Hitchcock, Bob 12, 12, 172
dies searching for Southern Cross 172–173
Hodge, Charlie 56, 71, 72, 141
Honolulu, Hawaii 72, 74–77
Hordern, Lebbeus 156
Hutson, Sir Eyre 120
I
‘instrument’ flying conditions 47, 60, 101, 138, 139
inter-city air services, Ulm’s plan for 171
Intertropical Convergence Zone (Intertropical Front) 91–92, 106
J
Jackson, Private Charles (Ulm’s pseudonym) 8
Jensen, Martin 75
Johnstone, Mr W. (Lithgow) 162
Joske, Major Clive 117
K
Kingsford Smith, Catherine and William (Charles’ parents) 6, 75, 154, 159, 160
Kingsford Smith, Charles iv, v, 3, 4, 17, 28, 45
at the controls of Southern Cross 49
attempts at flying endurance record 29
attends School of Military Aeronautics, Oxford 9
barnstorming and joyrides 13, 136, 176, 180
cartoon 58
childhood and early life 6–7, 75
circumnavigates the globe 175
credited with log and stories by The Sun 5, 75
crosses paths with Ulm in San Francisco (1934) 179
crossing the Pacific first step in circumnavigating the globe 55, 60
on the crowds in Hawaii 72
death of 182
departure from Hawaii for Fiji 88–90
discusses flying last leg without the Americans 107, 116, 118, 120–122, 166–167
discusses Pacific flight with Ulm 13
as embodiment of ‘the digger spirit’ 161
enlists and serves in Gallipoli, Egypt, France and Western Front 8, 9–10
establishes airline 12
establishes Australian National Airways Limited with Ulm 172
establishes trans-Tasman airmail service 180, 181
flies Miss Southern Cross to Australia from Britain 176
flies Southern Cross Junior to Australia from Britain 175
flies Southern Cross to Britain 174
flight with Anderson from Perth to Sydney 12, 13
flight with John Ulm v
flying in storms 103, 138–139
fuel consumption concerns 47
gifts and accolades 150, 156
greets crowds at Eagle Farm 149, 150, 150
health decline 33, 180, 182
as hero and celebrity 2, 3, 119
higher public esteem than Ulm 4, 5
honorary commission as Royal Australian Air Force officer 2, 152, 156
inspects possible take-off sites in Fiji 118
invites Americans to fly on to Sydney 152–153
knighthood 176
marriage 11
in military uniform 8, 9
organising the flight 14, 25–33
as partner in inter-city air service 171
perceived by press as dominant figure 76
perceives future of flying 10, 162
perceives himself as Pacific explorer 89
personal secretary appointed to assist 162
pilot training and service with Royal Flying Corps 9, 10
planned flight of Lady Southern Cross from Britain to Australia 182
post-war skylarking and employment 11
respects superstition 22, 23
Rogers views of 171
round-Australia flight 13–14, 15
Royal Flying Corps wings 8
sails to San Francisco 14
in San Francisco before departure 23–24
second marriage 170, 175
shares flying with Ulm 44, 90, 91, 92, 137
shattered by Ulm’s death 180
solo Britain–Australia flying records 175, 176–177
Southern Cross flight as team effort 6, 116, 152
as stunt pilot 11, 11, 13
teams up with Keith Anderson 11
trans-Atlantic flight 175
trans-Pacific aspirations 11, 12
wears ‘Felix the Cat’ badge 22, 23
Kingsford Smith, Charles Arthur (son from second marriage) 170, 176
Kingsford Smith Memorial Trust 185
L
The LA Examiner 56, 119
Lady Southern Cross (plane) 179, 181
crashes in Andaman Sea killing Kingsford Smith 182
planned flight from Britain to Australia 182
Lang, Jack (Premier) 14, 15, 27
Lindbergh, Charles, Atlantic flight 13
log (Charles Ulm’s technical record) v, vi–vii, vi, 3–6
Buggy’s transcribed version vi
donated to the Commonwealth 3–4, 161
extracts in The Sun vi, 3, 5, 61, 134, 138, 156
