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Sir Charles Kingsford Smith

Kingsford Smith in his flying gear
Full nameSir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith
LivedFebruary 9, 1897 – November 8, 1935
BirthHamilton, Queensland
DeathSea off Burma
Cause of deathDisappeared during flight
NationalityAustralian
Aviation
Known forFirst non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland
Trans-Pacific flight
England to Australia air race
Air ForceAustralian Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
BattlesWorld War I
RankCaptain (substantive)
Air Commodore (honorary)
AwardsKnight Bachelor
Military Cross
Air Force Cross

Air Commodore Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC (February 9, 1897 - November 8, 1935), often called Charles Kingsford Smith, or by his nickname Smithy, was a well-known early Australian aviator. Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hamilton is an inner northern suburb of Brisbane, Australia, lying on the north bank of the Brisbane River along Bulimba Reach Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF) is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914 the German army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. The Military Cross ( MC) is the third level Military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993 other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in The Military Cross ( MC) is the third level Military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993 other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. In 1928, he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The United States of America —commonly referred to as the He also made the first non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland, the first flights between Australia and New Zealand, and the first eastward Pacific crossing from Australia to the United States. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The United States of America —commonly referred to as the He also made a flight from Australia to London, and set a new record of 10. 5 days.

Contents

Early life

Kingsford Smith was born in Hamilton (a suburb of Brisbane), Queensland, Australia, and was one of seven children. Hamilton is an inner northern suburb of Brisbane, Australia, lying on the north bank of the Brisbane River along Bulimba Reach Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. From 1903 to 1907, he and his family lived in Vancouver, Canada.

On 2 January 1907 young Charlie Smith was rescued from certain drowning at Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach by bathers who, just seven weeks later, were responsible for founding the world’s first official surf life saving group at Bondi Beach on 21 February 1907, at a meeting held at the Royal Hotel Bondi Beach. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Bondi Beach (pronounced "BOND-eye" or /'bɒndaɪ/ is a popular Beach and the name of the surrounding Suburb in Sydney, Australia Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA is Australia’s major water safety and rescue authority and is one of the largest Volunteer organisations in the country Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA is Australia’s major water safety and rescue authority and is one of the largest Volunteer organisations in the country [1]

Upon returning to Australia, he attended St Andrew's Cathedral School in Sydney where he was a treble chorister in the cathedral choir. St Andrew's Cathedral School is an independent, non-selective Anglican, Co-educational, Day school located in the heart of the city of Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 For the musical composition see Chorale. A choir, chorale, or chorus is a Musical ensemble of Singers This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral He then studied electrical engineering at Sydney Technical College (now known as Sydney Technical High School). Sydney Technical High School is an academically selective, public, High school for boys located in Bexley, a southern suburb

World War I and early flying experience

At 16 he became an engineering apprentice with the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. CSR Limited ( is a major Australian industrial company producing Aluminium, Sugar products (notably including pure Ethanol) and construction After that, he enlisted for duty in the armed services in 1915 and served at Gallipoli. Gallipoli peninsula (Gelibolu Yarımadası is located in Turkish Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles Initially, he performed duty as a motorcycle despatch rider, before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, earning his wings in 1917. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War.

Kingsford Smith was hospitalized in August 1917 after being shot down and receiving injuries which required a large part of his left foot to be amputated. Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or Surgery. For his gallantry in battle, he was awarded the Military Cross. The Military Cross ( MC) is the third level Military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993 other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to As his recovery was predicted to be lengthy, Kingsford Smith was permitted to take leave in Australia where he visited his parents. Returning to England, Kingsford Smith was assigned to instructor duties and promoted to captain.

After the war, Kingsford Smith worked as a barnstormer in the United States before returning to Australia in 1921. Barnstorming was a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s in which Stunt pilots would perform tricks with airplanes, either individually or in groups called [2] He did the same in Australia and also flew airmail services, and began to plan his record-breaking flight across the Pacific. [3] He became one of Australia's first airline pilots when he was chosen by Norman Brearley to fly for the newly formed West Australian Airways. Sir Norman Brearley CBE was a commercial and military pilot and one of the pioneers of the airline industry within Australia. West Australian Airways was an Australian airline based out of Geraldton Western Australia.

1928 - Trans-Pacific flight

The Southern Cross at a RAAF base near Canberra in 1943.
The Southern Cross at a RAAF base near Canberra in 1943. The Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF) is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. Canberra ( is the capital city of Australia With a population of over 340000 it is Australia's largest inland City.

Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm arrived in the United States and began to search for an aircraft. Charles Thomas Philippe Ulm AFC ( October 18 1898 — December 3 1934) was a pioneer Australian Aviator. From the famed Australian polar explorer, Sir Hubert Wilkins, they purchased and equipped a Fokker F.VII/3m monoplane, which they named the Southern Cross. Sir George Hubert Wilkins MC & Bar (31 October 1888 - 30 November 1958 was an Australian polar explorer pilot soldier geographer and photographer WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Southern Cross is the name of the Fokker FVIIb/3m Trimotor Monoplane which in 1928 was flown by Australian Aviator [4]

