----- .. -_

1Vovember, 1957

T7olunie 29

Nz1111ber 2

Statups

for

Sale???

WE CAN BE OF SERVICE

TO YOU ! ! IRWIN HEIMAN

For more than a quarter of a Century, COLLECTORS, DEALERS, TRUST COMPANIES and EXECUTORS OF EST ATES have consulted us regarding the conversion of Philatelic Properties into cash.

IF YOU WAN·T TO SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION we can offer early dates and attractive terms. Expert supervis­ion of all material by an experienced Philatelic Auctioneer. Liberal advances pending sale. Comprehensive insurance and Holmes Electric Protection safeguards your property· while in our possession. Our Catalog distribution is world-wide.

OUR PRIVATE SALES SERVICE ... successfully places Collections, Stocks and Rarities where this method is preferred.

IMMEDIATE CASH IS WAITING .. . for the outright purchase of suitable material regardless of amount.

Our Advice, Backed by 30 Years Experience in the Stamp Trade, is at Your Disposal

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2 WEST 46th STREET

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TEL.: JU 2-2393

Philately at the Smithsonian The Smithsonian Institution's Divi­

sion of iPhilately and Postal History (formerly .the Division of Philately) experienced another successful year ending June 30, 1957. 71,928 speci­mens were added to the holdin:gs of the National Postage Stamp Collec­tion, bringing the total to 1,178,737.

There were 1418 individual acces~ sions during the year ending June 30, 1956. Of these, '13·8 were in the na.ture of outright gifts; ·111 represent­ed transfe:rs from other governmental agencies and one was a loan.

As in previous years, many mem­bers of the A.A.'M.S. were generous contributors. · We note, from a recent release the 1;1ames of Elmer R. Long, Robert W. 'Murch, Mrs. Helen Ross, Jeroone Hu­sak, Sol Whitman and Dominkk Fa­bian.

An outstanding newcomer to the list of donors• was iH. L. Lindquist, pulblisher of "Stamps" magazine and chaimnan of the National Federation of Stamp Cluibs. Mr. Lindquist pre­sented his collections of Danish and Swedish booklet panes, including many of great rarity.

John P. V. Heinmuller, former President of the A.A.M.S., presented a very fine collection of SwitzerLand early in the year and followed with a fine general .collection of Europe housed in a Schaulbek al!bum. In earlier years he had presented the Museum with collections of early Swiss isues, United States, Belgium and Belgian Congo.

Col. Glass presented deluxe proofs - many .:i.utographed by the engrav­ers - of France, French Colonies. This was his first donation of phila­telic specimens to the United States National :Museum.

The Philatelic Fund was enriched to the amount of $200 ib'y :Makolm MacGregor and the divison also re­ceived a quartz lamp and a Kimac viewer from hirrn.

NOVEMBER 1957

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STATEMENT

Of the ownership, management, etc., of the Airpost Journal, 9ublished month­ly at Albion, Penn'a, required by the Act of Congress of August 24, 1912.

Editor-Joseph L. Eisendrath, Jr., 350 North Deere Park Drive, Highland Park, III.

Business Manager-Grace Conrath, 1133 Kerry Lane, Erie, Pa.

Owner-The American Air Mail Socie­ty: John J. Smith, Ferndale & Emerson Sts., Philadelphia 11, Pa., President; Ruth T. Smith, Ferndale & Emerson Sts., Phila­delphia 11, Pa.; secretary-treasurer.

Known bondholders, mortgagees and other security holders, holding one per cent, or more of the total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities -..,. None.

GRACE CONRATH Business Manager

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 1st day of Novembe:'r. 1957.

Walter E. Johnson

(My commission expires 1st Mon. in Jan­uary, 1960)

PAGE 33

THE AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY

A Non-Profit Corporation .Incorporated 1944

Organized 1923 Under the Laws of Ohio

PRESIDENT John J. Smith

Ferndale & Emerson Sts. Philadelphia 11, Pa.

SECRETARY-TREASURER Ruth T. Smith

Ferndale & Emerson Sts. Philadelphia 11, Pa. SALES MANAGER Herman Kleinert 213 Virginia Ave.

Fullerton, Pa. VICE-PRESIDENTS

Bernard Davis Joseph L. Eisendrath, Jr.

Florence L. Kleinert Robert W. Murch

EDITOR - Other Publications L. B. Gatchell

ATTORNEY George D. Kingdom

DffiECTOR OF FOREIGN RELATIONS

Dr. Max Kronstein · AUCTION MANAGER

Samuel S. Goldsticker, Jr.

DffiECTORS Alton J. Blank

Samuel S. Goldsticker, Jr. Louise S. Hoffman

Ernest A. Kehr Dr. Southgate Leigh

Lester S. Manning Dr. Tomas Terry Earl S. Wellman

ADVANCE BULLETIN SERVICE Herbert Brandner 4038 Forest Ave. Brookfield, Ill.

MEMBERSHIP DUES $4.00 PER YEAR

Dues include subscription to THE AIRPOST JOURNAL. Ap­plicants must furnish two ref­erences, philatelic preferred. At least one must reside in Appli­cant's home town. Applicants under 21 years must be guar­anteed by Parent or Guardian. Membership may be terminated by the Society in accordance with its By-Laws. .

Correspondence concerning ad­vertising, subscriptions,· back numbers and bound volumes, address changes and other mat­ters and all remittances should be sent to the Business Mana­ger. All general editorial copy and communications should be

sent to the Editor.

PAGE 34

-rAe ~IBPOST r;.ra;,ovBNAL

Official Publication of the AMERICAN Am MAIL SOCIETl!

Volume 29 No. 2 Issue No. 331

CONTENTS . For November, 1957

Articles The "Rocketgram" .. ............................ 35 Lindy and the Kitten . . . ........... ........ ...... ... 39 Be Wise - Economize . . ... .. . .. . . . . . .. . . . .. ........ 40 First Period of Civilian Jet Airmail

Services . . . ........ .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Canadian Cross Country Flights . . . .. . . . . . . . 56 U. S. Governmem Operated Air Mail

Service ...................................... 61

Regular Features President's Corner . . . ...... ..... . . . .. .. . . ........ ..... 41 Official Section . . . . . . . ............ .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 42 Aero Postal Stationery Notes ..... , ............ 43 Airs of the Month ............... ... .. . . . ........ ....... 46 Overseas Notes ... . ...................... 53 A.A.M.S. Chapter News . . . . . . . .............. ....... 54 John Watson Reports from Australia . . . . 55 Tips by Julius . .. . . . ........ ..... ... ..... 59

EDITOR Joseph L. Eisendrath, Jr.

350 No. Deere Park Drive, Highland Park, m. ASSISTANT EDITORS

Robert W. Murch Ernest A. Kehr L. B. Gatchell

BUSINESS MANAGER Grace P. Conrath

1133 Kerry Lane, Erie, Pa. DEPARTMENT AND ASSOCIATE EDITORS

R. Lee Black, Alton J. Blank, Florence L. Klein­ert, Dr. Max Kronstein, Thomas J. O'Sullivan, Richard L. Singley, William R. Ware, Sol Whit­man, Julius 'Veiss, James Wotherspoon, John Watson, William T. Wynn, Frank Blumenthal

Pubiished monthly at Albion, Erie Co., Pa.,U.S.A. li:ntered as second-class matter at the Post Office

at Albion, Pa., February 10, 1932, under the Act of March 3, 1879.

The AIRPOST JOURNAL is not conducted for profit. The Editor, Business Manager, and all others serve without compensation. Receipts from advertising, subscriptions and contribu­tions are applied to the betterment of the magazine and the promotion· of aero-philately. The Editor and Officers of The American Air Mail Society assume no responsibility for the accuracy of statements made by contributors. Every effort is marle to insure correctness of

all articles. Subscription Rates: $4.00 per year, 35c per copy.

Advertising Rate Card available from Business Manager

THE AI·RlPOST JOURNIAL

THE "ROCKETGRAM" Bv Dr. Max Kronstein

• T.he term Rocketgram represents a message transmitted by a rocket. Ini­tially it was used on a rocket stamp in India; later it was limited to spe­cia'l lightweight rocket post station­ery in form of single Sheets or of postcard size.

Even the term expresses its mean­ing very rwell. It has never 'been used outside of India and the !Sikkim Pro­tectorate.

I. The Rocket-Gram Stamps and t·he Rocket-Gram Cachet

The term Rocketgrarrn rwas used for the first ,time in India on March 23, ,i,g3.5 as part of the inscription of the 3 sh (2 Rs) rocket stamp and as a part of the inscription of the cancel­fation of the rocket mail of ,the ''Roy­al Silver .Jubilee Firing" by two rockets, each carrying 100 .covers.

These covers showed a :blue and yellow rocket stamp inscrilbed with the text "Rocketgram - India - Royal Silver .Jubilee," showing the image of King Geovge V and Qu,een Alex­andra.

The cancellation of this stamp ·was "Royal Silver Jubilee - 1910 - 1935 -Rocketgram."

The covevs had the post:al cancel­lation of Diamond Haribor, 23. Mar. 35.

1Since the same stamp design .was used soon afterwards for the 3 sh ~2 Rs) Rocket stamps of the first group of authorized rocket post ex­per1ments in the Sikkim Protectomte, it exists ,with various overprints .for these experiments. These are: a) PROOFS: in ibl&ck on white with

red overprint ''ROCK.Efl'GR!AM -SIKKIM". .

b) Indian rocket stamp of :March 23. 1'93·5 in the original colors over­printed "Rocket !Mail Ex,periments - .by Sancti-Oll - Sikim Dm1bar" (2000)

c) Same design, 1but printed in red '011 white with 'black overprint <2000)

NOVElV.IBER, rn57

d) Same design in green on white rwith 'black overprint (2"000)

e) From the stamp d) 100 were changed inrto stamps for a rocket parcel transportation 1by crossing the word "·MAIL" out and inscrib­ing :by hand "PARCEL". Each '<>f these 1'00 stamps is haIJJd ntUmlbered and initialled .by the experimenter. ·Besides these stamps two rocket

post cards also :were prepare'a in Sik­kim showing an imprint of the same stamp design, one having a bluish­green paper (later listed as blue) with the stamp design over.printed in red with 'the same .words as listed under b). 410 of these cards were flown. The other card was on a gold colored paper with the stamp overprinted in red (Flown 38'8J.

These cards were imprinted "ROCKETGRAM CARD - S:IKKIIM" and overprinted "ON SIKKIM DAR­BAR S'ERVICE'', indicating ,1Jhey were used in offidal service without requiring any postage stamps besides the rocket stamp.

SinJce both these cards were used in rockets started by the. Maharajah of Sikkim, they bear :his· facsimile autograph also.

These two rQcketgrarm cards repre­sent the first application of the word to stationery. When it was used later for stationery alone, the additon of t..li.e rw·ord ".card" w.as never used again and no later rocket stamp ever has carried the word "rocketgram".

II. . The Rocketgram Stationery. It is noted that no later rocketgram

stationery-after the. two Sikkim cards - s'howed any imprinted rocket stamp or imprinted postage stamps, even though there exist a few proofs of such an imprint on the rocketgram for the R. No. 66 !Parcel rocket.

Following is a listing of the exist­ing rocketgrarm stationery after the Sikkim developments:

A. 1935,· .June 6, INDIA. Two Re­lief Parcel Rocket Firings on beha1f

PAGE 3•5

Gold Sikkim Card Autographed ·by Maharaja, April 8, 1935

of the Quetta Earthquake Relief Fund with two thin paper sheet rdck­etgram sheets, imprinted "ROCK:ET­GRAM - BY - ROCKET - PARCEL -DESPATCH" and on reverse side "Contents of Rocket Despatch". Pos­tal cancellation: Ko1ghat - 6 Jn. 1935.