held in Charles Kingsford Smith papers vi, 6
importance as historical document 3–4, 5
incorrectly attributed to Kingsford Smith 5
missing pages vii
NLA digitised version vii
preserved in National Library of Australia vi, 4
publication of endears Ulm and Kingsford Smith to public 61
shed’s light on Ulm’s contribution to the flight 6
log extracts and notes
31 May 1928 (take-off in San Francisco) 18–21, 24
31 May 1928 (first day’s flying) 36–39, 44
31 May–1 June 1928 (flying into the night) 50–53, 61
1 June 1928 (Hawaii) 64–67, 121, 168–169
2–3 June 1928 (bound for Suva) 80–83, 89, 91, 92
3–5 June 1928 (crossing the equator) 96–99, 105, 107, 121, 166–169
5–8 June 1928 (interlude in Fiji) 112–113, 118
8–9 June 1928 (Pacific storm after leaving Suva) 130–133, 138, 139, 141
10 June 1928 (departure from Eagle Farm) 144–145, 153–154
Long Beach, Los Angeles, crowd farewells Southern Cross 24
Lyon, Harry (navigator) v, 3, 6, 17, 41, 45, 86, 91
approaching Brisbane 147
attends Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial opening 183, 185
Australian public perceive him as partner 156
becomes ‘honorary digger’ 161
charts of route 40, 57, 89, 93, 106
compass problems 136
contract conditions and dissatisfaction 72, 121, 159
contract to only fly to Fiji 33, 116, 118
dead reckoning 44, 57, 71, 91, 102, 105
departs Sydney by steamer for San Francisco 162, 163
difficulties of navigation in storms 101
exits Southern Cross while taxiing at Eagle Farm 146, 149–150
in Fiji 122, 124
gift offers which had to be refused 159
greets crowd at Eagle Farm 150, 152
in Hawaii 86, 88
invited to fly on to Melbourne 156
invited to fly on to Sydney 152–153
leaves navigational charts as gifts 162
loses temper with Ulm 122
miscalculates Hawaiian position 69–70, 71
navigational tools 42–43
as navigator 31, 32, 33
new contract to fly on to Brisbane 120–122
personal scrapbook extract 139
post-trans-Pacific flight career 183
public opinion believed he deserved an equal share of gifts 156
in rear cabin of Southern Cross 41, 42
receives gift from Hearst Newspapers 159
recognised as pioneering airman 74
recognises Charles Ulm as a great aviator 185
in San Francisco 23
sense of loneliness 41
sextant reading errors 121, 168–169
speed and drift estimation 59, 92, 137
in Suva 120
technical hitches after Suva 136
terrifying experience of flying in storms 139, 139
uncertainty over position near Phoenix islands 102–103, 104
Lyons, Joseph (Prime Minister) 180
&
nbsp; M
Mackersey, Ian 31, 86
magnetic compasses 42, 60
Maidment, Cecil ‘Doc’ (engineer) 32, 56
Maitland, Lester 41
Maliko (steamer) 59, 60
Manoa (ship) 60
Mascot aerodrome
airmen face the press at 154, 158
crowd management 154, 155, 157
departure for Melbourne 160
massive crowds to greet Southern Cross 153–155, 157
renamed Kingsford Smith Airport 154
Mauna Kea, Hawaii 67, 71
Melbourne
Americans invited to fly on to 156
ANA daily service to Sydney 175
crew attend functions 160–161
crew on publicity tour 160
Southern Cross flies to 160
Southern Cross lands at Essendon aerodrome 160
Melbourne–Perth air service 171
Miller, Major Henry 72
Miss Southern Cross (plane) 176
Monash, Lieutenant General Sir John 160
Morse code transmissions 43, 55–56
Myer, Sidney, provides financial assistance 28, 136
N
Naselai, Fiji
crew hospitality 124, 126, 127
departure from 127, 134
fire near Southern Cross 127
kava ceremony 126, 127
preparation for take-off 125, 126, 128
as site for take-off 120
Southern Cross flies to 122–123
unanticipated refuelling delays (7 June) 123–124, 123
national identity 161
