Auction No. 30 Saturday, 27 November 2021 / 2:00 pm start

Lot 0733 « Prev Lot All Search Results Next Lot »

1928 (10th Sept) Richmond, Australia to ...

Estimate $2,100
Realised: $5,000 plus premium

Category: Miscellaneous  >  Australian Aviation Heritage

Lot Details

1928 (10th Sept) Richmond, Australia to Christchurch, NZ Trans-Tasman flight by Kingsford Smith, Ulm, Litchfield & McWilliams in the Southern Cross. The initial date of departure was planned for 2nd September however poor weather deferred the departure for another week. Even then they did not escape the perilous Tasman weather, hitting stormy weather & icing conditions. This lot is the actual Southern Cross wooden propellor with a copper metal leading edge & tip engraved "SOUTHERN CROSS HAIL DAMAGED PROP BRUCE COWAN". It is clearly pot-marked from the experience of the flight to New Zealand. This is believed to have been presented to Bruce Cowan who was a just a boy at the time & an aspiring apprentice. He used to sweep the hangars out but got to know the flight crew in the process & obviously became a favourite of Kingsford Smiths! (see plate 14)

1928 (10th Sept) Richmond, Australia to ... Image 1++