1 of 2683 lots
1
Flight Cover, U
Estimate:
AU$200 - AU$300
Passed
Live Auction
Roxbury Auction No 107 - Friday 12th, Saturday 13th & Sunday the 14th of March
Category
Description
Flight Cover London to Mackay Qld via Darwin 18th April 1938, signed in ink by (Harry) Jim Broadbent, the NSW aviator who broke Kingsford-Smith's record in May 1935. New Zealand aviatrix Jean Batten broke his record in October 1936, but he regained it by lowering the time to 6 days, 8 hours, 25 minutes (27 April-3 May 1937) in his Leopard Moth, Windella. On 18-24 October Batten cut his record to 5 days, 18 hours, 15 minutes. Broadbent had to abandon two attempts to break her record. Determinedly, he then flew a Vega Gull out of Darwin on 18 April 1938 and landed in England on the 22nd: his time was 5 days, 4 hours, 21 minutes. His achievement was the last of the pre-World War II record flights on the England-Australia-England routes and his time remains a record for its class. He was killed in a flying boat crash in 1958 with all passengers. British and Australian postmarks, Glasgow Empire Exhibition, HM Customs Kent 1938 on arrival, rare piece of Australian aviation history.