Flying the Southern Cross
Page 16
superstition 22, 23
Suva see bound for Suva; Fiji
Sydney
Americans invited to fly on to 152–153
ANA daily service to Brisbane 174–175
crew remain for three nights of social engagements 156
crowds greet Kingsford Smith following record Britain–Australia solo flight 176–177
departure of Americans by steamer to San Francisco 162, 163
departure for 144–145, 153–154
gifts showered upon airmen 156
massive crowds at Mascot aerodrome 153–155, 157, 160
newsreel of arrival in 161
Southern Cross flies over Sydney Harbour 154
Southern Cross returns to after publicity tour 162
T
Tasmanian air service 175
Taylor, Bill 176, 179, 181, 183
Thomas, Andy 8
trans-Atlantic flight 175
trans-Pacific flight
breaks new ground in wireless communications 55–56
crew 1, 17
establishes Kingsford Smith as dominant figure in popular culture 76
exclusive contract with The Sun 14, 75
first step in circumnavigating the globe 55, 60
foreshadowed globalisation of transport, communications and media 58
heroes after 3
log of see log
organising the flight 14, 25–33
press coverage 76–77, 77, 119
seen as national achievement 155
significance of v
statistics 3, 189
Ulm’s plans for regular 177
see also Southern Cross
trans-Tasman Air Service 181
tropical thunderstorms
Fiji–Brisbane 130–133, 137–139, 141
Hawaii–Fiji 91, 92, 101–102, 103–104, 105
U
Ulm, Charles Thomas Phillippe v, 3, 4, 6, 17, 22, 30, 32, 45
agrees to donate log to the Commonwealth 3–4, 161
alienates Anderson 14
angered over Kingsford Smith’s ghost- written autobiography 175
announces Americans will fly on to Melbourne 156
announces plans to fly across the Pacific 14
aviation company failures 12
as a born organiser 13, 32
caricature 180
childhood and early life 6
circumnavigates the globe 176, 177
clash with Warner 32–33
confidence during last leg 136–137
criticised for forced landing as publicity stunt in north-west Australia 174, 174
death of 179–180
discusses flying last leg without the Americans 107, 116, 118, 120–122, 166–167
dishonesty to press over American contracts 159
as embodiment of ‘the digger spirit’ 161
enlists as a minor under a pseudonym and wounded at Gallipoli 7, 8
establishes Australian National Airways Limited with Kingsford Smith 172–176
exclusive deal with The Sun and LA Examiner 13, 14, 56, 74–75, 118
fall out with Anderson 24, 31
fall out with Lyon 122, 152
Fiji organisational skills 115, 118, 120, 123–124, 124
flies Faith in Australia to/from Britain 176, 177–178
flies Southern Cross to Britain 172, 174
flight with Kingsford Smith around Australia 13–14
forms British International Airlines Limited 176
forms Great Pacific Airways Limited 177
fuel consumption concerns 47, 55, 69
gifts and accolades 150, 156
greets crowds at Eagle Farm 149, 150
Hawaiian facilities reorganisation 85, 86
as hero 2, 3
honorary commission as Royal Australian Air Force officer 152, 156
integrity as businessman tarnished 174
invites Americans to fly on to Sydney 152–153
joyflights with Royal Flying Corps 9
log (technical record) see log
loses confidence in Lyon 121, 168–169
lower public esteem than Kingsford Smith 4, 5
lyrical description of moon and clouds 61
marriage and divorce 12–13
in military uniform 7, 8, 9
no formal flying qualifications 14
optimistic outlook 107, 166–167, 171
organises sponsorship 29, 30
organising the flight 14, 25–33, 120
partnership with Kingsford Smith and Anderson 13, 14
perceives importance of aeroplanes 9, 162, 171, 177, 179
perceives inter-city air services 171
personal secretary appointed to assist 162
planned flight of Stella Australis from Oakland–Sydney 179
plans for arrival at Eagle Farm and publicity tour in Australia 119
plans with Kingsford Smith for Pacific flight 13
purchases Fokker from George Wilkins 27
qualifies for his flying licence 172
receives congratulatory cables in Suva 118–119
