAIN

NEW YORK, June 20

A message from the Southern Cross was received at 6.30 o’clock this morning here, asking for hearings, and stating: “Flying blind again.”

The “New York' Times” operator explains that probably the Southern Cross is now flying in a fog again, and is changing from the 33 metres racrto wave to -the 600 inetres or compass radio’ wave, in 'order to obtain radio bearings.

PROGRESS.... REPORT

VARIOUS-MESSAGES

(Received thiSj day’fit 8 a.m.) NEWkYORK,June 27. The following messages were received from Jvingsford Spiijth between 5.37 arid <5.02 this morning.— Head winds fairly strong. Exreet if they, continue we will not make New .York till about 6 New York time. The Southern Cross isbetfer than ever after, a night’s rest.i Personally greatly regret my not fulfilling my part of the .arrangements by landing in United State? but do not. believe in eomplainintr. Cheerio. •• ■ . The weather is;,now almost perfect. What a. contrast-to the last trip. By golly its bumpy this morning. Will land:at the westerly end of Roosevelt field ; as advised. U -The old machine is behaving perfectly". Cheerio. Inform Grove'’.' Whalen (Mayor’s functionary for 'receiving distinguished visitors) will fly over. New York before landing. Advise you of the time some-hours before. NEW YORK. June 27. ' Having obtained-his bearings, Stnnnnge then proceeded to .send a long stream of telegrams" ‘to various parts oif the world, thanking persons who had congratulated the Southern Cross personnel: : ■ 1 A ■ large; number of requests have been received by Kingsford Smith from cities throughout the United States to he their guest of : honour, and pnrticinte in entertairiiMent programmes. Many of these lie is compelled to decline. ' ‘V

Kingsford Smith sent the following u . message to' Mr Scullin' through Brcfokes.—“Please thank'-the Prime Minister on behalf of self arid crew of the Southern' Cross. Glad to keep Australian aviation up to date.” :• ' NEW YORK. June 27. Australia was stirred by Smith’s latest triumph and 'congratulations" were sent to him from the'Prime Minister and other prominents. FURTHER PROGRESS' REPORTS. (Copyright in New Zealand by Australian Press Association.. Wood’s Copyright by “New York. Times.”)

(Received this ;da,v nt 9.40 a.m.) NEW .YORK, June, 26

■Smith wirelessed 'at 8 a.m.“All wdll aboard here.; Firing at one thousand feet abqve ■ dense fog and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. A Jittle while ago Van Dyke and I got sick froni an overdose of petrol fumes and .'nearly i )3id the (obvious, hut now O.K. Very smooth air and warm and pleasant,” , .

■Signals from the Southern Cross were resumed atr...lO_-ia.m. A 10.40 message stated:—“We olimlbed to 6500 feet to get above-the-fog. There are beautiful masses of oumulous clouds up here through which 'the old ship i« steadily flying.*aAll of us are very cheery, and making inroads on the provisions. Have: not :seew the ground for. many hours. ."Aril 1 ..-keeping a certainty Of.positionvuiEverything grand. Cheerio.” oil:.'

“At.. 11 a.m. a message .stated :—“We are 1100 feet up, .passing County Harbour (Nova Sooti»)v>son our left. Wfnther good with ,sky, partly clouded 1200 feet. We-,are setting a dead ahead course foy),Lynn (Mass.) We will circle once to ,say cheerio.”

A garbled message received at .12.36 p.ni.. now corrected states:—“Air speed now v miles an hour. Aflj well S/udderklv we got q,U)te bumpy again. A message at l2i4S . states :—“Have just left the coast of Nova Scotia and crossing direct tO' >4 Lyim and on to New Ylork. Expect to arrive there about seven, daylight saving. The weather is perfect but still a slight ha ze reduces visibility. All O.K. ab<»ard the ship.

Halifax Radio., Station wirelessed that the -Southern;.Cross passed over our, station at noon . sending the following message :-r-“Beantiful country wA are flying over,. . Lovely little lakes. Have seen all kind of wild animals too.” ~:

At 11.40 a message was received stating the weather,.was clear to Boston. i;

At 12 10:—“W© ,pre pushing into fog again. Have just passed Halifax.” The Southern Cross radioed the •summer time:—Latitude 43.16 north, longitude <57.0S west, wliich is approximately 150 flul&s Jnb east of Boston (Mass.)*

PREPARING FOR RECEPTION

(Received this day at 9.25 a.m.) NEW YORK, June 26.

The Myekay radio intercepted a message from the Southern Cross stating that at 5 30 a.m. they were Hying over Burin Peninsula, 140 miles south west of Harbour Grace averaging aproximatoly 00 miles an hour for the first eighty-five minutes in the air.

A Roosevelt field message states Superintendent Kelly wirelessed Kings ford Smith requesting that he bring the Southern Cross down on the western field of the port “as we can handle the crowds better, also that the reception committee will lie there.” Everything lias been put in readiness at Roosevelt Field. There is an adequate ground crew to facilitate the hangaring of the plane and a special police force of fifty to handle the crowds, which are expecter to be large. Conditions are ideal for landing tli ere.