National Library of Australia
Charles Kingsford Smith’s papers vi, 6, 135
Charles T.P. Ulm collection v
Charles Ulm’s log vi, 4
collections relating to Ulm and Kingsford Smith 135
Lyon’s navigational charts added to collection 162
navigational equipment 31, 32, 41–42, 43–44, 59, 60
navigator
search for 31
see also Lyon, Harry
New South Wales Aero Club 154, 156
New Zealand
official airmail service to Australia 173, 180, 181
Southern Cross flies to 171
Southern Cross huge welcome in Christchurch 171–172
Ulm drums up business 172, 173
O
Oakland aerodrome 23, 178
planned flight to Sydney by Ulm in Stella Australis 179
Omaha, USS, picks up radio transmissions 56, 71, 73, 141
organising the trans-Pacific flight 14, 25–33
Anderson returns to Australia 30, 31
arguments amongst the trio 30
attempts at flying endurance record 29
attempts to sell the aircraft 30
finance 25, 27–28, 29
Hancock’s financial assistance 30–31
impoverishment 29–30
plans to enter Dole Air Race 25, 27
purchase and equip plane 27–28, 29
researching the adventure 27
search for a navigator 31
setbacks 27
sponsorship 29, 30
P
Pacific storm (after leaving Suva) 130–133, 137–139, 141
cease radio transmissions during 141
horrendous conditions 138–139, 141
Pearce, Sir George 161
Percival Gull (aircraft) 176
Pethybridge, Tommy 181, 182
Phoenix islands 85, 86, 87, 102, 103
Pioneer (ship) 123, 124
Pond, Lieutenant George 28, 29, 101
Powell, Mary 175
press coverage 76–77, 77, 119
see also Australian newspapers; The Sun
Q
Qantas Empire Airways 177
R
radio operator see Warner, Jim (radioman)
radio set 32, 42, 90
problems from Hawaii to Fiji 90
Radio Station 2BL, broadcasts transmissions 55–56, 102
radio transmissions 43, 55–56, 105, 135, 141
endears Ulm and Kingsford Smith to public 61
picked up by other operators 56
with steamers 59
striking descriptions of moon and clouds 58
Warner’s fears that they were lost nearing Hawaii 71
wind-driven generator for 70, 70
reception in Australia (9–16 June 1928) 142–163
the rest is easy 107, 166–167, 171
Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia (RSSILA) 156, 160–161
Rogers, Ellen (‘Rog’) iv, v, 162, 171
round-Australia flight 13–14, 15
Royal Aero Club, New South Wales branch 183
Royal Australian Air Force officers
appoints Kingsford Smith as honorary Air Commodore 175
honorary status for Ulm and Kingsford Smith 2, 152, 156
Royal Flying Corps 9, 10
S
San Francisco
hiccup at initial take-off 24
Kingsford Smith crosses paths with Ulm (1934) 179
organising the flight 25–33
Southern Cross flies over Golden Gate Bridge 25
take-off, 31 May 1928 17–21, 23–25, 41
trio depart Sydney by boat for 14
Scott, Charles 176
sextant 44, 59, 88, 121, 147, 168–169
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Captain Charles Ulm (painting) [Dargie] 184
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial 183–185
Lyon and Warner attend opening 183, 185
as museum to house Southern Cross at Brisbane airport 183, 185
opening ceremony 185
public complaints about lack of recognition for Ulm 185
Southern Cross bought by federal government 181, 183
Southern Cross on display at 182, 186–187
sleep on flight 60
Smith, Catherine and William (Charles’ parents) see Kingsford Smith, Catherine and William
Smith, Charles Edward see Kingsford Smith, Charles
Smith, Ernest 41
Smith, Captain Lowell 72, 86, 88
‘Smithy’ see Kingsford Smith, Charles
Smithy (film) 183
smoking 58, 60, 91, 149, 150
Sonoma (ship) 103
Southern Cloud (plane), crash of 175
Southern Cross Junior (plane) 175
Southern Cross (painting) [Crome] 100
