"SMITHY” TELLS HOW

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1009, 27 June 1930, Page 11

"SMITHY” TELLS HOW

ATLANTIC HOP MOST DIFFICULT YET

RADIOS BIG PART

(Copyright in New Zealand by Australian Press :Lson.i! WerML wight by NEW YORK, Thursday’. The following is Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith’s story of the flight of the Southern Cross from Ireland to Newfoundland. He will give it in greater detail on his arrival at New York: The machine had no difficulty in rising at Portmarnoek. She lifted at once to an altitude of 2.500 ft. Right from the start we had radio communi-

cation. Until we reached the coast of Newfoundland the weather was bad. We had rain and “bumps,” which were unpleasant with our heavily-loaded machine. Rather strong head winds prevailed for 75 per cent, of the flight. We held a perfect course thanks to our navigator, Paddy Saul, who nevertheless would have been helpless on account of the overcast sky prohibiting observations had it not been for the wonderful assistance given him by John Stannage, our radio operator practically throughout the trip. ■ We received radio bearings from ! ships, which in all modesty I claim ! to have been one of the finest radio ! Performances ever put up for air | work. ERRATIC COURSE All went fairly well until we reached i a point between 30 and 35 degrees j longitude when we ran into blind stuff. [ From there on we scarcely saw the | s,i y or sea. However, that shows the rapid working out of the radio compass bearings given to us by wireless stations. About three o'clock, Greenwich mean time, we were in a position 350 miles from Cape Race. We expected to reach there in four hours. To our consternation, however, our radio bearing showed that we had only made 120 miles in four hours, which even for the reduced ground speed was a ridiculously low figure. We found, owing to our inability to maintain a perfect course while flying blind, added, I believe, to the rapidity’ ! o 1 the changes in variation, that the i compass swung unusually much, with | the consequence that we evidently j were flying a most erratic course. | This was borne out by the extraJ ordinary differing radio bearings we i received from ships. I would like | 1° stress on this. It seems to | be a condition likely- to be met in j Ulat locality in the air. No blame can ! be attributed to the instruments. FEW GALLONS LEFT Had this not occurred we probably would have made a point 700 miles nearer New Y'ork. as we landed with three and a-half to four gallons of petrol left. An hour and a-half before we reached Harbour Grace we knew our petrol was running short and were keeping it for emergencies. Our radio advices wisely called our attention to the fact that the ground conditions at Harbour Grace were free of fog and with the limited range it would, in my opinion, have been most unwise to have proceeded any further. Naturallv we were disappointed, but this was mitigated by- the amazing services of our organisation from the j point of view of radio. The weather practically bore out the forecasts, but we did not anticipate j meeting the heavy fog so far from our destination. TRAVELLING IN FOGS We actually flew blind half the trip ; and the ocean fog apparently was nor. j limited to height as we were stili