A light north by north-west wind is prevailing, which will give the Southern Cross the necessary lift for land-

A Halifax message slates Smith sent a request to the Canso Government radio for bearings. At 5.47 a.m. the station replied: “'.Bearing true from Canso 621 —2 degrees.” The New York steamship “ Agrica ” wirelessed.the position of the Southern Cross nt 6.44 a.m. was two hundred miles west by south of Cape Race. WASHINGTON. June 26.

Mr Lindsay and the Irish Charge d’Affairs (Mr MncCullough) left the naval station in a plane for Rosevelt Field. 11

A' Gloucester' (Massachusetts message says they picked up the broadcast- from Smith at 7.45 a.m., stating they were flying at an altitude of two thousand feet, estimating the speed, at one hundred miles an how The position was not given.

At 8.35 a.m., the Gloucester coastguard radio received a message from the plane stating: “Over Nova Scotia.” A later message from the Southern Cross stated the plane was over a country harbour in Nova Scotia. At ten a.m. a Halifax (Nova Scotia) message .states the plane passed Musquodoboit harbour forty miles east of here at 10.40 on Thursday morning. OVER BOSTON. (Received this day at II a.m.) NEW YORK, June 26. Kingsford Smith radioed: “4.50 p'.m. Have just passed over Boston. The weather is wonderful. A flock of machines came up to see us.” “At 5.5 p.m. passed Boston and expect to arrive at New York at 7 p.m. Will circle the city and land at Roosevelt Field.”

THE JOURNEY ENDS.

ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK.

LATER, The Southern Cross has arrived at New York,

SPECTACULAR. EXHIBITION

PRIOR TO LANDING.

(Received this day at 10.30 a.m.) ROOSEVELT .FIELD, June 26.

Though he had flown eleven hundred miles to-day, Kingsford Smith treated the crowd awaiting to acclaim him, to a spectacular exhibition of vertical flying, before bringing the ship to a iperfect three ■ point landing, directly before the throngs massed behind a high , wire fence.

A SPECIAL STORY. ' OF THE- LANDING. (Australian Press Assn’s. Special Story). (Received this day at noon.) ROOSEVELT FIELD, June 26. An hour before the Southern Cross was due to arrive here only a small crowd of a few thousands had gathered, but automobiles were then beginning .to 101 lin in progressively greater numbers, giving every indication that New York and vicinity would turn out to welcome the fliers. The afternoon was brilliant and hot, and conditions for the landing ideal. There were a few Australians among the crowd and they proudly indicated their nationality and expressed admiration for their compatriot. General Brookes was on the committee of welcome A. .Alain, T.L.C., of New South Wales, accompanied by William Saul, brother of the navigator, was also present. The latter, who is an engineer on the Bermuda, a New York boat, had not known his brother’s intention to fly in the Southern Cross. .The first three persons to greet the Southern Cross personnel, however, were the Immigration Inspector (Mr Olding), Customs Officer (Mr Robinson) and the official doctor (Mr Shelley). The crowd was not excited or apparently extremely enthusiastic, although there was every indication they would give the fliers a hearty reception. 3 The scene was extremely colorful. The field authorities improved the opportunity to keep the rim ol the laige field No. 2, where the Southern Cross was duo to land, covered with dozens of brightly coloured sight-seeing planes, while huge loud-speakers interspersed euphemistic announcements of the arrival time of the approaching visitors with invitations, “Step right up with your girl friend. It is only two and a-lialf dollars price, and take her for a ride in the blue, i am not promising, but it is quite possible the Southern Cross will arrive while you are in the air and give her a special welcome.” Young men and women in paiis stepped up every few minutes.

The Southern Cross landed safely at 6.31.

THE FLIEILS RUSHED. (Received this day at 1.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 26. The navigator was first to slip out of the fusilage carrying a despatch case in Lis hand will) liis navigating papers. He was at once swallowed up by a mob' of women. Someone thrust a huge basket of magnificent roses into his hand which he promptly disposed of by hanging them on a projection behind a motor car.

Then Kingsford Smith pulled oil' his cap, and showing a face sun-bnnvned and lean, climbed out at the left and sprung down. He was in a Inrlinod flying suit, fur collar, heavy boots, and here it is sweltering hot. The crowd now swallowed him up and after tile police tugged and ran their motor cycles through the jam it was possible

for the diplomatic welcomcrs to meet two fliers.

At 7.40 then the city welcomers were given a. chance to shake their hands. After this Stamm,ge and tlie assistant inilofc could J be induced to climb down from the fusilage.

The party was then rushed to the reception pavilion where the newspapermen fired questions at four deaf men. It was some minutes before they understood human speech.

IvINGFORD SMITH’S MESSAGE NEW YORK, June 26.

Kingsford Smith conveyed the following message through the Australian Press Association: ‘I am delighted that with my companions I have at last been able to complete the umlertakin" which having been begun on American territory had its significant he I '' .way mark in Australia, and is to be completed here, namely the Southern Oro"s flight around the world. To Australians who so keenly share with me the hazards and fortunate moments in this and previous flights, .1 can only express my gratitude as to my fellowcountrymen.”