TASMAN CROSSED AGAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1933, Page 5

TASMAN CROSSED AGAIN

SOUTHERN CROSS’ RETURN FLIGHT

PROGRESS REPORTS FROM ’PLANE

“EVERYTHING COES PERFECTLY”

In the pa'e light of the dawn Sir Charles Kingsfcrd Smith at the controls' of his old bus Southern Cross, took off from Huliatere, on the Ninety Mile Beach, this mcrning once again to subdue the Tasman, which he has already conquered three times. The ’plane landed at Mascot about 5.10 p.m. (Sydney time.)

(Per Press Association — Copyright KAITAIA, March 26. There was no ceremony and no fuss, and after a few quiet farewells Smith, followed by Taylor, Stannage, Pethybridge and McKay, stepped into the Southern Cross, the engines of which ticked o ver as they warmed up. After running about three-quarters' of an hour, the engines were finally inspected and, without any more ado, punctually at 5.30, the chock, 3 were pulled away, and the- giant monoplane taxied out to the runaway down the beach. The engines roared, and away she sped on the start of her long and adventurous voyage.

There was one breathless moment at the .start of the -run, when the plane lurched badly and sent up a huge shower of spray, but she sped on, and was soon lost in the mist and drizzle which hung over the beach ■ and then, away in the south she re-appeared a tiny speck, difficult to distinguish agiingt the leaden s ky. 'Sh e was barely .100 feet above the sea, but she was rising steadily. The visibility was not good, and in a very short tim e the dot had disappeared. Smith had left New Zealand, and his next stop wag Australia.

The plane carried sufficient petrol for 22 hours’ flying, but he hoped to make the trip under the favourable weather conditions reported in about 17 hours. Before leaving, Smith gave a farewell message of thanks to all the people, of New Zealand, who, h e said, had shown him abundance of hospitality and support. “And as for goodwill,” he added, “we have had so many expressions that if t!ier e were one- for every mile, we would overshoot Australia.”

PROGRESS REPORTS FROM PLANE. DESCRIPTION OF THE JOURNEY. WELLINGTON, March 26. Progress radio messages from . the monoplane, Southern Cross, \\-er e ' received during the journey to Sydney: “5,65 a.m,—A cold, light-murky dawn. Th e Southern Cross’ engines have [roared inly.) ]i|’o. Smithy made his usual perfect 'take-off «t 5.30 a.m. In smooth air, (the ship is climbing steadily. The crew are fit, after a 'good night’s sleep, 'being homeward bound and happy.” The weather reports were favourable over most of the way. “6.21 a.m.—The weather has cleared with the growing light. All of the' •horizon. 'is visible. There is a 'crisp

S.E. wind,, which helps u s along. Provided this continues, w e should cross j in record time. We passed through a rain squall ten minuter; ago, but it is clear now. The steady drum of the motors is music to us all.” “6.28 a.m.—Taylor has just shot the sun, as it peeped through the clouds. He and .Sir Charles are busy plotting our position, while Pethybridge i,s doing the controlling, and keeping the old machine on her way. lit is not e asy work piloting a big machine like this when it is ,so over- 1 loaded. 'Sir Charles roughly estimates | the speed at 115 miles an hour ; and if this keeps up. we would be home about 3 p.m. Sydnv time; but that is more than we can hop, e for. We ox- 1 pect to .strike norther,lies .in the c.en- j trp, and westerlies on the Eew South Wales coast.” “6.30 a.m.—The wind is southeast. The course steered is 249 degrees; the drift ten degrees; and the speed 120 nyp.h. Our position is ; Latitude 34 decimal 57 south ; ■ longitude 171 decimal 30 east.” “7 a.m.—From Pilot Pethybridge ; ‘I am • helping Smithy with the piloting now, and priding myself on. the even roar of the three Whirlwinds. In running up before leaving, one plug was fouled, but w e cleared it. The old stub are noisy, but they take nothing from the air '.speed, as did over-wing exhausts.’ ” “7.20 a.m.—We are s ti]| making excellent progress westward. W r e are ne r.'v two hours out and the fresh S.E. wind .us still with ns. The sky is • ompletelv clouded., but* the visibility excellent. There is a slight uortlieastedv roll below, and also whitecaps f'-om the S.E. It js hard to realise that o n e is aboard an aeroplane on an ocean flight. It looks more like a mm Cctor'l There are huge tanks and masses of gear strewn about.

