When was charles kingsford smith born




















Realizing the great potential for air transport in Australia, Kingsford Smith formed a partnership in with fellow pilot Keith Anderson. They raised the capital to buy two Bristol Tourers by operating a trucking business from Carnarvon, the Gascoyne Transport Co. After tendering unsuccessfully for an Adelaide-Perth mail service, the partners launched a series of important demonstration flights.

On the first of these in June Kingsford Smith and Ulm completed a round-Australia circuit in 10 days, 5 hours, a notable achievement with minimal navigational aids. Allan Hancock. In a three-engined Fokker plane, the Southern Cross , with Ulm and two American crewmen, Harry Lyon and Jim Warner, he took off from Oakland, California, on 31 May and flew via Hawaii and Suva to Brisbane, completing the historic crossing in 83 hours, 38 minutes, of flying time.

Anderson, no longer a partner, sued unsuccessfully for part of the prize-money. In September-October with Ulm and an Australian crew he piloted the plane from Sydney to Christchurch, New Zealand, demonstrating the feasibility of regular passenger and mail services across the Tasman Sea. He then set out to fly the Southern Cross to England to place orders for a fleet of four aircraft with which he intended to begin an inter-capital air service in Australia.

However, on 1 April , losing radio contact with the ground and meeting bad weather over north-west Australia, he was forced to land on the flats of the Glenelg River estuary.

Before help reached the stranded party on 13 April, Keith Anderson and Robert Hitchcock had perished in the search. After an official inquiry exonerated Kingsford Smith and Ulm from a charge of having staged the incident for publicity, the flight to England was resumed in June and completed in the record time of 12 days, 18 hours.

But 'Smithy' was far from ready to settle down. New York gave him a tumultuous welcome. He then returned to England to take delivery of an Avro Avian biplane, Southern Cross Junior , and attempt a record-breaking solo flight to Darwin in October. He was now 34 and world famous. Trailblazers exhibition Past exhibition.

Close Modal Dialog. Subscribe to our eNewsletter Keep up to date on events, special offers and scientific discoveries with our What's On eNewsletter. Sign up now. Back to top. Search website Submit Search. Within six weeks, he had accounted for four enemy aircraft in combat, but then he was shot down and injured. He lost some of his toes, which brought an abrupt end to his promising career as a military aviator.

He was awarded the Military Cross for acts of gallantry in action. For the next few years, Kingsford-Smith flew in aerial circuses. He also introduced commercial aviation services to many new areas in Australia. In , Charles Lindbergh made his epic solo flight across the Atlantic. Ever on the lookout for an opportunity to set an aviation record, Kingsford- Smith decided to cross the vast expanse of the Pacific. He travelled to the United States to identify a suitable aircraft.

Finally, he chose the Fokker F. VIIb-3m to achieve his dream. There he kept working as a barnstormer and also flew airmail services he delivered mail by airplane. Smith became famous for setting flying records. He was very famous for all of his flights around the world. His famous flights included:. The same year as his 10,mile flight, Smith married Mary Powell.

Together they had a son called Charles. Eighteen months later, Burmese fishermen found an undercarriage leg and wheel with its tyre still inflated which had been washed ashore at Aye Island in the Gulf of Martaban, 3 km 2 mi off the southeast coastline of Burma, some km 85 mi south of Mottama formerly known as Martaban. Lockheed confirmed the undercarriage leg to be from the Lady Southern Cross.

Botanists who examined the weeds clinging to the undercarriage leg estimated that the aircraft itself lies not far from the island at a depth of approximately 15 fathoms 90 ft; 27 m. The undercarriage leg is now on public display at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia. In , filmmaker and explorer Damien Lay stated he was certain he had found the Lady Southern Cross.



0コメント

  • 1000 / 1000