A-1: R. No. 60. 150 rocketgrams (on White paper) - 2 rttiPee rocket stamp: "Quetta Earthquake Relief". Cachet: "R. No. 60 - over river -Roopnarain, Kolaighat''

A-2: 1R No. 6:1: HO rocketgooms Con yell!ow ipaper) - 2 rupee rocket stamp with Red Cross Over,print Cachet: "R. No. ·61-over river - Roopnaram -Kolaghat".

B. 19.35, June 29. Rocketgrams for 2 rocket despatches over .the river Damoodar. (Cancellation of Dampur, 2·9. Jan. 3·5). On reverse side listing the rocket content.

B .. 1: H. No. 65: 11819 thin rocket­gram sheets: "Rocketgram - By Rock­et - LIVE STOOK [)ESPATCH - over river Damoodar" - :2 Rupees "R. No. 65 Live Stock" rocketstamp. Rectian.g­ular cachet: ' ~By Rocket - Dav.id Ezra - R. No. 65 - Livestock".

B-2: R. No. 66: 1160 thin rocket­gram sheets "Rocketgram - By Rock­et Parcel Despatch - over the river

PAGE 316

Damoodar". - 2 Rupees ''R. No. 66" rocket stamp. Oval cachet: "R. No. 66 - Parcel".

B-2-.a: same: There exist a few "proofs" of this rocketgram with im­printed brown rocket stamp iwilbhout the number of the rocket as .part of the stamp.

C .193·5. Sept. 27 -to Oct~ber 4. SIKKIM: A Sikkim Rocketgr.am iwas issued for use at 7 starts in Sikkim Protectorate (•5% x 4lh inches): Im­print: "SIKK.IlM - ROCKETGRAJM -BY ROCKET -on White paper. On re­verse, space for the "Content of Rock­et". tEach sheet carried the 2 Rs Sik­kim Rocket stamps, issued in differ­en t colors and with overprints, and had special cachets and postal Sik­kim postal cancellations.

C-1 / C-7: Uses of the Sikkim Rock­etgram (1) ' ~R. 83-1My Ona" (190)-2) ' ~R. '84 - Livestock" (1'5.5)-3) "Com­mander Norcock - R. ·85" (170)-4) "Orion - R. 86" <2<00) -15 "Jernng R. 87" (2'00)-'6) ''C:hum'bi - R. 88 Par­cel" (1'60)-7) "R. 8-9" C137).

D. 1937, llVIay li2. The CORONA­'DION ROCKE'DGRMVI~ Con white postal card paper, on ithe occasion of the CoroD1ation of King Geor:ge VI

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

and Queen Elizabeth. Reverse side: "We rejoice in sending ·by this rocket service, a messaige wishing long life and happiness to their Imperial !Ma­jesties, The King and Queen on this occasion of .their Coron:ation, May 1'2th, 1937 -God Save the King and Queen".

D-1: "By Coronation 'Rocket No. P. IX" (200) with red and Mue Rs I/­rocket stamp.

D-·2: "Bv Coronation Rocket No. 141" (350) ~ith pur.pJe and red stamp, both bearing the imaige of the King and Queen.

.E. 1937, September 22. I. Type of the "ROCKETGRAM - INDIAJN Ai!:R­WAYS" issues: On white .postal-card paper (5 7/16 x 3 711'6 in.). Issued for 2 experimental rocket train starts at 1Behala. On reverse imprinted "Rocket Train No ... l•st !Parcel van ... , 2nd. passeinger saloon ... 3. Din-ing Car ... , 4th Mail Van ... " iwith space for content.

E-1: 300 flown at I. Rocket train experiment. wiih 1st rocket stamp: "Pilot "Eric Syn". Cachet" Carried 1by the "ERIC - CYN" - Pilot Rocket Train-1Behala 212/9/37". Postal can­cell:ation: Calcutta 22. Sep. 37.

E-2: 300 flown by Riocket train "ilieribert E. Ba11ber" with 1 sh rocket stamp without ove:f.print. Cachet "Carried by the World's First Rocket Trai'.llJ - Behala - 2·2nd September 1<937 ." Calcutta Cancellation of 22. S-ep. 37.

E-3: 81 flown by rocket No. •162 on April 25, 193·8 ('Reverse not filled in.) Rectangular label "Carried !by Rocket No. 162 - "Miss Fortune". Blue oval cachet: Rocket - Garia -25th April - Experiment". Cancella­tion: Calcutta, 25 April 193•8.

E-4 :81 f1own by rocket No. 1'63 -"T. Kimball" on April 215, HJ3•8 -with green Ja•bel: "Carried 1by Rocket No. 163 - "T. Kimball". One line cachet: 'IBQOiMERAJNG". Same oval blue ca­chet as E-3 . .Postal cancellation: Cal­cutta, 25. April 38.

E~5: 102 flown by rocket No. 164 ".Marianne Kronstein" on June 26, 1'938, with 4 lines .green la<bel "Tesf

NOVEMBER, 19517

Firing - Rocket Despatch - by rocket No. 164 - "Marianne Kronstein" and cachets: "Ali.pore" and "·Rocketgram­Stephcn Smith Rocket". Oancell. Cal­cutta.

F. 1937, October 11. THtIN PAPER ISSUE: "ROCKETGRAIM-SY ROCK­ET .... "(for Number ·of rocket) Re­verse space marked "CONTENTS OF ROCKET" (8 lines).

·F-1: 170 flown, (num:bered) wiith 6 line cachet "CARRiIEiD iby the "BOO­·MERANG" - Late "Eric Syn" -Firs·t LUK:E Boomerang Rocket - Alipore, Oct. !11th 19.37 - !Missive No ... Auto­graphed, and no postal cancellation.

F'-2 102 fl<own (not numbered) 1by rocket No. 16-5 "Gertrude Collins" on June 26, 1938 with red la<bel: "By Rocket No. 165 - "Ge:ntrude Collins"­T€-st Firing", circular cachet: "Rock­etgram - 1Stephen Smith - Rocket" and postal cancellation, Calcutta, 26. Jun. 38.

(At another start No. 1'66 and on 3 following s1m-ts of July 24, 1'93·8 small sheets were used without rock­etgram imprints and were marked in red by the circular cachet: "Rock­etgram - Stephen Smith Rocket").

G. 1938, December 25. H. ISSUE OF THiE "ROCKETGRAM - IiNDlAiN" AIRWAYS": Thinner paper size. 6 11·6 x 3 5/8 in. No imprint on the re­verse side.

G-1: 150 flOJWn in the rocket!; No. 189 "Martha 'Paganini" on Dec. 25, 11938 wit'.1 yellow label "Carried iby -E:xiperimental Rocket - "!Martha Pag­anini" - No. 18·9. Red .cachet: "Peace on Earth - Goodwill to All" and "X­mas Relief - Dec. '25th", circular ca­cihet hand inscribed "11819". Postal can­ceUation ·of Calcutta, 25· Dec. 38.

G-2: 91 fle>wn on Sept. rn. 1939 in the I. War-time, rocket "The Liar # 2G7", with red la·bel: "Carried iby War Rocket" The Lfar" No. 207" and a ca­chet" Au Revoir." Circular cachet: "Stephen Smith Rocket" a:nd "2·07". No postal stamp, but postal cancella­Uon of Calcutta, 119 1Sep. 39.

G-3: 81 flown on Sep. 19. 1'93·9 in the II .. war time rocket "Grog-Nee-

PAGE 37'

Card Flown May 12, 1937, with Special Rocket Despatch Stamp

Gin No. 208' w1th red l:aibel "Carried 'by W.ar Rocket "GROG~NEE-GIN -No 208". Otherwise as G-2.

G-4 to G-a 11940, June 25 to 19-41, Sept. 26. ·S. R. Smith listed in the first edition of his Rock·et Mail Cat ­alogue eight more War Rocket flights mentioning the Indian Rocketgraims at lea·st in two of tbem and iRocket­gr.am in general in two others. This author has not seen these items.

G b to G-x 1941, Sept. 27 to 1944, Oct. 3·0. Th i.s is a period about which we do not have any reports of Indian Rocket activities.

G - x - 1 1944, Oct. 31. 28 Indian rocketgrams were flown in the C. A. P. No. l. These rocketgrams :bear a

black on · red laibel (.square 114 in.

dia.), showing the. ~:n~ber ·of the rocketgram. (218 flown) . ·cachet "Com­

pressed - Air - Projectile - "Sub Si­

lentio" No. 1 - Oct. ·31st. 44 - Cal­

cutta" and a second cachet "Sub Si­

lentio - Per Mare, Per Terras - Pro

Rege, Lege, et Grege." The circular

cachet ' 'Stephen Smith Rocket" is in­

scri'bed "C.A.P. No. l" and each sheet

is autographed ".Stephen H. Smith -

Oct. 31th 1944 -x2'8'', showing the

'PAGE 3-3

number of the rocketgr.am.

G-x-2, 1'944, Dec. 4. 68 Indian rocketigrams were flown by another Compressed Air iProjectile "Dima­pur" . These have a circular blue ca­chet "Carried 1by DIM.AJPUR - Com­pressed _.t\..ir .Projectile" (with descrip­tive text in center) and have a se.cond descriptive ca1chet. Th,e date is enter­ed ,by a re:i cachet "4 DEC 1944" and the rocketgram is autographed and hand numbered.

G-x-3, 1-944, Dec. 4 78 Indian rocketgrauns flown by the rocket KO­Hr.J.VIA, have .a similar circular ca1chet

"Carried by KOHIM..A Gas Propelled

Projectile" and the s ame red date ca­

chet '~4 DEC 194·4" and the same de­

scriptive cachet. They, too, are au­

tographed and hand numbered.

After tha·t we do not have any

other Ro.::ketgrams in India.

USED FOREIGN AIRMAILS - USED SETS, SINGLES, COVERS. NEW ISSUE AND WANT LIST SERVICE.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

GEORGE HERZOG INC. ~ 68 Nassau ~t., New York City 38 W

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

As decades pass, famous events take on legendary aspects. From Lindbergh's famous non-stop fli.ght , New Y.ork to !Paris , persists the leg­end that a friendly little kitten rwas Lindy's mascot on the flight to fame . Somehow a Spanish stamp designer learned of the story of the kitten iand the 19.3-0 Lindlbergh air mail stamp of Spain depicts a kitten sitting in the corner watching the '.Spirit of St. Louis' climbing skyward.

Recently bro.ug:ht to light from the obscure file of early Lind!ber;gh pho­tos is that illustrated showing Lindy patting a furry !kitten 1crouohed on the tail assembly of the 'Spirit of St. Louis', then under construction at the Ryan Aircraft plant in San Diego. This is perhaps the dosest that this feline ever .got to -Paris, 1but the leg­end persists. The Spanish stamp has a ;pleasing desi•gn, :and undoubtedly descendants of the famous cat still sit around San Diego aircraft plants watohing the jets go lby.

-Robert W. Murch

NOVEMBER, 1·957

SALVADOR SURCHARGES AIR STAMPS

Rafael Alexander, specialist in air,. mails and stamps of El Salvador, re­ports that a decree No. 19-86, from the National PalJace, dated September 16th, authorizes the surcharging of 2,000,000 stamps of 7 centavos de­nomination, for use as a 6 centavos va1ue.

