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80th Anniversary of the Southern Cross:

This set of stamps commemorates the Both anniversary of the first ever flight across the Pacific Ocean, in June 1928.

The plane was the Southern Cross, a three-engined Fokker FVII b-3 monoplane. The pilot was Charles Kingsford-Smith, co-pilot Charles Ulm (both Australians), and the other two crew members were Americans, the radio operator James Warner and navigator Harry Lyon.

They left Oakland, California, on the Thursday 31 st of May, 1928, and landed in Hawaii after 27 hours.The next leg, to Fiji, was to be the longest ever flight across open water, a distance of 3,144 miles. They left Kaua'i on the morning of the 3rd of June.

Robert Farquar was a Suva radio operator, formerly of the British Royal Navy, who had been in wireless contact with the Southem Cross. Realising that the row of bake (banyan) trees across the middle of Albert Park needed to be removed so that the plane could land safely, he approached the Mayor of Suva, Mr Henry Marks, but to no avail. He then approached the Colonial Secretary, Mr AW Seymour, with the same result. Finally, he boldly appealed driectly to the highest authority in the land, the Governor Sir Eyre Hutson, who was persuaded to have the trees chopped down and the park levelled, and the telegraph wires along Victoria Parade lowered so as not to impede the plane's approach.

A large and enthusiastic crowd greeted the Southem Crass as it flew slowly in past the Grand Pacific Hotel in the afternoon of 5th June and dropped gently onto the park The plane had no brakes and almost hit the embankment at the eastern end of the park, but managed to swerve to the left at the last moment. They were accorded a civic reception (of which they heard not a word, being still deaf from the sound of the engines), and went to rest at the Grand Pacific. The next day they were given a traditional Fijian reception, with the tabua presented by Ratu Joni Mataitini, while Suva schoolchildren presented the two American crew members with a United States flag made of tropical flowers.

The plane flew to Nasilai Beach, some 30 km away from Suva near Nakelo, while the fuel for the next leg was transported on the government steamer HMCS Pioneer.After taking off from Nasilai on June 8th, they flew over Suva in a gesture of farewell, and headed for Brisbane,Australia, where they landed nine days after setting out from California, and then flew to Sydney the next day to a rapturous welcome.

Rather less well-known is the flight of the Lady Southem Cross, in which Kingsford- Smith and PG Taylor made the first flight from Australia to the United States in 1934, again landing at Albert Park and taking off from Nasilai.

The perils of flying in those pioneering days are underlined by the fact that by 1935, both Kingsford-Smith and Ulm had died attempting longdistance flights, Kingsford-Smith in the Indian Ocean and Ulm in the Pacific.

The pavilion that now stands opposite the row of banyan trees that were felled to allow the Southe^M Cross to land on Albert Park is named after Kingsford-Smith, as is Sydney's international airport.


Aircraft Specificaffons

The Fokker F Vll b-3 was a leading aircraft of its time, with a world market share in its class of 55 per cent in 1932. It had already been used by pioneer aviators, including Admiral Byrd, who was the first to fly over the North Pole, and would be used later in 1928 on the first trans-Tasrnan flight, as well as on the longest scheduled service at the time, from Amsterdam to Jakarta.

Its length was 14.56 metres and wingspan 21.71 metros. It was powered by three 304- horsepower Wright Whirlwind motors, with a top speed of 208 kph and cruising speed of 178 kph. It could carry a lift-off payload of 5,300 kg end its maximum cruising altitude was 4,400 metros.


The Stamps

The 20c stamp shows the Southem Cross flying above the islands of Lomaiviti as it closes in on Suva on the morning of 6th June, 1928.

The 90c stamp shows curious onlookers and a policeman gathering around the front of the Southern Cross after it has landed on Albert Park in Suva.

The $l.50 stamp shows Fiji policemen, with their distinctive isulu tavatava (scalloped skirts - the uniform has remained unchanged since 1875), guarding the plane on Albert Park, with a row of royal palms in the background. Kingsford-Smith and Ulm attempted to approach their plane but were turned back by the local constabulary - and returned happily knowing that the plane was safe.

The $2 stamp shows the crew of the Southern Cross in front of the plane on Albert Park in Suva. From the left:JamesWarner the wireless operator, pilot Charles Kingsford-Smith holding a copy of the Fiji Times, co-pilot Charles Ulm, and Harry Lyon the navigator.

$0.20	$0.90

$1.50	$2.00

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