Southern Cross (plane) 103
at Richmond aerodrome, near Sydney 107
Australia–New Zealand flight 171
biting chill and hardship in 60, 139, 141
blue and silver Fokker tri-engine monoplane 3, 23
bound for Suva, Fiji 80–83, 84–93
charts of route 26, 40, 57, 89, 93, 106
comet-like tail during darkness 55
communication between crew 44, 46, 58
control wheels and rudder bar 44, 92
controlling as physically demanding 44, 92, 103
and crew 1
crowd farewell at Long Beach, Los Angeles 24
departs Eagle Farm for Sydney 144–145, 153–154
departure from Hawaii 80–83, 85, 88–89
departure from San Francisco 17–21, 23–25, 40
displayed in Sydney’s Hyde Park 185
emergency preparation 40
engines 28, 42, 92
first day’s flying, 31 May 1928 36–39, 40, 44, 47
‘fitful dozing’ on 60
fitting out 28, 31, 32
flies back from New Zealand (29 March 1934) 136
flies to Britain 172, 174
flies to Canberra 161
flies to Melbourne 160–161
flight perceived as Australian triumph 76
forced landing near Glenelg River, north-western Australia 172, 174
friends farewell at Oakland 23
fuel consumption conce
rns 47, 55, 69, 86, 88, 102, 104–105, 139
fuel tanks 28, 41, 46, 47
Hawaii, 1 June 1928 64–68, 69
‘instrument’ flying conditions 47, 60, 101, 138, 139
joyrides and barnstorming 176, 180
‘Jubilee’ mail trip to New Zealand 181
lands at Eagle Farm aerodrome 3, 140, 146, 148, 149
lands in Hawaii 68, 72, 76
lands in Suva 107–108, 109
naming of 28
noise in 24, 41–42, 44, 45, 55, 104
open-sided cockpit meant pilots drenched by rain 92, 104
permanent public display 182, 186–187
public appearances after government purchase 183, 185–186
purchased and financed by Hancock 30–31, 33, 76
radio transmissions picked up by other operators 56
rear cabin and seating 41–42, 46
role in development of Australian aviation 186, 187
sends radio transmissions to The Sun 46, 55–56, 102, 134, 138, 155
smoking ban on 58, 60
sold to the Lyons government 181, 183
stored at Fairbairn RAAF base, Canberra 182, 183
The Sun prints narrative of Oakland– Honolulu leg 75
take-off in San Francisco, 31 May 1928 17–21, 23–25
test flights 32
trans-Atlantic flight 175
travel times and flight statistics 72, 115, 148, 189
as unremarkable aircraft 185–186
Southern Sun (plane), accident 175
souvenir handkerchief of trans-Tasman flight 173
Space Shuttle Discovery 8
sponsorship 13, 14, 25, 29, 30, 150, 156
Stannage, John 181
Stella Australis (plane)
death of Ulm 179
ditches into the sea 179
planned Oakland–Sydney flight 179, 179
Stevens, Bertram (Premier) 177
The Story of the Southern Cross Trans-Pacific Flight 1928 (Buggy) vi
stunt pilot 11, 11, 13
The Sun
announces Americans would fly on to Brisbane 120
announces arrival of Southern Cross into Honolulu 74–77, 77
cultivates public interest in the pair 14
editor praises flight as national triumph 76
exclusive access to fliers 14, 75
extracts from the log vi, 3, 5, 61, 134, 138, 156
innovative manner of reporting the flight 155–156
lays foundations for ‘Smithy’ legend 75
log as priceless document of Australian history 4
log and wireless messages endears fliers to public 61
originally credits log and stories to Kingsford Smith 5, 75
pays sea passage for trio to San Francisco 14
pen-sketch of the crew at Naselai 123
receives log entries from Suva 118
reports radio transmissions from Southern Cross 46, 55–56, 102, 134, 138, 155
smear campaign against Southern Cross for forced landing in north-west Australia as publicity stunt 174
Ulm signs exclusive deal with 13, 14, 56, 74–75
Flying the Southern Cross Page 15