The work will -be done at the Na­tional Bureau of Engraving 'by ia

single "6" on the center · of each stamp. The stamps to be surcharged (Scott's numbers) are as follows: 1,000,000 stamps of 7 centavos #·68~ 900,000 stamps of 7 1centavos #6·83

·50,000 .stamps of 7 centavos # 664 and

50,000 stamp.s of 7 centavos # -66·5

?iA;GE 3'9

BE WISE - ECONOMIZE - BUY AT AUCTION Bv G. F. Lancaster

Economy is a worthw!hile su'bject, although sometimes it is preached too much.

·Ever try economy in purchasing materfal for your collection? We iim­agine you have, since many collect­ors do a lot of shopping around to look for "bargains", and many times they are successful. However, when it 1comes to locating individual items in the cover line you filways seem to run into trouble. 'Thousands of stamp dealers in the United States do not !bother too much with covers except for First '.Day items, ·since .they usu­ally do not bcave the time or inclina­tion to do the necessary catalogiue work involved. This leaves the auc­tions as your 'best source of material.

The lar.ge auction houses, such as H. R. Harmer, Inc., IDWin Heilnan, Fred Kessler •always have cover lots, but usually only list .the high-priced items individually. Lower priced ma­terial is usually combined into larger lots. This is necessary from their standpoint, since their expenses are high and they must .get a :fiairly high return for each lot in order to show a profit for the sale. One drawiback for the smaller ·collector in this re­spect is that a cover lot may hiave as many as 200 covers in it, and you may only be a<ble to use around .10 to 20 for your collection. You cannot then economize 1by !buying such ,a lot, and usually have to let it go by. How­ever, the higher priced individual items you may be able to purchase at auction .for reasonable iamounts and for this reason alone Y'OU should check auction lists.

There are smaller auctions too, and it is from auction lists of these small­er sales that you •can secure many usable items. Have you ever taken the time to really check over the <A. AM.S. aootions and send in . your bids? Only recently we talked to our aoction manager, wlio says that the next A.AMS .sale will appear sportly in the Air,posf Journal. In the :past

PAGE 40

there have been many exceptional buys in the A.A .. M.S. auctions, and this may ibe your opportunity to econ­omize on your cover purchases. Un­fortunately the A.A.M:S. auctions usually are held only once a year, but there are other small sales when you can also find material such as the First Flight Federation sales, the Jack Knight yearly sale, and the sales of Har-Lo Sales Co. All these sales specialize in covers as rwell as stamps, and you may find many of the items you are after. You can, in many in­stances, ibuy the items in at or under your ibid .price and save iboth money •and time which you normally would spend looking for such material \Most all sales are run in similar fashion, and the material is purchased for you at the lowest possilble amount. If you have not yet done any bidding by mail, you need not be afraid to try it. You see, we're ri.ght when rwe say

"Be rwise, economize; :buy at auction."

AIR LETTER SHEETS and Aero Stationery

Valuable and beautiful collection of 512 pieces, nearly all different, including U. s. reverse cut error, rare Burma I R George V air en­velope, Israel No. 1-3, rare Aden No. 2, Vatican No. 1-3, Austria bal­loon-post, Tunis air postals and dozens of scarce "sleepers", Retail value of individual items at least: $500.

(would be difficult if not im­possible to duplicate)

$150.

EMMETT PETER Jr. P.O. Box 553 Leesburg, Fla.

'I1HIE AHllPOST JOURN~

By John J. Smith

• I wish to express my ·sincere thanks ifor the confi­

dence you have sho-vvn 'by electing me as your Pres·ident for the next two years. It will be quite a job to follow the footsteps of my -predecessors iWho have done so mu:oh for the .growth and prestige of the Society. I can only do my best.

I want to impress upon tihe membership that the American Air .Mail Society is YOUR society. What your Officers, Directors and Committees do is for you and for your benefit.

From time to time we enclose a questionnaire with the Akipost Journal to get information on how to better .conduct certain phases of the society. Many members do not reply, probably thinking it unimportant! It IS im­portant, for we are trying to find out how we can do a !better jdb. So, iPlease return these whenever iwe a·sk in the future.

Attend AAMS ·conventions! This is the way no meet your officer·s and to 'become friends rwith -other members. These ·conventions 1are planned for your benefit and enjoyment. It is at convention time, during our !business sesssions, that you can speak up, or suggest, or gripe! If you remain silent your officers have no way of 1knowing if you are iplea·sed with your society. We are always willing to listen to anyone who wishes to be heard.

We have many jobs from time to time that must 1be done and we need JWorkers. It is su:riprising ihow few people are willing to do a jdb even if a·sked. Naturally, they must be .asked, !but we can't pick you out of a hat, so to speak. Remember that your officers do not ialrwa·ys krrorw you, !but you undouibtedly have seen their faces in the APJ 1and may know them by sight. Don't say later on that you were "snubbed" or "given the cold shoulder." You must introduce yourself! Join in and get to know us. IMany, new mem­bers attended the "get-together" during our recent convention . .and I am cer­tain that you would •get only the 'best reports from them concerning their "acceptance". Husbands and wives a;re welcome even though not 'both 1are members. Bring your friends to conventions - maybe they will iget the lbug. It seems that just about the same people attend eadh year and I certainly hope that more members will join us in the future.

Take adV1antage of the many Society services. Herman Kleinert has c!rone a fine job in re-organizing the Sales Department - support it! Don't eXJpect terrific baflg.ains if you are 1buying, but then don't set unrealistk :prices if you are •selling. This is a society project, for the good of all, and we should try to make Herman's effort rworthiwhile.

From time to time we conduct society auctions and Auction Manager Saim Goldsticker is in need of material for future sal-es. Also, Herbert :Brand­ner of Chicago has agreed to provide Advance Bulletin Service and we expect great stTides forward here.

The major projects of the Society are its :puiblications - The Airposit · Journal and the various catalogues. I am appointing •a Pub1ications Com ....

NOVIEMBBR, 1'957 PAGE 41

mittee made up of :Mrs. Grace P. Conrath, L. B. Gatchell, Robert W. (Muvch, Joseph iL. Eisendratib. Jr., rwith George D. Kmgd<Jllil as Chairman. Each is presently connected 1With our publkation program. They <Will lbe ohavged with setting up and carrying out our entire pulblication program, including policies and financing.

We are trying OUR .BEST to give YOU the BEST. Let's have Y'OUr fullest co-operation, too. We need your ideas, •gripes, iwhathaveyou! It is YOUR Society and we want you to feel your membership is in all ways worthwhile.

OFFICIAL S~CTION AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY

MONTHLY REPORT . From the Secretary Ru:th T. Smi:th, Ferndale &: Emerson, Philadelphia 11, Pa.

NOVEMBER 1st, 1957 NEW MEMBERS

4435 Winchell, Charles L., 17 Kent Avenue, Pittsfield, Mass. 44:313 Lloyd, Arthur E., Apt. al-A, Sayre Court, Madison, N. J".

4437 Cox, George N., 137 Park Avenue, Bay Head, N. J". 4438 D'Elia, (Dr.) Rudolph. 17084 Winchester Avenue, Hazel Crest, Ill. 4439 Larson, Arnold, Route No. l, Twisp. Wash.

NEW APPLICATIONS ·Wenk, Dan J"., 734 Holly Place, West Covina, Calif. Age 38. Salesman.

HC FF Z lD by Ruth T. Smith Clark, W. Brant, 1151 Roycott Way, San J"ose 25, Calif. Age 51. College Prof.

AM AU PC HC by Walter R. Anderson Sleyzak, Steve M. Sr., 2423 Blott st .. S. E., Warren, Ohio. Age 30. Police:

AU FF GF CAM FAM OF DC lD EX by Herman Kleinert McVinnie, Thomas P., 63 Allen Street, J"ohnson City, N. Y. Age 50. USAF Insp.

AM AU FF GF CAM FAM RP CC OF Z lD APS EX by Grace Conrath Steig, Michael, 51 Hamilton Place, New York 31, N. Y. Age 47. Manager.

Z EX by Ruth T. Smith Trowles, V. A., 11 St. David St., Toronto 2, Ontario. Age 65. Retired.

AM AU EX by Ruth T. Smith REINSTATEMENTS

1473 Epps, William P., Sr., P. 0. Box 403, Flushing, N. Y. NEW LIFE MEMBER

L-85 Wood, Miss F. Marion, 37 Estherwood Avenue, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y. NEW ADDRESSES

Griffith, Carleton, 6602 E. Broadway, Tucson, Ariz. Wellman, Fred L., Box 546, Flanagan, Ill. Schweier, J"ames T., 1410 NE 42nd St., Pompano Beach, Fla. Kapp, Albert A., 1217 Normandy Dr., Apt. 2, Miami Beach, Fla. Grundy, David M., 631 Laughlin Hall, Princeton, N. J., Bennett, Matthew, 3628 Columbus Drive, Baltimore 15, Md. Smith, Oliver W. R., 2335 1/2 Dartmouth Ave., No., St. Petersburg, Fla. Ehrlich, Milton, 34-15 31st Ave., Long Island City 6, N. Y. Beauregard, Burton P., Rte. 2, Box 552, Pleasure Ridge Park, Ky. Novak, Otto J., 3641 E. 113th St., Cleveland 5, Ohio Fellers, Robert E., 2900 Connecticut Ave., NW, Apt. 130, Washington 8, n, C. Bliss, Gerald D., 854 Orange Grove, San Francisco, Calif. · Elmgren, H. 0., Box 301, Station "Q", Toronto 7, Ontario Reader, Alfred, 4644 W. 63rd st., Los Angeles 43, Calif. Krepski, J"ohn, 147 Maple Parkway, Staten Island 3, N. Y. Nouss, Henry 0., Box 2775, Hamiltoii Station, Pompano Beach, Fla. Keusch, R. B., BOx 21, Groesbeck Station, Cincinnati 39, . Ohio

PAGE 42 THlE A:IRPOST JOUR!N"AL

= = :;;- m .. & =A~E-eR•0 zm ;..:::_ -=~

POSTAL STATIONERY NOTES

By SOL WHITMAN 1462 Taylor Ave., Bronx 60, N. Y.

UNITED ST ATES Thanks to Julius Weiss, we hav

seen two .privately printed air Jette forms ·on .'blue and yellow paper. These fomns were prjnted iby perr­IJ:J.older #15, in red and lblue ink. Oc.· front and 1back of the sheets are thEc words "Aerograimme - .Par Avfon". In one line underneath in small iy are the instructions "Phi1ateUc Mail Please Cancel Carefully". On the :bot tom is "Authorized <for mailing as iAir Letter, P. O. permit #15." On t second line ibetween 14-inch quads are the wurds, "Air Leiter - Via Air Mail."

These forms are folded like Govern­ment printed sheets e~cept that the sealing flap is at the bottom .. These f()rms were printed by the Meter Di­gest of Illinois.

We ·have recently seen the current L. S. #4 sheet with a .'broken left leg of the letter "A" in the words AIR LETTER. The left leg is completely missing. CANADA

The air letter planned for the U. P. U. Conference was not issued. For lack of suitable material, the sheets could not be destgned. CEYLON

On August 1st the new 20c local sheet was issued. The impres8ed stamp is the same des1gn as the cur­rent 40•c sheet #LS 8. The impresser! stamp and all other printing is in blue ink on griay paper. Three lines of instructions ·on the reverse of sheet read "An Aerograirnme Should Not Contain any I Endosure; J,f it does it will lbe Su:rchal'.ged ·I ol'. sent iby ovdinary mail."

NOVEMBER, 1957

• DENMARK A new 60 Ore sheet has been is­

suerl in an entirely new format, 1ihe same as currently being used in the Netherlands. This has three sealing flaps and measures 3 7 /.8 by '5 7 /8 inches folded. All printing is in blue on 'blue unwatermarked paper. The usual Post Office Triangle remains in the lower left corner and numeral is now 16. FIJI

The 3d. Queen .Elizalbeth sheet for­merly issued on 1gray paper has now been seen •on iblue unwatermarked paper, with the stamp in iblue.

