EP 31: Smithy's Southern Cross Replica Flies Again!

At last, after a dozen years of meticulous restoration work at HARS Aviation Museum Shellharbour Airport our replica of Charles Kingsford Smith's famous three-engine Fokker and first across the Pacific from the US is back in the air at the HARS Aviation Museum in Albion Park, NSW, Australia.
And what a thrill as veteran Qantas pilots Bruce Simpson and Mark Thurstan powered the aircraft into brilliant summer skies over the Southern Illawarra for its first flight in over 20 years since a crash in South Australia. After an hour's flight, the "Old Bus" - as Smithy named his aircraft - was greeted with cheers and congratulations by a host of HARS volunteers, led by Project Manager Jim Thurstan, who restored aircraft and put her back in the air.
Photography
Howard Mitchell
Video
Mark Jones
Carl Robinson
Tim May

[@ZacYates]

The New Old Bus lives!!! Yet another reason I need to get to HARS, and an airshow. Some of those air-to-air photos are timeless. Well done team, she looks and sounds incredible!!

[@coolhand1964]

I hope every person who was involved with the restoration of this fabulous piece of Australian aviation history has the opportunity to be taken on board as a passenger for a tour of the Illawarra. 👍🇦🇺

[@paulrourke4785]

Absolutely Brililant!!

[@jaxt2578]

Absolutely stunning work there lads!

[@petermagoun7457]

Excellent restoration, gorgeous aircraft!!

[@giterdunpete]

Firstly...congratulations to the team of experts who so diligently restored this iconic airplane...Jim Thurstan and his crew....secondly....congratulations to HARS for acquiring the Southern Cross and deciding to pour their time money and effort into restoring it.........lastly .....thank god it is finally done...what a spectacle.

[@walterbriggs272]

Beautiful takeoff

[@JimThompson-vo7zt]

So the 'Old Bus mark 11 VH-USU flies once more. the Spirit of Smithy & VH-USU Mk11 lives on, Sir Charles would be grinning as I am, well done, HARS.

[@darwiniandude]

Outstanding work everyone. Amazing to see it flying again after all these years.

[@FitzArias]

In another video here they captured an image that has stayed with me. You see the tiny Fokker at altitude flying by the moon. Awesome.

[@johncourt6434]

Brilliant work. Congratulations on the restoration of the planes.

[@chrisholland1862]

They are truly lucky to have this plane after its crash at Parafield Airport in South Australia a few years ago. Good to see it fixed up and flying again.

[@leonardliu8519]

so good to see her fly again, what a long waiting and great effort.

[@SydneyEV]

Fantastic work!

[@suzannePhillips-k1m]

congrats to all involved. history. restored and fun.

[@davidbutterfield2949]

Awesome, congratulations everyone 👍🏻🇦🇺

[@HARSAviationMuseum]

Thank you David

[@fastsetinthewest]

The pilot flying it must figured he has lived his life.