In 1928 the Australians Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm were the first to fly across the Pacific from America to Australia. Their plane the Southern Cross is probably best known for this historic flight but between 1928 and 1935 it also crossed the Tasman for the first time, broke the Australia to England record in 12 days 21 hours, and flew numerous times across Australia.

The Southern Cross was a Dutch Fokker fitted with three Wright Whirlwind engines. Smith and Ulm had bought the plane in America in 1927. The instruments were purchased separately and fitted in the plane. Over the next seven years the instruments were replaced as necessary and some of these are now held in the Powerhouse Museum's collection.

This aircraft fuel line was donated to the Powerhouse Museum by Harold Affleck having been removed from the Southern Cross after its epic 1928 flight. Harold Affleck was an engineer who flew with Kingsford-Smith and later worked as an engineer at Kingsford-Smith Air Services Ltd. at Mascot.

Geoff Barker, March 2007

References
Charles Kingsford Smith, The Southern Cross Story, Seal Paperbacks, Herald Press, Australia, 1978
William Joy, The Aviators, Golden Press, Sydney, Australia, 1983
Ellen Rogers, Faith in Australia; Charles Ulm and Australian Aviation, Ellen Rogers, Sydney, Australia, 1987
Leslie Jillet, Wings across the Tasman, A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, New Zealand, 1953

The fuel pipe is from the aircraft 'Southern Cross' flown by Charles Kingsford Smith in numerous world record flights.

Fuel pipe from the 'Southern Cross', brass, maker unknown, United States of America, 1927-1935

Part of a long aircraft fuel pipe from the 'Southern Cross' made of brass. The hose is elongated and cylindrical in shape with a metal woven body and screw component at one end. There is a loose hexagonal nut which moves between the mouth and a grey metal clamp screwed around the upper section of the body. The exterior of the hose is a dark golden-brown in colour.

Made: United States of America; 1927 - 1935


Used: Kingsford Smith, Charles;

There is a fine inscription on the outside of the fixed nut which reads, 'REG. U. S. / TITEFLEX / PAT OFF'.

B2231-3

1927 - 1935

50 mm