'The Crown ·A!gents in London re­ports another 3d. sheet has ibeen or­dered for Fiji in the same design as the current 7d. Color will be green. GHANA

Correspondence from ·the Crown A·gents dated August 22nd, informs us that the ·LONIDON Printings of the overprinted Ghana airletters are on their way to Accra.

All aerogrammes sold ·and used J.n Ghana up to the end of August were of the LOCAL overprints. As men­tioned previously, some varities with heavier inking made them seem dif-ferent. GREAT BRITAIN

Two new sheets were issued on Septemlber 12':tltl The des~gn of tl!he stamp shows: Portrait of Queen Eliza­beth on the right, the tower of B1g Ben in the center, and the Palace of Westminster as seen from the river on the left.

The stamp of the second sheet has an additional overprint at the upper left - "46th Parliamentary Confer-

PAGE 43

ence." The overprinted sheet was withdrawn from sale on October 13th. The sheet without the overprint re­p1aces the .current Coronation type sheet. The new airletters were print­ed ·by iMcCorquodale & Co., 'Ltd.

The new Parliamentary Aero­gramme issued on September 12th was printed by lMcCorquodale & Co. Ltd. of London. Air Letters mailed rat the Parliamentary Conference re­ceived the special Pictorial Cancella­tion. Our thanks to Messrs. Auck­land, Burney, & Robbs.

ISRAEL

The new 150 and 250 Pruta sheets were issued on August 18th, and were printed on white with overlay as be­fore.

The 15·0 pruta form with the Fly­ing Stag is brown on a light brown over1ay. The 250 pruta is .green on a Hght ,gray overlay. The post office emblem of the ·Flying Sta•g in oval, formerly on the !bottom is now on the sealing flap.

NIGERIA A new 2nd sheet for local use has

been reported.

PAKISTAN The new 8 Anna Air Letter, printed

entirely in ·blue on 1blue paper, is the same style as 1:he last 6 Anna green sheet. It was issued on August 14th. The new 6 Anna sheet was issued on August 14th.

The differences of the modified 6 ar..na sheet are: ALthe upper left corner of the Sheet; appears "HY AIR MAIL" in white on a .. green back­ground to repla,ce the former trans­port p1ane. The value 1JaJblet is now at the upper rigiht o:f. the impressed stamp, with a larger numeral 6. A dark green overlay is on .gray un­wate:rmanked pa·per. The 8 Anna sheet is the same but is printed in 1blue on a blue overall paper.

Two new sheets will depict a cem­ent works. More information on these when availalble.

PAGE 44

SOMALILAND

The former 50 cent forms have been reissued with a new rate of ·6D cent. The style and color of the new sheets are exactly as #L.S.1. SOUTHERN RHODESIA

Eight new sheets are planned to advertise the tourist trade. Wild an­·imals and colorful scenes will lbe used. In years .past Mozambique has issued such a series for advertising purposes.

Sincere thanks for notes and com­ments go to the Crown Agents of London; Gim1bel's Stamp Department in New York, Messrs Guthrie, Lava, Singley, and Weiss.

ABOUT OUR COVER

These gentlemen, at the time this photo was taken, were prdbably the only father and son combination pil­·oting for the airlines. The rphoro, taken by United Air Lines about 1948 or 1949, shows E. Hamilton Lee and his son, Robert E. Lee. Ham was a United captain on the Los Angeles to San Francisco run ·and Bob was then on the New York-Chioago route.

Ham Lee's name was v~ry familiar to airmail collectors. He flew from 1913 to 1'949, and in that time, had logged 271811 hours in the air, cover­in!! well over 4A"".OOO miles. Now retired, ·and 65, he devotes his time to real estate holdings in Los Angeles, California. His name appeared as pUot on many early .governmental first flights and on many of the or­iginal contract air mail first flights. By World War I, he had 200 hours in the air and was a vetenan barn­stormer. Then he became an army instructor in Texas, and after the war barnstormed again. The govern­ment !hired Mm to carry the mail on tre New York~Washington route in 1919, 1and he stayed with the rpost of­fi1:!e until July, 19.27, when he joined Boeing Air 'Transport, United's par­ent company. When he retired he was the senior pilot of United.

TH'E A:IRPOST JOURNAL

"AUTOGRAPHED"

SPECIAL FLIGHT COVERS of the

"40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST AIRMAJL

WITHIN SOUTH AUSTRALIA"

(23rd November, 1957) Mailed direct to your address for only

( $1.00) ~

Covers carried on the Firet Airmail within South Australia (from Adelaide to Gawler) in 1917 cost the sender 3 cents. These covers are now worth more than $450.00 each.

Mr. Graham Carey, who piloted the original flight which carried the first airmail within South Australia, is now more than 82 years of age. He will he a passenger on this "Official Flight" which will he flown over the same route as the one in 1917. Mr. Carey has agreed to autograph a limited number of these special "official" covers for which orders are now being accepted at ONE DOI,LAR each .. Covers without the autograph will he mailed to collectors for 60 cents each.

Members of the "Wesley Cover Service" who have sufficient funds available here will receive one of these "official" Special Flight Covers.

COLLECTORS are invited to join and have their names . added to our mailing list by supplying a deposit of not less than TWO DOLLARS from which we will supply and service FDC of future issues of Australia and her territories. Dollar Bills, Personal Cheques, Bank Drafts and Money Orders are accepted.

DUE SHORTLY

AROUND THE WORLD SERVICES. FDC new 21. airmail stamp.

MT. KOSCIUSKO. ("Roof of Australia"). Special Pictorial Postmark.

WESLEY COVER SERVICE 5621564 Military Road Largs North, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

·.

NOVEMBER, 1'957 PAGE 45

Airs of the Month • Described and Illustrated through courtesy of Nicolas Sanabria Co., Inc.

521 Fifth Avenue. New York 17. N. Y.

ARUENTIN1E TOURIST CONGRESS 1s pUJhliciz­

ed by two volumes released Sept. 14. lP brown shows Globe, Windrose & Flaig; 2'P /blue, "Tourism" Key. Print­ing 3,000,000 each. (Nos. 80-81)

A 60c gray shawing a modern en­gine was released on Awg. 311 to com­memorate centenary of A.Iigentinan Railways.

AUSTRALIA The new 7d '"Flymg Doctor," !blue

in .color, iwas released on Auguist 21. The design pictures a winged cadu­ceus, the sthadow of Which is project­ed upon a map of Australia to fu.rm the outline of an aivplane. The rote combines postage and air mail charges :fior •a standard lh oz. letter to places in Australia and Australian territories. <No. 2•5)

COLOMBIA A 1 Oc greenish. gray portrays and

honor Jose Matias Delgado, tfather of the independence of El Salvador. The stamp w.as heliogravured at .ttb.e State Printing Works of V1erma. <No. 37"6)

PAGE 46

CUBA An ·oversized green adlhesi ve por­

tr.ays the beautiful new Justice Pal­ace recently ·com•pleted. Printing 100,000. Issued Sept. 2. (!No. 188)

John Robert Greg.g, the American inventor of Gregg Shorthand is com­memorated by a 12c dar.k green is­sued on Oct. 1. J>rinting, 15;00,000. <No. 189)

ECUADOR

Gabrie1a Mistral, famous Ohiilean poetess •anid woman oi letters,. is por­ttayed on a 2'8 /blue, black & red ad­hesive, released Septern.lber 20th. The destgn is moderni-st1c iby the artist Reyes Hens. Helio iby Thomas de La Rue of London. <No. 3,g,5) IRELAND

The 1'8'01:Jh anniversary of the birth of William BrOIWil, founder of the

A.Iigentine Navy is commemorated 'by a !ls3p red air rate stamp, released on Septemlber 2·3rd. No. '8)

MEXICO A 50c green and gold and a lP blue

·and bronze commemorate centenary

THE AI:RPOST .J.OURNtAL

of Constitution. · Released on August 31st. (Nos. 295-296)

PERU ·The French Exhtbi ti on at Lima is

commemorated lby a set ·of four rwith an emission of 3,000,000 each.

40c ·green, ,brown violet & blue: Arms Of Lima & Bordeaux. •50c green, brown violet & B1a.ck: Eiffel Tower & Lima Cathedral. l.215s 'blue & indigo: Adm. Thouars & his ship. 2.2-0S blue & brown violet: Exihibi­iion 1Palace and ·portraits of Frendh & Peruvian Presidents.

. First three' values :appeared Sept. lr6; last, Sept. 24. (.Nos. 124-1.27)

ISRAEi~ NEW ISSUE ,SERVICE

Mint Singles and Positions

First Day Covers

Maximum Cards FDC w/Tabs

First Flights

Special Cancellations

Post Office Openings

Postal Stationery

Aerogrammes

WALTER R. GUTHRIE SEA CLIFF NEW YORK

NOVIEMBER, 1957

SOMALI COAST

Putblicizing four1Jh Somalian Fair and i:nscrd1bed Cinematographic Festi­val, two values were released: 60c br1own & blue: Irrigation Cana11. l.2rQS red & !black; Oil Derrick. mos. 35-36)

SPANISH GUl·NEA

Commemorating the XXX .anniver­sary of ATILANTI.DA Ecadrile fligiht a 25P OC'hre and b1aok rwas released on Sept. 1.9. It .depicts pranes in flight and a strong man's arm rwith part Of a spear. Issue 1500;000. (No . 21)

SYRIA

To publicize Fourth International Fair at Daimascus a set of five values has been released. The t215P maroon and 70P olive represent commerce and industry; the 30.P lbrQWn & 4(}P ·green, famning and 3•51P 1blue, ipro­<:essing of farm products. (No. 3'80-384)

BOOK REVIEW BALLOONS TO JETS, A CENTURY

OF AERONAUTICS IN ILLINOIS,

by Howard L . Scamehorn, puhlish­ed by Henry Regnery Company, Chicago, 1957, 271 pa-ges, $5 .00 .

This most interesting ·w ork gives a pretty comprehensive 1picture of a century of •aviation in the United States, with greater detail on flying in Illinois. iReplete with many inter­esting photographs, it also reproduces severial early flown pieces of mail. It covers a prelude to powered flight,

(Continued Inside back cover)

:BAGE 47

Your Collectors~ Handbook is Bendy! Your 41 st edition "Collectors' Handbook" is READY ...

ask for your FREE copy if you do not have this handy,

pocket sized booklet. Here is an Index of the contents

of this green-backed edition: Air Mail Covers ................................................................ ;................................ ........................ 16

!~P~~:a1 ·c-;;~a~ ...... ::::·:.:::::::::::::::::·:::.::·::.:·.::::::·:.::·::.:::::::·.:·.:::::·.::·.::::::::::::·:.:::::::::::::: .. ~'. ... ~.' ... ~~'. ... ~~· 1~ Books ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Catalogs ........................................................................................................................................ 13

~g~i~:~ ~~:t5 AU)~;~;;""''":::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ... ~~'. :g Cover Albums ............................................................................................................................ 47 Crystal Clear Philatelic Mounts ............................................................................................ 14 Crystal Mount ............................................................................................................................ 14

~~bft~~~s~ais ·· .. ·:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::. ~ ~?:s~igEa:t~~~~s. u:··5:··:A:"'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ... ~· 3~ Glassine Envelopes ............................................................ :................................................... 7

m~t~~~c~~t:.i~~Mg~~~~s ::::::::·.::::::::::::::·.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::·.::·.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1~ Information ............................................................................................................ 3, 4, 15, 34

~~nii~tlt~;se~.:.:.::::;;~~;;;;;;;;;;;;~~~;;;;;~;~;;~~:.~~::::~~~~:~::::::;;;;;;::~:~~:~::~~~~::::::~~:::~::~~:~~:i::~:::~::~~::.~~~:~;~ i! ~~ci!~; ~~~g~11e~1~~r~ ...... ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .. ·5:· .. ·5;····;ro;· 4~

E.~~~:~~;up~~~.~::::::.::::::.::.:.:::.:.:.:.:.::.:.:.::::::::.::::::.:.:::::::::::.:.:.:.::.:.::.:.:.::.::::.::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~ .. ;~ H

§r.f;~~~:~~~~:::~:~=~::~~:;~~=::l:~~~it:~J;~~;~;~~;;i ~ Transparo Art Corners ............................................................................................................ 7 United Nations Stamps and Covers ................................................................................ 51 United Nations Stamps ............................................................................................ 17 to 45 VisiTray Mounts .................................................................................................................... 14

~~!ml~~ .Bt~~r~nd ·:p;;g;;'$"·:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1~ Send for your free copy today! Your philatelic wants may be obtained from The Department Store of Philately.

