AN EARLIER HOF-OFF

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 1 September 1928, Page 1

AN EARLIER HOF-OFF

Bold Tasman Challenge

WEATHER MUCH MODERATED

Rather Rough Seas Likely *

AS darkness comes this evening the Southern Cross airmen embark on their voyag’e of ocean conquest and zoom out over the Tasman Sea. The preparations for the New Zealand flight have been speeded up, and the start will be made at 7.30, New Zealand time. Christchurch expects to see the big blue-and-silver monoplane about lunch-time to-morrow, and all New Zealand awaits the Venture with feverish interest.

(United P.A.—JBy Telegraph — Copyright)

Reed. 9.15 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. - Provided the weather continues satisfactory, the Southern Cross definitely leaves about six o’clock, Australian time, this evening. The Government meteorologist states that the intense southern dis-

turbance over the south Tasman Sea yesterday is now east of New Zealand. . The weather has moderated considerably over the Tasman, and strong westerlies are likely to continue over the southern parts of the ocean. The forecast is as follows: Fresh westerlies round Cape Leeuwin and from the eastern bight to souhern New Zealand, with moderate to rather rough seas, moderating from the westward. Squadron-Leader C. E. Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieutenant C. T. P.

(-1 ■lm expect to reach Christchurch j about 12.30 p.m. on Sunday, the journey occupying seventeen hours. The petrol supply will be 700 gal- ! lons, or 180 less than was carried on I the Suva to Brisbane flight. I The airmen hope to be back in Rich-

mond in a week from the time of their departure. Besides their own wreath' in memory of Captain G. Hood and Lieutenant J. L. Monerieff, who lost their lives in attempting to cross the Tasman by air, the aviators will drop a wreath into the sea on behalf of the New Zealand Government. Letters will be carried from tbe Governor-General of Australia, Lord Stonehaven, to Sir Charles Fergusson, and from the Federal Prime Minister, Mr. S. M. Bruce, to Mr. Coates. Upon the result of the flight the airmen will be able to judge if an air mail and passenger service across the Tasman is practicable. FROM TASMAN SHORES CREW OF SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTRALIANS AND A NEW ZEALANDER Appropriately, the men who are about to blaze the air trail between the Commonwealth and the Dominion are born and bred of these lands. The two Americans, whose efficiency had much to do with the success of the flight from America to Australia, returned to their own country, leaving a vacancy for a navigator and for a wireless operator, and the result has been that a New Zealander and another Australian have been given the appointments. The crew of the Southern Cross is:—Squadron - Leader C. E. Kingsford Smith and FlightLieutenant C. T. P. Ulm, pilots; Mr. H. A. Litchfieid, navigator; and Mr. T. H. McWilliams, wireless operator. His ambition to fly was first demonstrated by Kingsford Smith when, at the age of five years,, he tried to parachute off the roof of a shed with the aid of an umbrella. The experiment was not a success, but the crash did not cure him. Born at Hamilton, Brisbane, on February 9, 1897, he went to Canada when he was six and lived there for several years with his family. Tieturning to Sydney in 1909, he went to St. Andrew’s Cathedral School, and was afterwards apprenticed in the electrical engineering shop of the Colonial Sugar Company. When he was 18, he enlisted, leaving Australia with the 4th A.L.H. Brigade Signal Troop. In Egypt “Smithy and his motorcycle” were famous and his hair-rais-ing stunts along the Mena road convinced liis comrades that he did not know the meaning of fear. He saw service on Gallipoli and he was on the Somaliland when the ship was torpedoed near Mudros in 1915. In 1916 he went to France with the 4tli Divisional Signalling Company then he was transferred to the Roydpjj Air Force. . He served with distinction on tl

