Southern Cross Replica First Display Flight After 12 Years

What a Beauty

We get to see a replica of the original Southern Cross, a monoplane that achieved the first trans-Pacific flight flying from mainland US to Australia.

The full-sized flying replica was built between 1980 to 1987 and is also known to be the world’s biggest replica aircraft. 

In 2002, the plane had a takeoff accident causing major structural damage. After 12 years of reconstruction by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), the plane finally became airworthy in 2023. 

This plane is definitely a beauty. We didn’t realize that it was an open cockpit. It’s also amazing to see it take off with the props spinning backward!