IEILMIER Ro IL<O>~G

PAOE 48 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

I Your Other Interests

In addition to the "Collectors' Handbook" may we call your attention

fo these other current opportunities:

Our Monthly Mail Auctions

Every month we offer from 500 fo l,000 different lots, ranging from

single stamps io an entire cover collection in EACH lot, to highest

mail bidders at auction. Wherever you live, your AAMS number

is vour reference in bidding in these sales.

Fine philatelic material is offered to interested collectors and dealers;

write for your free copy of the current catalog!

Drop In and Visit Us:

While we are really a "mail order" business, we welcome the visits

of our customers who may be in this area. If your trips bring you

to Harrisburg (On vacation, or at ihe Penna. National Horse !?how

Oct, 19-26, or any oiher time) be sure to stop in! Open weekdays

9 a. m. to 5 p. m., Thursdays 9 a. m. io 9 p. m. we welcome you to

the Capital City of Pennsylvania!

Long On Service!

There's a lot of gold io be dug in The Department Store of Philately.

Prompt service and complete satisfaction always assured •.. So, what­

ever your philatelic needs or interests may be, your inquiry. is wel­

comed. Write or visit us soon!

1l 1l 2 MARIK.IET S'lf o' BARRllSIBllUR<G, IP Ao

NOVE:MBEiR, 1957

Life Member: AAMS

APS SPA

iPAGE 49

The First Period of Civilian Jet Airmail Service of the World

By Dr. Max Kronstein (Concluded)

II. THE COMET FIRST FLIGHT COV:ERS OF THE FRENCH 'UNION

AEROMARITIME DE TRANS­PORT' (UATl

One of the most interesting fields in Comet airmails is the first flights of the U.A:T. wi·th some of these cov­ers very scarce indeed. A. 1953, February 19-20: Inaugural

flight of the UAT Comet between Paris and Dakar, Senegal. The following airmails were flown:

1. Feb. I9 Paris - Casa'blanca, Mar­oc. Distance: 1050 miles. Total •Mail: 41'9 1bs. J!'our lines :cachet "Ire Liai­son Aerienne - !Paris - Casaiblanca -Par Avion a Reaction - I9 ·Fevrier 11900."

2. Feb. 20. Casablanca - Dakar, Senegal. Distance: 1550 miles. Total Mail: &9 Jibs. Oachet: Ire Liaison -Casaiblanca - Dakar - Par A vion a Reaction - 2·0 Fevrier ·1'953."

3. Feb. 20. Dakar - Casaibl.anca. Distance: I1550 miles. 'Total Mail: 32 lbs. Cachet: "Ire Liaison Aerienne -Dakar - Casablanca -IP.ar Avion a Re­action - 20 Fevrier I•95>3."

4. Feb. 20. Casablanca - Paris. [)is­tanoce: I05·0 miles~ Total !Mail: I27 JJbs. Cachet: "Ire Liaison Aerienne - Oas­a'blanc.a - Paris - Par Avion a Re.ac­tion - 20 Fevrier I9513."

5. Feb. 19-20: Round triip covers: Paris - Dakar - Paris -21600 ;miles. Mail: Paris to Dakar, 3190 libs, and Dakiar - Paris, 265 lbs. Round trip covers have on the front the cachet: "Ire Liaison Aerienne - Paris - Da­kar - Par Avion a Reaction - 1'9 Fev­rier :1195•3" and on the reverse: "Ire Liaison Aerienne - Paris - Dakar -Paris - Par A vion a Reaction - 20 Fevrier I953." They .are backstamp­ed in Paris .on Fe'b. 20, 1'9-5·3 at 8 p.m. Some commemorative covers also ex­~st, ibut their use was not required. B. 1953, April 14: Extended service

PAGE 50

Paris - Dakar - .Arbidj.an, Ivory Coast (3·6'50 miles):

1. Paris -Abidjan: !Mail flown: 466 lbs. Cachet: "Ire Liaison Aerienne -Paris - Abidjan - Par A vion a Reac­tion - - - I4 Avril 1953."

•2. Abidjan - Paris: !Mail flO'Wn: I54 lbs. Cachet: "lre Liaison Aerienne -Abidjan - Paris - P.ar Avion a Reac­tion - 15 avril 1953." C. 1953, May 11. Extended service

Paris - A1bidjan - Brazzaville (A. E.FJ. Even though a considerable .amount of regular airmail was flown, there was no pre-an­nouncement and only 2·2·0 phila­telic covers in each direction can be identified as flown on this I. fUght.

1. Feb. 11: Paris - Brazzaville (5150 miles). Total Mail: 1<35 Lbs. Bhilatelic mail with two line cachet: "Par Av.ion a Reaction - !Paris - Braz­zaville".

2. Feb. I3: Brazzaville - Paris. To­tal Mail: HI lbs. PhilateUc mail rwith two line cachet: "Par Avion a Reac­tion - [Brazzaville - Paris".

Some covers made the round trip Paris CMay 11 - 9:30 p.m.) - [Brazza­ville ('May I2) - Paris (IMay 14 -2 a.rm.) D. Comet Flight Not Completed: 1953, June 24: !First Oomet flight from

iMarignane Airport in 'Marseille, France to Abidjan, Ivory Co.a~. :Flight was not completed and ended at Dakar, because of diffi­culties with the plane.

A total of 2·2 lbs. was flown, in­cluding a small number of numbered special covers which received a rec­tangular ca•chet in blue: "Ire Service par A vion a Reaction - Marseille -Abidjan". E. 1953, July 3-4: First direct flight

·Paris - Brazzaville on route of Tripoli and Kano, Nigeria (4I40 miles, instead the 5150 miles of C) ..

THE AIHIPOST JOURNAL

·1. July 3. Paris - 1Bmzzaville. Mail flown: 144 and 1150 lbs. service mail. Special iblue cachet: "Par Avion a Reaction - Paris - Brazzaville ~Cvia

Tripoli - Kiano). 2. July 4. Brazzaville - Paris. Mail

flown: 48 lbs. Red cachet :"Par Av­ion a Reaction - Brazzaville - Paris (via Kano - Tripoli". Backstamped at Paris July 6 at 2 a.m. F. 1953, October 26-27: First UAT

Comet flight :Paris -Johannes­burg, South Africa.

Total mail: 71 Jibs. Cachet: "lre liai~on postale aerienne Paris-Johan­nesburg - Par Avion a Reaction - 26 Octobre 1•953". Backstamped atJohan­nesbur.g, Oct. 27, 3 p.a:n. A number of special ·covers was delivered at in­termediate stops, for instance 7 lbs. mail at Livingstone, N. Rhodesia. Same cachet as on mail to Johannes­burg. G. 1953, Oc:tober 2-27: Same flight as

No. F. but mail flown from in­termediate stops:

l. From Tripoli, Libya to Johan­nesburg. .A:bout 100 covers flown with Li!byan stamps and red cachet: "Primo Volo - U.A.T. - Ae:-omaritime - Con Tuliboreattore Comet - tP0arigi -Johannesburg (Scalo di Tripoli) - 26-27 Octdbre 1953".

2. From !Brazzaville to Johannes­burg: A few hundred covers .flown with Equatorial French stamps and Brazzaville cancellation. Blue cachet: "Premiere liaison post2le aerienne -Paris - Johannesburg - Par A vion a reaction - (Escale de Brazzaville) 2-27 Octobre 1953". H. 1953, October 29: F·irst return

•flight from Johannesburg. Be­cause of a la!ok of postal agree­·ments a very small mail only was fl.own. It consisted of special covers with South African stamps and Johannesburg cancellatiOn of Johannesburg.

Special cachet: "Eerste Comet Spuitvlilegtuih <Diens Johannesburg Parys - 29 ste Octobre 1953." Also "Par A vion a Readion - J.ohanne.s­iburg - Pads".

1. ·Flown to Brazzaville and back-

NOVEMBER, 1[}57

stamped there. 119 ounces of mail. 2. Flown to Kiano, Nigeria and

1backstamped there. i.s.•5 ounces of mail.

3. Flown to Tripoli, L~bya and backstamped there Oct. 30. Flo1W11 116 ounces of mail.

4. Flown to Paris and backstamped there October 2·9, 111:45 p.m. (Flown: 2 ]bs. of mail.

None of the UAT Comets had any serious accidents during their ser­vice. Nevertheless the UAT partici­pated in the .general temporary dls­continuance of the Comet services between January 10, 195'4 and March 1.3, 1954 when Comet service was re­sumed to Casablanca. The service to J·ohannesbur,g was resumed on March 15.

All services were discontinued on April 9, 1954 because of the crash of the South African Comet near 1Elba.

III. THE COMET COVERS OF THE AIR FRANCE

The Jet services of the AiLR ·FRANCE ·began in August, 1953 dur­ing a widespread strike of the postal workers in 'Paris. As a result there was no adv:ance information :for col~ lectors and the 200 lbs. of mail on board of the First Air France Comet, leaving Paris for Rome and iBeyrouth, Lebanon .contained very little phila­telic mail. The covers are cancelled at Paris Aviation Etranger on August 26. 1953, backstamped at Beyrouth on August 27 at 6 p.m. They have a rectangular boxed four-lined cachet: "Premier Service Aerien - Paris -Beyrouth - Par Comet Air iFrance -26. Aout. 1953".

On the return fli!ght from \Beyrou th to Paris very few covers were flown. These had the same type of ca•chet imprinted on the lower left corne1 of the cover: "Premier Service Ac:r ien - Beyrouth - Paris - Par co~ Air France - 27. Aout 195.3". The to­tal weighed 44 ounces. They rwere cancelled at Beyrouth on Aug. 27. 1953 at 9 a.m. and 'backstamped in Paris the same day at 6:30 p.m.

At the stop at Rome, Italy, ·1'5o.8 libs. aaditional mail was taken on !board;

PAGE 5'1

having the same type of cachet in red, reading "Premier service aerien -Beyrouth - Rome - Paris - Par Comet Air France - 27. Aout 195,3". In view of the French strike conditions only 235 complete sets of those covers are known.

When the Comet I. Service began between Paris and Algiers on Octo­ber 13. 1953 no philatelic handling of . mail was made. Very few covers can be identified as first flight covers. One in this collector's collection was flown on t..lie first return fl~ght from Algiers and has the cancellation of Algiers' •Maison Blanche AiDport of Oct. 13. 19'53, 9:30 a.m. <It is hand­manked "Par ·1 ere Liaison Comet Al­ger - Paris", has the Afr France Com­et la•bel and is 1backstamped at Paris Aviation the same day. It ha'S an ad­ditional confirmation cachet of Air France. The number of such covers is not known as yet.

