3. Choices
Smith had to choose wisely since actually recreating the journey required the right plane. He considered a number of different aircraft until he finally decided on a custom-built amphibious flying boat. It was a single-engine, two-seater plane known as a “Seary.”
It was built in the USA in the state of Florida. The plane can land on both the water and a runway. He christened the craft the “Southern Sun.”
4. A Unique Craft
What reportedly sealed the deal for Smith was the fact that what became the Southern Sun was actually a modern aircraft with the appearance of the 1930s planes that inspired him. Still, because of the distance involved, he made changes to the craft’s design. He had additional fuel tanks installed since the standard aircraft only has a four-hour fuel tank.
Once the extra tanks were added, he had 13 hours’ worth of airplane fuel which covered the flight to London. In order to cross the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, he had another tank installed which gave him 21 hours’ worth of fuel.
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