Smithy

The Life of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith by Lisa G

By ossyria

  • Charles Edward Kingford Smith is born

    Charles Edward Kingsford Smith is born on 9 February 1897 in Queensland, Australia
  • Period: to

    Life of Sir Smith

  • Smith and his family moved to Canada

  • Smith and his family return to Australia

    Upon his return Smith studied at St Andrew's Cathedral School in Sydney. He then studied electrical engineering at Sydney Technical College

  • Smith graduates as a mechanical engineer from Sydney Technical College

  • Smith is appointed Chief Pilot of West Australian Airways

  • First trans-Pacific flight

    Kingsford-Smith and Charles Ulm make the first trans-Pacific flight to Australia. They land 9 days later after approximately 7,400 miles total flight.

  • Trans-Tasman flight

    Kingsford Smith and Charles Unn are the first people to cross the Tasman to New Zealand successfully

  • Coffee Royal incident

    Kingsford Smith at the helm of the Southern Cross made an emergency landing on a mudflat near the mouth of the Glenelg River,enroute from Sydney to England. Two weeks later they were rescued, but not before two people in the search party died from thrist and overexposure. It was dubbed the 'Coffee Royal' incident after the brandy and coffee brew the crew drank while awaiting rescue.

  • Smith competes in an England to Australia air race and wins the event

  • Smith marries Mary Powell at Scots Church, Melbourne

  • Smith is knighted

    Kingsford Smith was knighted in 1932 for services to aviation.

  • Sir Charles disappears

    On the way from India to Singapore, Smith and co-pilot Tommy Pethybridge disappeared aboard the Lady Southern Cross. A theory was developed that Smith had flown into a rocky peak on the island, which in turn sent the aircraft into the sea