All Air France Comet Services were interrupted on January 10. 1954 after the Elba crash of a British Comet. and resumed albout U\i(.arch _13, without s•pecial marking of the cov­ers. Services were finally discontin­ued after the crash of the South Af­rican Comet on April 9, :1'954.

IV. THE COMET I. AIRMAILS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

Since this airline operated its Com­et services in cooperation with the services of the !B.O.A.C. and over the same Johannesburg - London route, collectors paid very litle aHention to its inaugural flight. Nevertheless first fHght covers of the -First SAA Comet Flight, which left Johannes­bung on October '6, 1963 for England, are known.

On some of the stages of this flight bet,ween 6 and 30 covers were flown. Those flown to England were backstamped there on October 8, af­ter a British stamp had ibeen applied, in order to obtain a postal cachet. These ·covers are autographed by Captain G. B. Botes.

One of these SA·A Comets crashed on April ·9, 1954, resulting in the discontinuation of1 all Carnet J,et Hnes

PAGE 52

throughout the world. It had been returning from London to Cairo and South Africa, when it crashed near the island of Elba. Crash covers can­not he descri1bed, even though press reports say that -two !bags of mail were salvwged. Only -one newspaper has been claimed to come from one of these •bags and one "Forces' Air Letter".

•Finally a few words aibout Comet Covers which have never /been flown. The CANADIAN PACIFIC AIR­LINES expected to begin Comet ser­vices in the summer of 1953 and Comet stationery for use on this air service had been prepared. A la1bel also had been issued inscribed "Fly by Comet with Canadi1an Pacific", similar to la·bels used iby the British and -by the two French services. A:c­cording to the prepared "Ticket Cov­er" the Canadian Jet services iwere scheduled to operate ·between Syd­ney, Australia - F.iji - Canton - Hon­olulu and Vancouver with an alter­nate route fo include Auckland, New Zealand. A l'Oute was :planned to connect Honolulu with San Francis­co. A second route had been sched­uled between Vancouver, Tokyo and Hongkong. '

As the first ·of the Comets for the Canadian service crashed on May 3, 1·953 on the way to delivery to the Canadians, the service never started. 1Prepared Canadian Comet covers were not flown but originate from the oreparatory correspondence of the 2irline.

In conclusion: The airmails of the first period of

Civilian Jet mail are a dosed field of collecting. The question remains, "Vlere there a-ctually regular jet mails in operation since the end of 1111.e Comet I. Period?" Here it must be nointed out that the official Rus­fian Civilian Aeroflot Services has operated Jet services with a T.U. 104 plane for several months. According to British reports they are :being op­erated between Moscow and Yakutsk (Ea stern •Si.beria) and to Tbilisi, the ca•pital of Georgia, with a'dditional

THE AIRPOST JUURN:AL

services reported to Tashkent and to Khabarovsk on the Manchuria rbor­der. Recently a French cachet was seen for a first acceptance of French mail on the route of an Air France service to Prague, Czechoslovakia, and from there 1by the Russian Aero­flot Jet TU .104 to ;Moscow and Pek­ing, China. These French covers ihave the Paris cancellation of Dec. 7, 1956 and are ·backstamped at Peking on Dec. 11, 1'956.

The Transport Coonmand of the British Royal Air Fo11ce uses the new Comet 12 Jetplane over continuously exoPanding routes between England and North Africa, India, Malaya, Aus­tralia and New Zealand. Even though there is no acceptance of regular civ­ilian mail for these military services, covers have !been seen f1own over these routes with a label "Royal Air Force Jet Air Mail".

Occasionally some complimentary covers generate from test flights of the new Frenc.11 Caravelle Jetliner which will he used by Air France i~ the near future. These covers do not yet represent regular airmails.

The same aoPplies to occasional commemorative or courtesy covers from the extensive trial <flights of the U. S. Pioneer Jetliner, the Boeing 707, and with courtesy cover.s from flights of the c;omet 3.

Generally the Western World is still in the interim period :between the completed First Jet Mail Period of 1952/54 and the coming new per-

. iod of Jetliner Mail, which will ibegin in many :parts of the world sometime in 19518 or 1959, as soon as tihe Boe­ing 707s, Caravelles, Comets, and Douglas DC-B's have gone into regu­lar service.

OVERSEAS NOTES By James Wotherspoon

April 9, 1957. SWISSAIR. First flight •covers from Buenos Aires to Geneva. Covers are official Swissair issue, with printed inaugural text along top of cover, and green first fli:ght •cachet. !Backstamped Geneva April 11, 1957 . . June 16. 1957. LUFTHANSA. Re­cent first flights were from Berlin to Bar1Jh, Berlin to Lei'Pzig, Berlin to Erfurt, and Berlin to Dresden, with all first flight cachets in 1b1ack.

All the a'bove bear the German Democratic Republic cachet for firnt inland flights: "DEUTSHE DEMO­KRATISOHE REPUBLIK (.aeroplane) INLANDS - FLUGV:ERKEHR DER DEUTSOHEN LUF'DHANSA. BER­LIN N4."

July 7, 1957. LAI. First night flight between Milan and Zurich by turboprop "VISCOUNT". Covers bear cachet: VIA TURBOELICA VIS­COUNT. VOLO NOTTUiRJNA. Back­stamped on arrival at Zur1ch.

August I. 1957. West Ge:vmany Glider /Flight. Cover bears ca•c<het in green for the flight on JUJly 27; over this appears cachet in red "DELAY­ED BY iBAD WEA.THEIR UNTIL AUGUST l," and two line Aero Clulb cachet in red. A brown glider lalbel was sold at 50pfg. fur this mght with proceeds to go to the Glide~ School. The glider flight was from the Wasserkuppe.

September 3, 1957. EAST GER­MANY Glider FHght. This flight was made in connection with Phila­telic Exhibition at Sonneberg. Covers bear the Leipzig Fair Airport cachet in black. A1s•o glider cachet in red ... BEFORDET MIT SEGiEDFLUG­ZEUG DDR 2662 VON MEININGEN -DOIJMAR nach SONNEBERG. Cav­ern also •bear green cachet of forced landing Ukm short of Sonneberg.

September 1957. Poland has issued an imprinted envelope for overseas airmail use. The imprinted stamp shows 'Plane flying over era.cow and has a value of 3.40 zloty. The envel­ope is printed in dark blue.

PAGE 53

/

A. A. M. S. Chapter News By FLORENCE KLEINERT

213 Virginia Avenue, Fuller:ton. Pa . •

Springfield Air Mail .Society. #10 ibia, Naiperville, Ill. ·After a short ibusiness meeting on Minneso:ta S:tamp Club #26

Septemlber 19th, 11hese new officers '.Dhe mem'bers were active in plan­were installed: Clayton E. Brown, ning stamip ex:Mbits at the Minneap­President; George Tucker, Vice Pre- oilis Publk Library and the ilVIinne­s~dent; Hollis iRoot, Secretary; and sota State iFair. ilVIemlbers won 9 First Emil J. Vlasak, Treasurer. Awards at the :Fair's :Stamp $xh:iibit.

The members enjoyed •a cook-out ·Both events are fine pulblicity for the wi11h steak and fixings at 1!. H. Root's du'b and philately. summer home. The ladies were On Sept. 24th, an auction, donation guests. gr.ab bag and stamp ci:ricuits made an

On October 1'7th, Ge011ge Tucker interesting program at the LMary-showed lhis "Air .Mail :Stamps". land Hotel, Minneapolis, !Minn.

,Emfil J. Vlasak, Treasurer, will Committees are at work on a stamp show his "Air Mail Collection" on exhi1bit :fior Minnesota's Centennial November 21st at his hOine. next !May, 19'58, to be held in St.

Their Ohristmas party will !be held Paul. at George Angers' on December Club Filatelico de la Republica de 19th with games, movies .and refresh- Cuba. #19 ments .... Invited guests will be the Past President, Ralfael Oriol, re-wives of the members ports on their first foll auction on Charles F. Duran:t Air Mail Socie:ty, Octolber 4th.

#28 In April, 191515, the First 'Stamp Day At September 21st meeting the to honor the first stamp issue of Cu­

new officers, Vincent A. DeMase, ba was held. President; William J. Franike, Vice On April 24, 1957, the "Stamp Day" :President, and Horace fBiarringer, Sec- issue honored theit dtiib wi1lh a four retary-Treasurer, were inducted for cent stamp showing the Clulb's seal, a two year tenn at the Howard John- and the twelve cent air mail Showing son Restaurant, Albany, N. Y. an artist's idea of the front of the The Suburban ·Collectors Club #30 cluib's bui1ding. These rwere illustrat-

This Chapter held "Open House" ed ;previously in the Airpost Journaa.. on September 25th at the new Com- The original suggestion for an an­munity House, Hinsdale, Ill. There nuial "Stamp Day" was ;given to the was ·a stamp exMbit of members' col- Culb.an Post Office lby this club. lections. Refreshments were an add- Allen:town Philatelic Society, #29 ed attractilQn. Herman Kleinert, President, sent

V. iH. Rohwedder, to27 N. Wash- each member a news letter with the ington, Batavia, Ill., rwill send a club's plans of ''Clothesline Exhibit" prospectus for their a.nnual exlhtbition for each member to show five pages to !be held at the Community House of his favorite cohlection on Septem­on Novem'ber 23rd mid ·2'4th. ber :17th. Prizes were arwaroed for

The birolored seails and a caicheted the top three exlhilbits. air mail covers will sell for forty On October lst, circuits and '5,000 cents mailed direct to you. Write to different ·sbmps at a penny apiece V. H. Rahtwedder for them. were .on •sale at the Y .iM.C.A., Center

J. C. iRooen and T. S. Price have Square, Alientown, Pa. been named as co-clhai:rmen for their A club auction will . take place on exihibit of 22•5 frames. BollliSe chair- iNovemlber 1<9th. The auction list rwill man is Charles Weber, 1'50'S. Colum- 1be mailed to .any air .mail members.

PAGE 54 'l'HiE AIRPOST JOURNAL

Write to Herman Kleinert, 213 Vir­ginia Ave., Frnllerton, Pa., for a list. First Flight Federation, Unit #1

Write to Theodore Ugtht, ·5033 Ber­nard, Chicago ·2·5, Ill. for auction sale catalogues for the Jack Knight Air Mail Society's November meeting at tlhe Hotel LaSalle on the fourth Fri­day.

The Rocket Air '.Mail Society voted to become Unit #4 of the Amerfoan Air Mail Society ·at their annual meeting at the Hililsboro Hotel, Tam­pa, Florida, on Au:gust 23rd. Officers are: Dr. James J. Matejka, President; Dr. Max Kronstein, Vice President; •and George Ritter, Secretary, P. 0. Box :81'5'5, Tampa 4, Florida.

1Members .interested in rockets are invited to write rfor information •ab­out their pulblication, "Rooket 'Top­ics" to Earl Wellman, Editor, Brook-field, Illinois. · J'ack Knight Air Mail Society, #23

Their annual meeting will ibe •held on December 2/:lth at the Hotel La­Salle, Chicago. A !FiPst !Flight Feder­ation - Jack Kniglht Auction rwill 1be a feature.

Chapter secretaries, please continue to send us your meeting notices.

John Watson Reports from Australia

Here are a few pithy items that may ibe of interest from Down Under ·to readers of the Airpost Journal.