STRONG WINDS' DECREASE. MESSAGE FROM “SMITHY.” “9.5 a.m.-The following winds Inv» deer'a sed to zero. Tayh> r obtained sights a .few minutes ago, and lie is now ph.tting an alteration in the course for the lessened drift. There is sunshine now, 'with few clouds.” “9.10 a.m.—Hungry .seems to he mv middle name! Just had an enormous feed (17vo already had three break-

fosts). Pethybridgg i s at the controls.” “10.40 a.m.—Our speed average to date hag been 108 statute miles per hour. Our position at 9.58 a.m., Now Zealand standard time, was : Longitude, 164 decimal 52 degrees east ■ latitude, 34 decimal 32 degrees s'°uth. Ther e is excellent visibility, with clear skies and to. light E'.N'.E. breeze. iCheerio—Kings ford .Smith.’’ “11.39 a.m.—We jurat passed the ‘Wangane.Ua’ at 11 a.m., but we did not see her. We have received weather reports from the Marama, Wanganella and the Monowai. The wind is still north-east, and is helping us. We shall soon be half wav, Tommy is pumping petrol .into the gravity tanks. W e ar e now running through haze, but we can see clear sky ahead,” “12.10 p.m.—At noon, our time, 'Sir Charles will take the plane to within fifty feet of the water, go that Taylor can use the true horizon for has noon sight, which will give him the definite position, 'and giv 6 us some idea of our arrival time. So far the weather prediction ha.s been, marvelllouly accurate. If the winds hold we should be in Sydney between four and five p.m. Australian time.” “12.38 a.m.—lt was most amusing! I went out of the wirele s s room for a moment to get our position, and two celotex floorboards, resting on their edge, fell down and jammed the door shut, , s o that I could not get back. ItT looked upsetting for a time, 'but I managed to slid e a saw through a crack in th e door and shift the boards. Taylor is now in the r auio room, shooting th e meridian altitude. Th e s a w is carried for cutting off a wing in case of a forced landing on the water.”

MACHINE DOWN TO WATER

DRIZZLING RAIN ENCOUNTERED. f ‘12.50 p.m.—l had t.o ‘reel in’ for 20 minutes Whilst th e machine went right down to the water. Taylor got four sights. He wa s lucky, too, re the sun jjg now obscured by heavy ruin clouds, There. i s drizzling rain to port, and it is eleivr to .starboard, There is a light wind right behind us now. Our luck i.s in.”

“1.48 p.m.—Our noon position witf 34 decimal 51 degrees south, and 159 decimal 40 degrees east. Our speed 'is 85 knots, and the true course 278 degrees. Th e son ls obs cured with haze. It is calm. We were in communication with the Monowai. At 1.50 p.m. Sydney time, we wer e 260 nautical miles from land. That makes us about two hundred miles away. We had hoped we would see the Wonowai, but does not look like it now.” EVERYTHING RUNS PERFECTLY. .At 3.35 p.m. message stated; “Everything is running perfectly. It is calm and overcast. We should sight land in another forty minutes. Getting a tiny hit tired of the continual roar. There are rain squalls on the far horizon to port.”

At 4 p.m. a- message came from the plane as follows : “There i s now a fresh southerly wind. There is considerable drift, als 0 rain equal's, and bumps. The horizon is obscured ahead. This will delay u s a little. A quiet sea is funning now. It is getting worse every minute.”

PLANE ARRIVES AT MASCOT

FOURTH 'CROSSING OF TASMAN

fAustralian Press Association )

SYDNEY, March 26

■ The Southern Cross landed at Mascot at 5.10 p.m. Sydney time. _ All aboard were well, but they were tired. Huge crowds assembled at Mascot and gave the .Southern Cross a wonderful welcome a s the plane came to re s t at 5.15 p.m. A large number of planes went out from the shore and escorted the. Southern Cross t|o the drome. Smithy had been groping his wav through low-1 ving clouds most of the afternoon, and visibility at times was ivery poor. was in frequent communication by wireless, getting information regarding the weather. ,\s the coast approached he had drifter.— in picking up the marks and came in over the south-eastern suburbs. The relatives of the airmen were at the drome to greet them, and the mnvo- of Mascot extended warm congratulations on the notable .performances. Representatives of various official and other organisations were also present, hut the crowd was so 'large, and s o enthusiastic that little formality could he observed.

Thousands, wildly cheering, , s warmed round the plane and the airmen found the task of getting out of the drome mope arduous than the 'flight, across the Tasman.