Built in 1925 for Australian arctic explorer George Hubert Wilkins as NC1985. Bought by Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm sans engines and instruments on 31 Oct 1927 for the first crossing of the Pacific by air in 1928 - still registered as NC1985. Re-registered G-AUSU on 04 Jul 1928. Re-registered VH-USU in January 1929 but lapsed 3 Jul 1929. Renewed on 16 Apr 1931. Used on various other record-breaking flights or more mundane duties, it was eventually sold to the Australian Government in July 1935. In 1958, it was put on display at the original Brisbane's Eagle Farm airport before being moved to the present site circa 1989.

The Southern Cross was made famous by Charles Kingsford Smith and his team. It later became VH-USU, but it is shown here preserved in Brisbane in this hangar with its original registration NC1985.

This was not the first time the Southern Cross had flown to New Zealand. The first time was 1928. Charles Kingsford Smith flew back there in 1933 to raise money by providing joy flights. He and the plane returned in 1934. While at Palmerston North in 1933 Southern Cross ran intro a ditch putting it out of the air for a month.

On the night of 19 March 1932, the day of the opening of the famous Sydney Harbour bridge, the Southern Cross took a load of passengers to view the illuminations on the bridge. Returning to Mascot - as it then was - the Southern Cross made a heavy landing and was badly damaged. The aircraft underwent extensive repairs before returning to the air.

The famous Southern Cross taking off from what was then Mascot Aerodrome.

Photo from Eva Scott.

Charles Kingsford Smith lands Southern Cross on two engines. Starboard engine shut down when the centre engine exhaust manifold struck the prop (damaged blade pointing down). Port engine then began to run out of oil as -USU headed back to Sydney. Navigator PG (Bill) Taylor climbed out on the struts five times to transfer oil from the dead right engine to the dying left. Taylor awarded George Cross for his bravery. Later pioneered oceanic air routes from Australia to Africa and South America. Smith killed in November 1935. Photo from: Hood Collection/State Library of New South Wales

Kingsford Smith's Southern Cross photographed in a hangar at an unconfirmed location, most likely at Oakland. In three epic flights spread over two years, Southern Cross and Kingsford Smith circumnavigated the globe over Australia. His trans-Pacific flight took off from Oakland in May 1928 and he returned there via London and New York in July 1930. Photographer unknown.

Southern Cross at an unknown location, presumably in California, shortly before starting its record flight from Oakland, CA to Australia. Later became G-AUSU, then VH-USU. Currently displayed at the Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial in Brisbane, painted in its original markings as seen here. Photographer unknown.