Steve found a terrific photo of a plane filling up on fuel in Adelaide

Australian pilot Herbert Hinkler began the first solo flight from England to Australia .

Hinkler had extensive aviation experience behind him - during the First World War he served as an air gunner, after which he worked as a chief test pilot at AV Roe & Co. Ltd and later was a member of the English team for the Schneider Cup .

 It was the aircraft from AV Roe that he chose for the record flight - a two-seater light biplane Avro 581 Avian with w / n G-EBOV .

Naturally, the flight was not non-stop. The volume of fuel tanks would not be enough. Therefore, Hinkler had to make 12 stops on his way to refuel. On February 22, he landed in Darwin, setting a new record - the flight took 15 days or 128 hours of net flight time. He was greeted by 10,000 spectators.

For his achievement, Herbert Hinkler received a £ 2,000 prize from the government and was awarded the Air Force Cross . His plane remained in Australia and today is an exhibit at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane.

Thanks Steve!

https://zen.yandex.ru/media/main_aerodrome/-pervyi-reis-tu154-i-pervyi-reaktivnyi-samolet-polshi-daidjest-etot-den-v-istorii-aviacii-6-3--9-fevralia-5e3fd1bcc0c2cd2f40ec804b

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Bert%20Hinkler%20&%20Avro%20Avian%20G-EBOV.htm