1994 Aviation Feats

In the early years of aviation Australians were enthusiastic pioneers of this new technology, both as innovators and as adventurers. Some early aviators became famous and remained famous while others only had a brief period of celebrity, but all performed extraordinary feats at a time when to leave the ground was remarkable.

In 1894, Lawrence Hargrave through a series of experiments, successfully lifted himself off the ground in four box kites attached to the ground by piano wire. The total weight lifted was 94.5 kilos of which he weighed 75.3 kilos.

Brothers Ross and Keith Smith were the first Australian aviators to fly from England to Australian within 720 consecutive hours before midnight on 31 December 1920. This was part of an Australian Government sponsored England to Australia air race in 1919 with a £10,00 prize. Both brothers learnt to fly during World War I as members of the Australian Imperial force and Royal flying corps respectively. They undertook the flight in a Vickers Vimy in Hounslow on 12 November 1919 and despite hazardous flying conditions and a near disaster when the plane became bogged in Surabaya they arrived in Darwin on 10 December with an actual flying time of 135 hours and 55 minutes.

Wing Commander Stanley Goble and Flight Lieutenant Ivor McIntyre were the first people to circumnavigate Australia in 1924. They flew in a specially fitted-out Fariey IIID seaplane A10–3.

Freda Thompson was the first Australian woman to fly solo from England to Australia in 1934. The plane named Christopher Robin was a De Havviland Moth Major gifted to her by her father. She left Lympe, United Kingdom on 28 September 1934 and arrived in Darwin on 6 November 1934.

Technical Details

Stamp design: Janet Boschen

Engraving: Czeslaw Slania

Printing process: Intaglio

Issue date: 29 August 1994