X-Nico

11 unusual facts about Charles Kingsford Smith


Calcium phosphide

During the 1920s and 1930s, Charles Kingsford Smith used separate buoyant canisters of calcium carbide and calcium phosphide as naval flares lasting up to ten minutes.

Gerringong, New South Wales

In 1933 Sir Charles Kingsford Smith undertook his historic flight from nearby Seven Mile Beach to New Zealand.

Gerroa, New South Wales

On 11 January 1933 Sir Charles Kingsford Smith undertook his historic first commercial flight from Seven Mile Beach to New Zealand.

Keith Virtue

They were in Avro 618 Tens, the City of Sydney and City of Brisbane, with Charles Kingsford Smith in the Southern Cross.

Keith Virtue and New England Airways colleague Tommy Young flew in formation with Charles Kingsford Smith for the Sydney Harbour Bridge opening on 19 March 1932.

Kingsford Smith

Charles Kingsford Smith (1897–1935), an early Australian aviation pioneer, after whom Sydney Airport is named

Kingsford Smith Drive, Canberra

Kingsford Smith Drive, is a main road in the district of Belconnen in Canberra, Australia and is named in honour of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith

Lockheed Altair

One aircraft, named Lady Southern Cross was used by Australian aviator Charles Kingsford Smith to carry out the first flight between Australia and the United States between October 20 and November 4, 1934.

Mack Super-Liner

The special limited edition models were named after people influential to Australian history, including James Cook, Captain Bligh, Ludwig Leichhardt, Governor Phillip, Ned Kelly, Kingsford Smith, and John Flynn.

Muriel Steinbeck

She is best known for her performance as the wife of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in Smithy (1946) and for playing the lead role in Autumn Affair (1956), Australia's first television serial.

Tasman Sea

The first successful flight over the sea was accomplished by Charles Kingsford Smith later that year.


Bobby Limb

At Limb's funeral, the former Whitlam government minister Doug McClelland said that Bobby Limb was to the Australian entertainment industry what Sir Donald Bradman was to cricket, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith was to aviation, Dame Joan Sutherland was to opera, and Dr Victor Chang was to surgery.

West Australian Airways

Brearley then set about hiring 5 pilots; Val Abbott, Arthur Blake, Bob Fawcett, Charles Kingsford Smith and Leonard Taplin.