History:

David Cecil Cross of Chatton, New Zealand, 24 years of age, described as a “technological experimenter”, in 1933 built a small monoplane of his own design on a farm at Chatton, north of Gore, NZ. He was one of seven children. It was a high-wing parasol design and was named ‘Ladybird’. Records indicated it was an aircraft with a large wing and tail surfaces, the airframe being constructed from local Southland beech cut and shaved to size. It was reported as then tacked together with beaten out benzene tin pieces to brace the airframe. Motorcycle wheels held it all up and doped material, painted aluminium, covered the outer surface.

On 7 February 1933 Mr Cross was offered £1 ($2) if he could fly his machine over the local Washpool Creek and took up the challenge, the aircraft making its first flight on 21 May 1933. To meet the challenge he took the aircraft to “a terraced smooth paddock by the Chatton – Otama Road”. The pilot’s plan was to gain speed along the flat land to gain enough speed to fly over the creek. However, it was soon airborne flying at a height of 91 m (300 ft). A landing was made but a wheel was removed by a post causing some damage to the undercarriage and the propeller. The Southland Times of 23 May reported it was initially equipped with a four-cylinder Henderson motor-cycle engine.

A JAP V-4 engine was then obtained. This had been imported by fellow aviator, Mr Pither of Invercargill, this engine having been built for aviation purposes. It was installed and a second flight was made on 23 May 1933, this flight lasting 15 minutes, the aircraft climbing to 46 m (150 ft).

On 8 July Mr Cross made six short flights and it was reported on 9 July 1933 he made four flights. On 10 July Mr Cross became ambitious and flew cross country at about 274 m (900 ft) for 13 km (eight miles) to view the Eastern Southland Hunt. However, the aircraft went into a spin and crashed. Mr Cross was seriously injured at Otamita [near Gore] where the aircraft made a forced landing in a turnip field after flying about 6.4 km (4 miles) ‘at a considerable altitude’.

Mr Cross then undertook flying lessons with the then Southland Aero Club at Myross Bush. He completed his A-licence in June 1934 and flew with the club until he turned 60 years of age. His aircraft was a total wreck and parts were recovered by the Southland Museum. The skeleton of the airframe has been placed on display at the Hokonui Aviation Heritage Museum at Croydon airfield at Mandeville. Mr Cross was prosecuted in the Gore Magistrate’s Court for flying without authority and pleaded guilty, being the first such conviction in New Zealand. Mr Cross died in Christchurch in 1984.