"SMITHY ST AMP" CANBERRA, A. C. T., Sept. 20 -

Australia 1and Nerw Zealand will each issue commemorative :postage staimp in Septemiber, 19.58, to mark the 30th Anniversary of the First ·Air Crossing of the Tasman Sea by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

POLAR FLIGHT SYDNEY, N.S.W., 'Sept. 19 - Pan

American Ainways •Will make the first commercial flight to the Antarc­tic next Fall, an airline spokesman said yesterday.

HAROLD GATTY DIES IN FIJ'I SUVA, Aug. 30 - Pioneer ·Aus-

NOVEMBER, 1957

traUan born airman Harold Charles Gatty, owner of Fiji Airrways Ltd. died 'here today, aged i54, following a lheart attack.

.Mr. Gatty rwas a navig!ator in a round-the-world flight with Wiley Post in "Winnie !Mae", a single-en­,gined Lockheed aircraft. He wrote many technical papers and W•as co­author with iMr. Post of "Around the World in Eight Days" and a new book to 'be 1published soon in London.

IMPROVED TYPE OF AERO­GRAMME FORMS

The Postmaster-General ( Mr. C. W. Davidson) has issued •a news an­nouncement of a new tyipe of Aero­gramme for use in <Australia. His copy of over 1500 rwo:rids can ibe put briefly: The new Aerogramme will have two flaps instead of one, simi­lar to most other countries. No date of issue has beeri .given ibut we 'be­lieve it will not be before the new year. Will advise as soon ·as we get some definite news.

AIR POST .. ..

. . . . is often extensively repre·

sented in our general auctions -

send now for the free catalogue of

the

December 2, 3, 4, Auction

which contains much to interest

the Air Post collector.

H. R. HARMER, Inc. The "qASPARY" Auctioners

6, West 48th Street,

Ne,w York 36, N. X·

IBAGE 55

CANADIAN CROSS-COUNTRY AIR MAIL FLIGHTS

by N. A. Pelletier

On an early morning, nearly thir­ty years ago, Canada's first official air mail was flow n from cross Can­ada. This was a 3,000-mile experi­mental fl~ght from Otta1Wa to Van­couver .

.Squadron Leader A. E. Godfrey, and a companion and engineer, Fli·ght Sergeant M. Graham in a R.C.A.!F. Fairchild seaiplane, left the Rockdiffe air.port at Ottawa on Sept. 5'th, 19218 and flew into Lac Du'Bonnet, north of Winnipeg. The next day t hey were in Edmonton, where poor weather kept them .until the 8th. On this date they flew across the mountains to their destina.tion. Their return flight end­ed when the seaplane crashed in the Peace River while attempting a forced landing, due to dense smoke from forest fires. No mail has b een reported on this return flight.

In recent years Trans-Canada Air­ways cross country flights had stop­overs, lbut on June 1st, 1957, T. C. A. inaugurated ·a first regular direct flight f rom Toronto to Vancouver. It now takes 8 hours to complete this .tr1p. There is also a return flight. An

PAGE 56

autographed cover from this fast flight is illustrated.

"Flight Hor izon," a T.C.A. !bulle­tin, states that w ith a 4 DC-8 jet air­liners now on order, passengers will be able to ·boar.ct the air-craft •at the Malton Airport in Toronto before breakfast, have coffee over Winni­peg, and ~and in Vancouver in just over 4 h ours.

NEW ISSUES

OF MINT AIRMAIL

STAMPS THE MOST ECONOMICAL

METHOD OF COLLECTING

NEW ISSUES, INCLUDING

RARE AND UNUSUAL

ITEMS AT NEW ISSUE

PRICES

- Send For Descriptive Folder ·

F. W. KESSLER 500 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK. 36, N. Y~

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

HERB BRANDNER SAYS· . ..

For many years, the Advance Bul­letin Service ihas been under the guidance of Grace Conrath, who has done a magnificent job. Since Grace has moved from A~bion, it is an in­creased havdship upon her to con­tinue. We have lbeen asked iby Pre­sident Jdhn 'Smith to assume the re­sponsi'bilities of this department and !have volunteered our services. Our only wish is to come dose to doing the job that Grace has done.

The cost of printing the notices has risen to a very high figure. ,In order to economize, the Society 'has rpur­·chased a post card mimeograpih ma­chine, which will enalble more funds to be used for other Society func­tions.

Naw! This is your department! It doesn't cost anything but a 2 cent post card fo be informed of future flights. Have you ever missed a iUght because you were unaware of the date service wou1d start? Here's your opportunity. Just send us any numlber of self-addressed postcards and keep informed. We'll be waiting for your cards! Send them to Herb. Brandner, 4038 Forest Ave., Bl'OOk­field, Ill.

BOB FELLERS RECEIVES HIGH POST OFFICE DEPT. AWARD

Robert E. Fellers, Director of the Division of Philately of the Poot Of­fice Department, has ibeen ,given the ·~superfor Achievement Award," Postmaster General Arthur E. Sum­merfield ,announced recently.

'.Mr. Fellers, '65, retired on Septem­ber 30, 1957.

For nearly ·a quarter century, the activities of the Department in pro­viding services to philRtelists throughout the rworld have increased greatly, and tihe arwal1d was recogni­tion of the large _role Mr. Fellers has played in furthering this important program. ...

iM:r. Fellers has been recognized for

NOVEMBER, 1957

Heiman Auctions Cromwell Collection Nov. 7th-8th

'20th Century United States collec­tion, offered at auction by !!'Win Heiman, Inc.,. Nov. 7 and 8 at the CO!m.modore Hotel in New York, lhas many items rarely seen by 'airmail collectors. The highlight, ru: course, is copy No. 27 of the 24-cent invert.

Next in mrity and value are the 1ar.ge· India on card die proofs of the 1918 airmail issue, valued at $4,000 by Sanalbria. There are also a set of the 1923 issue, approved by Postmas­ter General Harry S. New, and a Lindbergh lavge die .proof with the srune annotation.

:From the Franklin D. Roosevelt cohlection are the "excessively rare" larige die proofs of the J.930 Zeppelin issue, rplus top marginal plate num­iber blocks of six of tihe Zeppelin stamps.

The late Mrs. Cromwell was a heavy buyer of the (Roosevelt mater­ial in 1946. She also acquired orig­inal sketches, models, essays and proofs from the 'Beverly :S. King and Hugh 1M. Southgate collections.

One Roosevelt item is the approved Bureau of Engraving ,and !Printing model of the 215'c Trans-'Pacific air­mail of 193'5, approved by Postmast­er Geneva! .Farley, initialed and O.K.'d 'by F. D. R.

Also included in the 1airmaiJ sec­tion is the unique lar:ge trial coil.or die 'Proof of tihe Hl..icent Air IPost Special Delivery, and an imperf. be­tween rpair of the 16-cent red and blue with sheet margin at right.

Copies of the profusely illustrated catalogue are available from Irwin Heiman, Inc., 2 West 46th St., !New York 36. 25 cents for d'irst-class mail­ing, or '50 cents for airmail within

· N:orth America.

many years as an outstanding auth­ority in the rplhilatelic field, and has received many awards :for his work.

PAGE 57

Errors, Varieties, & Airmails For 30 years we have been specializing in all UNUSUAL Items, ERRORS, VARI·ETIES, etc., regardless if they are or are not listed. Now we have on hand a very large selection of Airmails, U. P. U .. U. N., F. D. R., Rotary, Inverted Centers, Sports, Topicals, Miniature Sheets, De Luxe Sheets, Proofs, etc., etc. We have oddities and un­usual items from many different countries as • • • AJbyssinia, A1bania, Belgium, Brazil. Canary Islands, Colombia, Con­go, Croatia, Danzig, Ecuador, Fl'an<~e & Colonies, Greece, Geol",gia, Honduras, Icel!and, Ifni, Iran, Italy & Colonies, Jugoslavia, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxemlbourg, !Monaco, Nicaragua, Panama, Para­guay, Poland, Romania, Russia, Salvador, Scadta, Spain & Colonies, Tangier, Tanna Touva, Uruguay, Venezuela, etc., etc., etc. We will gladly make Special Seledions for you on Approval and, of

course, you have the right to return anything. Please check where you are especially interested.

Central America ( ) Spain South America ( ) Covers

( Asia ( ) DeLuxe Sheets ( Africa ( Miniature Sheets ( Europe ( Proofs ( Poland ( Sport

Russia ( Topicals

Please check if you are especially interested in:

( ) Items up to $5 ( ) Up to $15 ( ) Up to $25 ( ) Up to ? ?

Please check if value of our first selection should be $5-0.00, $100.00, $200.00, $500.00, $1000. -

Additional Information .................................................................................. .

Reference (if unknown to us) .......................................... , ......................... .

City (Postal No. Please) .................................................................................. ..

Address

Name

SELLING YOUR STAMPS? Please offer them to us - our 30 year records show dealings ranging from small collections to an accumulation of one of the oldest U. S. Dealers. Get more for your stamps. Write what you have to oflfer.

AUCTION SALES are held regularly. Over 5-0,000 lots were sold in the past 5 years covering almost every field of Plhilately. Catalogue free on request. Our Sales usually include some 500 lots of Air­maiils as well as a Special Section of Topicals and Covers.

S. Serebrakian 15 PARK ROW BA 7-3830 NEW YORK 38, N. Y.

PA:GE'58 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

TIPS BY JULIUS by Julius Weiss

3417 E. 147th St .• Cleveland. Ohio

On Oct. 1 a new set of postage stamps was issued by Sarawak; BOAC in conjunction with .Malayan AiI!Ways Limited decided to sell sou­venir fli.g'ht covers with these new stamps flown to BOAC, London.

J:;1.pan Air Lines (JAL) filew a pro­visional first mght fHgiht on July 20, from Tokyo to Sapporo. Tokyo dis­patch received a bla1ck rufbber stamp­ed cachet showing a pl:ane in flight plus ·1fu.e usual crane used as the J·AL emblem. Also, srune dispatc:hes were on a special printed cacheted envel­ope. This envelope is artistic and shows a JAL plane in fli>g1ht plus an interesting flower.

Several local firsts were made on July 1 in J1aipan: Kagoshima to Osa­ka· CFulkuoka •to Kagoshima 1and IFu­lru~ka to Oitka; all of these ·covers have special artistic cachets. Japan­ese first flights are very much like our local USA CAM firsts. Each ca­chet usually has a map plus a plhot9 to the route, in vi'Vid colors. Howev­er, sometimes the stamped cachet is replaced by a special multi-colored 1printed envelope. In eome 1cases a special . cancel is used, without spe­cial >Cachet. It is be~t to Obtain a con­tact in Japan to abtain this material

NOVEMBER, 1957 · ·

• for your collection. Oheck our pre­vious column which told how to con­tact JAL. 'Dhis. fi:nm does much for airmail collectors.

Pol:ar news comes from the Swed­ish-Finnish-Swiss expedition located in Northekst1and of Spitzbergen. This .group stamps a cachet on each cover mailed from its Post Office. We are trying to :get some tflown .cove11s for our own readers. Watdh this column for data.

Sweden and Scandinavian 1coun­tries have much flight material witJh special cancels. To aid our readers, we 'have contaded the rwriter of an interesting ·column in ·Sweden's top newspapers. He gets many requests for USA stamp collecting pen-.pals and does not lhave enou•gh names to pass out. Should you lbe interested, kindly do this: Cut a piece of paper the size of a USA post ca:rid and print your name in full, address and age. Mention your philateUc interests and any other 'h<Ybbies. We will forward this to the ·Swedish newspaperman and soon you will •be >hearing from Sweden.

