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Solving the mystery of Kingsford Smith
One enthusiast, Sydney filmmaker Damien Lay, will travel this week to the Bay of Bengal, where Sir Charles disappeared in 1935, hoping to end the mystery.

Lay's previous films dealt with the Battle of Long Tan and the missing Japanese mini-submarine which attacked Sydney Harbour in World War II; now he will follow, not just in Sir Charles' steps, but in those of two other men who have also tried to find his resting place.

"Kingsford Smith is one of the great Australian heroes, as important to our history as Don Bradman or Ned Kelly, but we don't treat him with the same respect,'' said Lay, who leaves on Tuesday.

"He was undoubtedly one of, if not the, greatest figure in our history. It's a disgrace we do not know the whereabouts of his remains or the circumstances of his death.''

In finding his resting place, Lay says he aims to also restore Sir Charles' reputation as our greatest aviator and rescue it from allegations that he made an error or fell asleep in the cockpit.

Sir Charles vanished with co-pilot Tommy Pethybridge off the Myanmar coast in an attempt to break the England-Australia speed record in a Lockheed Altair, named Lady Southern Cross.

Using research and findings by Sir Charles' friend, Jack Hodder, in 1938 - and the work of the late aviation historian, Ted Wixted, in 1983 - Lay says he is certain he will find the remains of the plane close to Aye Island, in the Bay of Bengal.

Hodder first searched Aye Island after discovery of an Altair undercarriage wheel. His search of the island found tree damage consistent with an aircraft crash.

Wixted built on these findings, suspecting Sir Charles had clipped the treeline in the dark, before turning towards Myanmar. He felt that the aviator was then forced to ditch into one of Aye Island's bays.

"His 1983 search found something in the area, but he couldn't prove it was the remains of the Lady Southern Cross,'' Lay said.

"I've got no doubt he found it, but was let down by the technology and search techniques of the day.''

Lay will film his attempts for a documentary, The Lost Anzac.

 
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