recognised by a plaque at Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial 185
recommended for knighthood 180
re-enlists and wounded in France 7–9
remarriage 14
respects superstition 22, 23
Rogers views of 171
round-Australia flight 13–14, 15
ruthless approach to upholding American’s contracts 159
sails to San Francisco 14
in San Francisco 23, 24
search for navigator 31
sells his half of Southern Cross to Kingsford Smith 175
sells round-Australia flight coverage to The Sun 13, 14
shares flying with Kingsford Smith 44, 90, 91, 92, 137
speaks with Amelia Earhart 178
‘staccato notes’ 4
strained relationship with Kingsford Smith (1931) 175–176
tribute in Hobart’s Mercury 119–120
tributes following death 180
views on Anderson 12
Ulm, Emile Gustave and Ada (Charles’ parents) 6, 7
Ulm, Jo (second wife) 14, 119–120, 154, 159, 160, 179
Ulm, John (Charles’ son) iv, 13, 135, 180, 191
centrality of family name v
corrects official statements 185
devastated at father’s death 179–180
flying with Kingsford Smith v
gratitude to Lyon 185
organises for Lyon and Warner to go to Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial opening 183
organises for Lyon, Warner and wives to retrace the 1928 flight 184
recollections of his father iv–v
sees his father’s log displayed as ‘Kingsford Smith’s diary’ 5
United States (mainland)–Hawaii flights 41
United States Army Air Corps 71, 74
V
Vacuum Oil Company (sponsor) 13, 14, 25, 150, 156
assigns personal secretary to help Kingsford Smith and Ulm 162
clock presented to ‘Smithy’ after the flight 29
office for trio, San Francisco 27
W
Wackett, Lawrence 180
war service
Kingsford Smith 8, 9–10
Ulm 7–9
Warner, Jim (radioman) v, 3, 6, 17, 33, 45, 91, 103, 105, 116–117
announces Hancock as chief benefactor 135, 141
attends Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial opening 183, 185
Australian public perceive him as partner 156
becomes ‘honorary digger’ 161
contacts Hilo station, Hawaii 71
contract conditions and dissatisfaction 32–33, 72, 121, 159
contract to only fly to Fiji 32–33, 116, 118
crashes through canvas floor landing in Suva 108
departs Sydney by steamer for San Francisco 162, 163
describes picturesque Fiji
an islands 107
describes turmoil of flying in storms 101–102
doesn’t transmit during Pacific storm 141
‘dramatic story from the sky’ 74–77
exits Southern Cross while taxiing at Eagle Farm 146, 149
in Fiji 122, 124, 127
generator problems 70, 90, 136, 161
gift offers which had to be refused 159
greets crowds at Eagle Farm 150, 152
‘guard’ duty and hospitality on Naselai 124, 127
invited to fly on to Melbourne 156
invited to fly on to Sydney 152–153
leaves his iconic Panama hat as gift 162
Morse code radio transmissions 55–56
new contract to fly on to Brisbane 120–122
optimistic transmission after leaving Suva 135, 135
post-trans-Pacific flight career 183
public opinion believed he deserved an equal share of gifts 156
radio navigation 43–44, 90
as radio operator 32, 43
radio set 43–44
in rear cabin of Southern Cross 41
receives gift from Hearst Newspapers 159
recognised as pioneering airman 74
relief on being back on terra firma 76
in San Francisco 23
sends personal messages 56
sets record straight over contracts 122
simpler navigation on last leg 137
starting the starboard motor of Southern Cross 158
striking descriptions of moon and clouds 58
in Suva 120
terrifying experience of flying in storms 139
toilet misfortune 105, 108
transmits fears they were lost nearing Hawaii 69, 70–71, 72, 74
transmits their position nearing Fiji 105
warns non-intended recipients about releasing messages 56
West Australian Airways Ltd 11
White, Sir Harold 5
Wight, Bruce 183
Wilkins, Sir George Hubert 27, 28, 31
wind-driven generators 70
Wright Aeronautical Corporation 84
Wright Whirlwind J5C 220 horsepower
engines 28, 42