The caption on the reverse of this Acme Newspictures Inc. photo reads:

Australian airmen prepare for trans-Pacific flight. A rear view showing the extraordinary lines of the Lockheed Altair low-winged monoplane, the Lady Southern Cross, in which Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, famous Australian flyer, and co-pilot Captain P.G. Taylor, will take off shortly from Perth, Australia, on a projected trans-Pacific flight to Los Angeles. The ship is seen here at Melbourne just before leaving for Perth where final preparations for the flight were made. 10/18/34

This caption, which was evidently written in the United States, poses several problems.

1	The trans-Pacific flight commenced from Sydney, not Perth.
2	The aircraft departed Sydney on the first leg of the Pacific flight on 19 October 1934, the day after it is said to have been photographed in Melbourne on its way to Perth.
3	The aircraft did operate a proving flight from Melbourne to Perth but this was earlier in September.
4	On 18 October 1934, the stated date of the photo, the aircraft was test flown at Mascot, Sydney prior to the commencement of the trans-Pacific flight the next day.
5	The fact that the aircraft does not yet have the drift lines on the elevators suggests that the photo could have been taken in Melbourne as stated but on 7/8 September. These drift markings were applied just prior to the departure of the Pacific flight in the period 16-18 October.
6	The above photograph also appeared in The Australasian published in Melbourne on 8 September 1934. Although it is not stated that this photo was taken in Melbourne, other photos in the article were.

 

 

 

 

Picture: Tim Kalina Collection