blind lip to 5,000 ft. However, thi log actually on the Grand Banks vai considerably lower and frequently there was clear air above I.oooft. The trip occupied about 31$ hours from Dublin to Harbour Grace. We are now putting 400 gallons of petrol on board, which will give us plenty of radius to reach the Roosevelt field, Xew York, tomorrow evening. We "-ill leave here just after davlight tomorrow. After a day's rest at Xew York we 1 ... con^nue l be flight to Oakland. California, where our voyage will end. -dy experience of flying in eastern and southern countries was child's play compared to crossing the Atlantic. The east to west flight is the biggest problem facing flying men today. but with the complete organisaTion we had it can be accomplished, though only with a multi-motored ma- ( am • with proven engines and modern tacilities. T hrou ghout the trip we communicated with shipping and in this wav had connection with the shore. This more than bears out my theories as two-way radio being essen--1 TS ou * d to pay a great tribute to all the boys, who worked magnificently and untiringly and were each, perfect in their particular spheres. 1 particularly wish to thank the radio operators at all radio stations and on ships—especially the Transylvania—who were untiring in their efforts to assist us and to whose good offices we are deeply indebted. Kingsford Smith expresses his sincere thanks also to the “Xew York Times” for sending an airplane to Maine for refuelling purposes, which happily was unnecessary, also to everybody who sent him congratulatory messages. The airman said he thought Siaunage the best radio man he had ever had. He said he had received many congratulatory messages from most off the important personages in Europe, America and Australia. He particularly prized one from Mr. Henry Ford, A HARROWING NIGHT The opinion of the crew of the Southern Cross is that the steamer Majestic will be good enough to take them home. Only once is enough to cross the Atlantic in an airplane. The second pilot. Mr. Van Dyk, who lias thousands of flying hours to hia credit, said he never experienced anything like this trip. He said: “At times we were flying I,oooft. high and then skipping - the waves so closely that we could see fish —particularly sharks. We were so near them as to bo able to distinguish their wide-open mouths. Then we would be hiddeu in fog* banks so dense that we were wondering in what direction we were flying. *• The navigator. Mr. Patrick Saul, said: “For boisterous weather, fog. shifting winds, cold and difficulties in navigation this flight surpassed all my experiences. It really was quite harrowing. The compasses went wrong, and at times it looked hopeless. “We did not know where we were and we were chilled to the bone. Xo one was ever happier than I was when we made a safe landing.” Kingsford Smith, in a further conversation with reporters and others at Harbour Grace, confined his remarks to mention of a “tough nighV ’ NOTABLE TRIUMPH OFFICIALDOM AND PRESS GREET AIR HEROES NEW Y'ORK, Thursday. The “New York Times” says: Ono of the greatest living air pilots, Kingsford Smith, has completed the second westward flight across the Atlantic. He and his companions have scored a notable triumph over the elements. Off Cape Race the airmen realised what it meant to fly blindly, and match their wits against conditions that were sinister. New York will be ready to give the men of the Southern Cross a royal welcome when they arrive. The “Herald-Tribune” says: Although the monoplane came down before its objective had been reached, the disappointment that fact may inspire in the popular breast is entirely offset by the sense of relief that the four gallant fliers were able to get as far as they did. At least they retained sufficient command of their venture to pick the aviation field for the landing, and to come down in excellent order. VALUE TO SCIENCE It will be exceedingly interesting to learn from Kingsford Smith just which \ factor was responsible for the last hour. It seems quite probable that he will have more of value to contri- : bute to science in particulars of that ! kind than if he had been lucky | enough to continue without pause to New Y'ork. A Washington message says among the many officials who congratulated Kingsford Smith today were the Ambassadors, Messrs. C. G. Dawes (Britain) and Dwight Morrow (Mexico), who conversed at great length on the flight. Kingsford Smith sent the following message to the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. J. H. Seullin. through Mr. i Herbert Brookes. Commissioner Geni cral for Australia: —“I thank you on j behalf of myself and the crew of the | Southern Cross. YVe are glad to keep , Australian aviation up-to-date.” In reply to Rear-Admiral Byrd's i message, Kingsford Smith said: ; “Many thanks. Preparedness unj doubtedly is half the battle. I hope !to exchange experiences in a few ; days.” A London messags says the British ' Press speaks in terms of highest j praise of Kingsford Smith s success- ; ful flight to Newfoundland, and de- ; scribes him as among the outstandI ing aviators of the day. Dispatches from Sydney say the people of Australia are stirred by j Kingsford Smith's latest triumph. Congratulations have been sent to ENCIRCLING THE GLOBE Reed. 1.5 p.m. NEW' Y'ORK, Thurs. Kingsford Smith conveyed the fol- | lowing message through the Australian Press Association: “I am delighted that, with my companions. I am at last able to complete an undertaking which, having been ! begun on American territory, had its : significant half-way mark in Australia and is to be completed here—namely, a Southern Cross flight around the i world. “To Australia, "who so keenly I shared with me the hazards and fortunate moments of this and previous Sights. I can only express my grati- | tude as to fellow-countrymen."