Arrival of Ross and Keith Smith's Vickers Vimy negatives, Mascot, 1919 / by William Hoskins

ON 361

fonds

14 February 1920

839864

Copy print : PXB 465 (3 of the 6 negatives only)

6 negatives - 8.1 x 10.7 cm - glass
4 photographic prints - 8 x 10.5 cm, 9 x 8.6 cm - gelatin silver

Ross & Keith Smith flew 11,340 miles (18,250 km) in the first flight from the UK to Australia, 12 November-10 December 1919. It took just under 28 days with an actual flying time of 135 hours at an average speed of 85 m.p.h. (137 km.p.h.) Both Ross and Keith were immediately knighted; Sergeants W. H. Shiers and J. M. Bennett, the mechanics, were commissioned and awarded Bars to their Air Force Medals, and the £10,000 prize money was divided into four equal shares.

Reference:
Australian Dictionary of Biography online

Photographs show the crowd, the biplane and part of the airport buildings

1 of the photographs is not from this series but shows a classroom