Permission to race this speedy Lockheed Altair “Lady Southern Cross” in the 1934, England to Australia Air Race was refused because extra fuel tanks fitted by Charles Kingsford Smith were considered unsafe.

So, with P.G Taylor as navigator and co-pilot, he made what was to be a courageous and successful flight across the Pacific–the first by a single-engined aircraft. An incident on the beach in Fiji, depicted in this impressive painting, nearly put an end to the whole affair when a strong cross wind swung the Altair into the surf during take-off.

Later,on its return flight from England, the Altair disappeared at night off the Burmese coast.