This querie relates to both ‘The Old Bus’ and ‘The New Bus’.
First of all, the real Southern Cross (Kingsford Smith’s Fokker Trimotor in which he and crew crossed the Tasman, the Pacific and Austrlaia non stop – seperately that is).
Does anyone know where all the flight log books from the plane’s tours of New Zealand are kept? Are they (hopefully) in an Australian museum? If so, where please.
Regarding the ‘New Bus’, the replica visits New Zealand in 1990 for a tour sponsored by ANZ Bank. Does anyone have a programme of that tour? I believe it got back to Aussie in April 1990, so It probably was here approx Feb-April 1990. I am wanting to know the date that it visited Hamilton Airport. I remmebr the event but not the date, and now I need it. Thanks.
Is the replica still airworthy at all?
And, has anyone seen the 1940’s film about Kingsford Smith in which the real Southern Cross played itself? I saw some clips the other day, looked quite good.
I am still wanting to track down a copy of ‘A Thousand Skies’, the 1980’s mini-series. It doesn’t seem to be available anywhere. 😡 🙁 :confused:
By: Dave Homewood - 2nd September 2004 at 15:26
Thanks Mark,
I will PM you
Dave
By: mark_pilkington - 2nd September 2004 at 13:09
“A Thousand Skies”
Dave,
as you may recall in a post above you were interested in getting a copy of the Kingsford Smith mini series “A Thousand skies” and I mentioned I might be able to track down someone with a copy video’d off TV, I have found an enthusiast who believes he has it and will lend and send it to me next week if he locates it, to allow it to be copied.
I can copy his for you and post you a copy if you are interested? I will need your postal address and some funds to cover the blank tape and postage, if you are interested, and the tape is located I will determine and advise the tape and postage costs
regards
Mark P
By: Dave Homewood - 15th August 2004 at 01:31
Thanks Mark,
I’ll try those suggested places for the log books.
I’m sorry to hear about the replica’s problems but I’m glad it is to be rebuilt. The real one had a bit of a ding while in NZ in 1933 – on landing at Milson it taxied into a partially filled drain on the strip. The port wheel sank in, tipping it over ans busting the port prop and wingtip. I was told only yesterday by an old chap who remembers it that the tip was removed, cut up and sold by the crew as souviners, and they replaced and repaired it all within a few weeks.
I’m grateful too for you looking out for a copy of that series. Thanks.
All the best
Dave
By: mark_pilkington - 14th August 2004 at 16:09
David,
Some clues for your assistance.
1. Flight Logs? , try CASA and Brisbane Airport Corporation as the custodians of the original Southern Cross (perhaps they are stored as part of the “Southern Cross” Kingsford Smith Memorial? or alternatively try the Brisbane/Queensland State Museum or Sydney Powerhouse Museum as these two state government Museums are the other most likely repositories.
2. The “New” Bus was badly damaged in a landing accident (gear failure) with significant wing damage, the South Australain government has pledged funding to rebuild it, and HARS been appointed as the restorer and future operator and has now established a division in SA based aronud the original volunteers who built and maintained the a/c.
3. A Thousand Skies, was a tele-series not a motion picture so I dont think its ever been formally released on tape, and I think its more likely private individuals tv recordings will be the best/only source of copies, I will make some enquiries here in Melbourne.
regards
Mark P
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August 14, 2004 at 12:45 pm