At 8:54 am on May 31, 1928, [4] Kingsford Smith and his crew left Oakland, California to make the first trans-Pacific flight to Australia. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U The flight was in three stages. The first (from Oakland to Hawaii) was perhaps the toughest part of the journey as they flew through a massive storm. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the They then flew to Suva, Fiji, and on to Brisbane, where they landed on June 9. Suva is the Capital and largest city of Fiji. It is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Central Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits On arrival, Kingsford Smith was met by a huge crowd of 25,000 at Eagle Farm Airport, and was feted as a hero [5][6][7]. Australian aviator Charles Ulm was the relief pilot, and the other two crew members were Americans James Warner and Captain Harry Lyon (who were the radio operator, navigator and engineer). Charles Thomas Philippe Ulm AFC ( October 18 1898 — December 3 1934) was a pioneer Australian Aviator. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the James Warner (1891-1970 is noted as the radio operator on the aircraft Southern Cross piloted by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith for the first trans-Pacific Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. The title Flight Officer can refer to a functional (occupational job title as an aircrew member or it can refer to a military rank previously used by the U An engineer is a person professionally engaged in a field of Engineering.

Australian National Airways

Main article: Australian National Airways (1930)

Later Flights

In 1930, he competed in an England to Australia air race, and, flying solo, won the event. Australian National Airways was a short-lived Australian Airline, founded in 1929 by Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm. Air racing is a Sport that involves small aircraft. History The first event in air racing history was held in 1909 the Grand Week of the Champagne

In 1931 he purchased an Avro Avian he named the Southern Cross Minor, to attempt an Australia to England flight. Avro was a British Aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout He later sold the aircraft to Captain W. N. "Bill" Lancaster who vanished April 11, 1933 over the Sahara Desert; Lancaster's remains were not found until 1962. Events 491 - Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine Emperor, with the name of Anastasius I. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest The wreck of the Southern Cross Minor is now in the Queensland Museum [8]. The Queensland Museum is a museum at South Bank in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Also in 1931, Smith began developing the Southern Cross automobile as a side project. The Southern Cross was an Australian Automobile manufactured between 1931 and 1935

In 1933 Seven Mile Beach was used by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith as the runway for the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand.

Disappearance

Early November 1935 was during another epic flight that Kingsford Smith met his end. Once again flying from England to Australia, he and his co-pilot Tommy Pethybridge departed Allahabad, India for a leg to Singapore, flying in Lockheed Altair Lady Southern Cross. Allahabad ( Hindi: इलाहाबाद Urdu: الہ آباد Ilāhābād) is a city in the north Indian state of Uttar India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Singapore The Lockheed Altair was a development of the Lockheed Sirius. The Lady Southern Cross was a Lockheed Altair Monoplane owned by Australian pioneer Aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. The aircraft did not arrive at its destination. It was eighteen months later when wreckage from the aircraft was located off the south coast of Burma where in May, 1937, fishermen found its starboard undercarriage leg on the shore of an island south-east of Rangoon. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The remains of the crew have never been located.

Legacy

The major airport of Sydney, located in the suburb of Mascot was named Kingsford Smith International Airport in his honour. An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Mascot is a Suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in Sydney Airport (also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport), is located in the Sydney suburb of Mascot. A federal electorate, for the parliament of Australia, which encompasses the airport is called Kingsford Smith. The Division of Kingsford Smith is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. A suburb of Sydney is named Kingsford. Kingsford is a Suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

His aircraft, the Southern Cross, is now preserved and displayed in a purpose-built memorial at the International Terminal at Brisbane Airport. Southern Cross is the name of the Fokker FVIIb/3m Trimotor Monoplane which in 1928 was flown by Australian Aviator Kingsford Smith Drive in Brisbane passes through the suburb of his birth, Hamilton, with Kingsford Smith Drive in the suburb of Belconnen, Canberra also bearing his name. Hamilton is an inner northern suburb of Brisbane, Australia, lying on the north bank of the Brisbane River along Bulimba Reach Kingsford Smith Drive, is a main road in the district of Belconnen in Canberra, Australia and is named in honour of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith For the Canberra suburb of Belconnen see Belconnen Australian Capital Territory Belconnen is a district of Canberra, the Capital city Canberra ( is the capital city of Australia With a population of over 340000 it is Australia's largest inland City.

He was also pictured on the Australian $20 paper note (in circulation from 1966 until 1994, when the $20 polymer note was introduced to replace it) to honour his contribution to aviation and his accomplishments during his life. Polymer banknotes were developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO and The University

He was also depicted on the Australian one-dollar coin of 1997: marking the centenary of his birth.

Kingsford Smith was knighted in 1932 for services to aviation and later was appointed honorary Air Commodore of the Royal Australian Air Force. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in The Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF) is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force.

Albert Park in Suva, where he landed on the trans-Pacific flight, now contains the Kingsford Smith Pavilion. Suva is the Capital and largest city of Fiji. It is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Central

He was a Freemason [9].

Film and television tributes to Charles Kingsford Smith

References

  1. ^ Bondi Surf Club
  2. ^ Fifty Australians
  3. ^ Charles Kingsford Smith biography Ace Pilots
  4. ^ a b 7.30 report story about Charles Ulm
  5. ^ History of Eagle Farm (Our Brisbane)
  6. ^ Photo of Southern Cross, and welcoming crowd, at Eagle Farm on June 9, 1928 (National Archives of Australia)
  7. ^ Magnificent Machines - Home-grown Legends (Sydney Morning Herald)
  8. ^ The Pioneers - Chubbie Miller
  9. ^ Famous Freemasons

External links

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