Western front, making a record as an aerial fighter, and being decorated with the Military Cross. When over the German lines he attacked an enemy flyer and sent it to the ground and then he felt a stinging pain in his foot and found that his boot was smouldering. He had been potted through the floor of his plane by the falling German. Smith fainted and the plane went into a dive but he came to in time to glide down to the British

lines. This was the incident which brought him the M.C. After the war he received further training in England and then went to California where he earned a living by using a plane to frighten wild ducks away from the rice fields in the Sacramento Valley. When there were no wild ducks left he commenced airplane stunting for the movies at Los Angeles. There h • thrilled the Americans with exhibitions of acrobatics and wing-walking. ACROSS AUSTRALIA Be turning to Australia he joined Airways, Ltd., in West Australia and flew for three years as senior pilot without accident. When newspapers offered to finance a flight around Australia, he eagerly entered the lists. Then began his now famous partnership with Mr. Ulm. The accomplishment of the flight was performed in the face of great difficulties. Extremely adverse weather conditions were encountered, but tlie 7,105 miles were flown in the record time of ten days, which was Less than half the time previously taken for the trip. A year ago Kingsford Smith, Ulm and Lieut. Keith Anderson left by ship for U.S.A. to fly back to Australia and the Lang Government agreed to assist. Unexpected difficulties prevented the flight at that time, Anderson returned to Australia to get funds and Ulm and Kingsfgord Smith, often in straightened circumstances, did their best to get assistance in America. Times were hard for flyers. Often they had only a few cents in their pockets and they bought cigarettes instead of food. The dam disaster in Los Angeles gave Smith and Ulm an opportunity and they flew there and started to carry passengers. Five attempts with Lieutenant George to beat the world’s record of 54 hours 21 minutes for an endurance flight illustrate the tenacity of Kingsford Smith. MEET A MILLIONAIRE The end of the airmen’s troubles was in sight when, by accident, they met the millionaire railway owner and oil magnate, Mr. G. Allen Hancock, who gave them his backing. They acquired the Fokker monoplane and with a minimum of delay began the first hop of the epoch-making Pacific flight. The two Americans were Captain Harry Lyon, of Maine, U.S.A., the navigator, and Chief Radio Officer James "Warner, of San Francisco, and high tributes to their efficiency were paid by the pilots. At Brisbane the modesty of the Americans baffled tlie newspaper interviewers. ANOTHER ANZAC Charles T. P. Ulm, who is about the same age as Kingsford Smith, and who was co-pilot on the flight, also enlisted when he was very young, being only 18 years when he took part in the landing at Anzac. On the first day he was wounded and was invalided back to Australia. Later he re-enlisted and was then sent to France, where he served, except for a time when he was shell-shocked, until the end of the war. After tlie war he went back to Australia, and there was associated with \\he vocational training scheme for resoldiers. This, however, was v**» tame, so he tried to found a com-

pany in Australia to build airplanes there, but he had little luck. He was with Kingsford Smith in the flight round Australia, and has been with him nearly all the time since then. He added a romantic touch, to his own little story by getting married only a few days before he left for America. There are few wives who can boast that their husbands have flow n back to them over 7,000 miles of water. THE NAVIGATOR Mr. H. A. Litchfield, who is 28year> old, served his apprenticeship : n * ’ A.U.S.N. steamer Levuka, trading between Sydney and Fiji, in oui . ho joined the Koval Australian Nav Reserve as a midshipman, serving until after the war in H.M.A.S. Brisbane. Later he joined up with the Union Company. He is a native of Cessnock. N.S.W. Mr. Litchfield first came under the notice of Kingsford Smith as third officer of the Tahiti on which the airmen went to America last year. Immediately before joining the Southern Cross he was third officer of thiWaiotapu. A NEW ZEALANDER When Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith invited the Defence authorities to select a radio operator to complet< the crew of the Southern Cross, Mr. T. H. McWilliams, a Wellington radio expert, who had been superintendent of the Union Steam Ship Company’s wireless school for several years, got his big chance. His appointment was approved by Cabinet and Smith's approval was given. He joined the Aorangi for Syaney hurriedly. He is a young man and unmarried. As si member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, he saw service in Egypt and France being serious! > wounded in the ankle at Armentiere.-. Mr. McWilliams was formerly < . the staff of the Amalgamated Wireles.Company, and he had been radio operator on a number of the Union Company’s ships before he joined tlnstate of the wireless school. His avi; - tion experience was confined to on*flight at San Francisco in 1922, until he put on the ear-phones in the Southern Cross’s Australian pilgrimages.