On :Sept. 1 Syria issued a set of 5 stamps for bhe 4th Interniational Fair

PAGE 59

at Damascus. 40,000 sets rwere print­ed but the story on these airmails is as follows: The postmaster at Damas­cus ·had already printed 1,000 !first day covers in Arabic to be used at ' the fair when Fara!h G. Far·ah, Ex­ecutive .Secretary of the Lebanese Stamp Dealers' Association. paid him a visit O!l Aug. 31. Mr. Farah sug­gested that the postmaster print a foreign language on the FDC !besides the Arabic. Thereupon Mr. Fal"ah !Was charged to put in Frenclh the Amlb text. Another 1,000 covers were made rwith the two languages. We !have received a most interesting oover; if interested, send us a return airmail card and .put "SYRI·A F AI:R" on same and we will send details on ihow to obtain them, if there are any left.

A contact in Spain rwrites that Spanish material is on the way up in price. Watch this country. Obtain all the airs you can before prices move up. The USA catalogues do not re­flect this yet 'but Europeans are buy­fog up this material quickly.

·Many of our rea_ders hiave p!honed or written to us asking us to speak to various groups. Frankly rwe are not a public speaker, lbut perhaps next Spring we shall take to the ros­trum. Perhaps if .AA.MS or some other group !has a convention in Cleveland, 0., tlhey shall 1get to !hear ye old sage, Julius.

We have received the first cover from "Jan Mayen" - Nol"'Way's arc­tic outpost, pictured on Nol"'Way's lat­est IGY stamps. 'Dhis cover is can­celled ·with a hand-stamp "001-Jan Mayen, •8 degrees, 28 minutes W-71 degreesOllN." We understand this to be flown mail.

·we !have received ·a first-hand re­port from Taibi! in Israel wlhich may interest ail"mail collectors. On open­.ing day, the lady who 'had a disp1ay of airmails (an American lady) sort of made a hit as she was dressed in a printed dress Showing stamp de­signs . and '\penny .black" earrings. In fact it :was the dress and earrings th:at made the hit. Wonder if .1ihis is

PAGE 60

an AA1VIS memiber? * Nothing on the. two airletter cards rwhicll. were printed at the show ibut we under­stand these may be !hard to obtain unless reprinted. Tabil •F:DC were limited to ,5 on the opening day of the show.

We wish to congratulate the nerw officers of AAt1VI'S; Let us all work to make this the !best •group in the world as :tlar •as ail"mails are concern­ed. We feel .strongly that mails of the future rwill be 'by rockets; there­fore, let's ihave more news on rock­ets. Should readers receive such news, let us hear it.

* 0Editor's note: Sounds like Lou­ise Davis Hof:funan, rwihom we knew to he there.)

UNITED NATIONS 4c AIRMAIL POSTAL CARD

The 4 cents airmail postal oard, is­sued on May 27th, 1957 iby .tlhe Unit­ed Nations, was printed iby the Brit­ish American Bank Note Company of Ottawa, Canada, and not -as erron­eously stated in press release of Ap­ril 8:th - 'by Dennison and :Sons of Long Island City, New, York.

An initial 1printing of 1,750,000 ·cards was ordered 'by the UN Postal Administration. The British Ameri­can Bank Note Company, the only Canadian-owned !bank note company, was formed in 1'866. It has estalblish­ed an international reputa.tion for fine craftsmanship in the engraving and printing o>f !bank notes, bonds and stock certificates, revenue and postal stamps.

THE BIPLANE STILL FLIES!

IM:ember 'Michael L. Cook reports that tlhe Evansville, Indiana postoffice still uses the old .type 1 cancel, show­ing the biplane, as illustrated on page 69 of .the American Air Mail Cata­logue. In the cil"cular part of the cancellation ".Evansville" appears at the top, and "Ind" at the !bottom, without date, indicating its use on circular mail. IM:ost unusual, ·com­ments Cook, in this present jet age!

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

HISTORY OF THE

U.S. GOVERNMENT OPERATED AIR MAIL SERVICE

1918-1928

by K A R L B. WE B E R

CHAPTER XV (continued) ADVERTISING FOR THE FIRST CONTRACT AIR MAIL ROUTES

• (Note: The first part of the chapter appeared out of sequence in the Mar·ch, 19'57 issue.)

DetaHs of the advertisements for the new routes included these speci­fications:

The department reserves the right t-0 modify or change these sched­ules if the needs of the service de­mand and operating conditions will permit. Prpposal blanks may be obtained from postmasters on the various routes, or from the office of the Second Assistant Postmaster General.

On the route on which is located Dallas and Fort Worth, it is intend­ed that a landing fie1d for receiv­ing and delivering mail should 'be located approximately mid-'way be­tween these cities. This also ap­plies to the case of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Bidders should state the number of planes it is proposed to provide for carrying the mails on the route (including the number in reserve for each plane in the air); descrip­tion of planes, showing number of engines, horsepower, speed, cruis­ing radius.

Bidders and their sureties are urged to acquaint themselves fully with the laws of Congress relating to contr2.cts for carrying the mails and to familiarize themselves with requirements set forth in this ad­vertisement and with the service to be performed before they assume any liability as bidders or sureties,

NOVIE.MBER, 1957

so as to prevent misapprehension or cause of complaint thereafter.

Bidders will ·be requiTed to fur­nish bond with two or more indi­vidual sureties approved by a post­master of the first, second, or third ·class, which bond must. 'be accept­able to the Postmaster General, such sureties to be shown to the owners of real estate valued above all incumbrances at an amount double the ·amount of the bond re­quired, or a surety company which has complied •with the provisions of the acts approved August 13, 1894, and March 23, 1910. A list of such surety companies may be found on page 59 of the Official Postal Guide for July, 1924, a copy of which is furnished each postmaster.

Mail compartments in all planes to be made fireproof to the satis­faction of the Post Office Depart­ment.

When a bid is signed by an in­corporated company, it should be accompanied by evidence of the au­thority of the person signing ihe ·bid so as to sign on behalf of the company. Such evidence may be a certified copy ·of the proceedings pursuant to which the person was elected or appointed an officer or agent of the company and that part of the by-laws showing this author­ity as such officer or a•gent to sign . the bid; or a ·certified copy of a resoluUon of the 'board of directors or stockholders conferring such au­thority upon him.

Bids should be for service as

PAGE 61

sfated in the adrvertisement. A proposal ·altered in any of its

essential terms cannot be consid­ered in ·Competition rwith bids sub­mitted in proper form.

The accepted bidder shall exe­cute the formal contract prescritbed . by the Department covering service advertised, with good and suffi- · cient sureties accepta'ble to the Postmaster General, and file such contracts within thirty days from date of acceptance of the proposal. The Postmaster General reseTves the right to reject all bids.

If the accepted ·bidder fails to file a properly executed formal contract for the service in the De­partment within thirty days from the date of acceptance of the bid, or having executed the contract fails to provide the service re­quired, he may be declared a fail­ing bidder or contractor and pro­ceedings taken according fo laiw.

A warding of Contract Routes The first bids for the air mail con­

tract routes were opened on Septem­ber 1'5, 192·5 and amounted to seven­teen proposals.

Further extension of the Air Mail Service was assured when the Post­master General arwarded ·on Novem~ ber 7, 1925, five of the eight com­mercial air mail routes to private companies. Under the laiw, these con­tractors were given a reasonable time to put the routes in ·shape.

The successful bidders of ·the five r·outes were:

BOSTON TO NEW YORK VIA . HARTFORD - Colonial Air Lines,

Inc., Naugatuck, Conn. CHICAGO TO BLRMINGHAM -

No Awa11d. / CHICAGO TO ST. PAUL kND MIN­NEA.PLIS - No Aiw.ard.

OHICAIGO TO DALLAS and FT. WORTH - National Air Transport, Inc., Chicago, III.

CHICAGO TO ST. LOUIS VIA SPRINGFIELD - Robertson Air craft Corporation, St. Louis, Mo.

ELKO to PASCO - Walter T. Var­ney of San Francisco, Calif.

PAGE 62

SALT LAKIE CITY to LOS AN­GELES - Western Air Express, Inc., of Los Angeles.

SEATTLE, W A:SH. to LOS AN­GELES - The Ibid of Vern C. Corst was under consideration.

The routes .from Chicago to st . Paul and Minneapolis and ·from Chi­cago to Birmingham on rwhioh no ·wwards were made were again re­advertised on October 9th.

In making the other awards, Post­master General Nerw made the fol­lowing statement:

"The arwarding of contracts this day for the carrying of the mail by air transport over five routes in widely separated sections of the ·country marks an epoch in the his­tory of the American post of.fice. Upon the result of the enterprise this day entered upon depends the future of aerial transport in the United States. Because of the im­portance of the subject and because it is the first time the Department . has ·had this problem before it, the Postmaster General has been par­ticularly careful and has exhausted every means to investiigate and critically scrutinize every 'bid of­·fered and every bidder that has submitted a tender. In the exer­dse of this care I have had in mind the protection of aviation, as rwell as the obvious necessary protec­tion of the postal service. I have found that certain bids slhould not and cannot be considered. It ·would

1be a most unfortunate experiment to estaiblish air mail lines upon a 'basis so insecure that their actual a·bandonment would be highly pro­bable, if not actually certain. I have required that every bidder should satisfy this Department that it has immediately available the me.ans necessary to the successful performance of its contract. Certain bids 1have been rejected because those offering them have either failed or declined to make financial statements that entitle them to con­sideration. Fair promises and high hopes on the paTt of the bidders

T!HE AIR.POST JOURNAL

must ·give way to the consideration of cold facts and actualities. -This is not a question of bargain coun­ter competition.

"For these reasons I ihave seen fit to exercise the most extreme care in scrutinizing ibids and mak­ing these awards." On January 7, 1926 the Postmaster

General s1gned a contract with the Ford 'Motor Company ·of Detroit to oarry mail !between Detroit and Chi­ca·go to Cleveland and on January 11, 1926, Charles Dickinson of Chicago, was awarded the contract for the Chicago-St. Paul - Minneapolis route; the PittS'burgh-Cleveland route was awarded to Clifford P. Ball on April 26, 1926. iFollowed then in rapid suc­cession the arwa11ding of contracts on many routes to cities which had re­quested air mail service, which in most instances was .granted by the Department. The Firs:t Con:trac:t Air Mail Service

Under :the Kelly Bill 1February 15, 11926 marked the in­

auguration df the .first contract air mail service in the United States as provided for in the Kelly Bill.

This route designated as No. 6, was arwarded by t1he Postmaster General to the Ford Motor Company of De­troit and called for a trip each day, except Sundays and holid ays, be­tween Detroit and Cleveland and from Cleveland to Detroit.

A large parade went from Detroit to the Dearborn Airport where the Ford Motor Company had its hang­ars. Among the prominent persons who attended the inauguration were 2nd Asst. '.P. G. Irving Glover, who had cha11ge of the Air Mail; Charles C. Kellogg, Postmaster of Detroit; Henry •Ford and h~s son, Edsel Ford. The later helped to put the 71 % Jibs. of mail into the Ford tri-motored Stout all-metal monoplane. At 10:40 A. !M. the huge ship left the field and arrived at the. Cleveland !Municipal Airport at 11:·57 A. !M., 2'0 minutes ahead of schedule. 'I1he mail was re­•ceived at Cleveland by Asst. Post­master Frank A. Douda, of .which 65

NOVIElMIBER, 19517

lbs. were destined for Cleveland; the remaining 6% l·bs. were routed by olane to New York. · The westbound trip was made from Cleveland at 2:30 P. M. the same day by Pilot Larry G. Fritz, rwho also made the eastward flight, carrying 36114 1bs. of mail. ·After leaving the air mail field the pilot flew over the house of 1J.is 'buddy, .the late Pilot Art 1Smith, who 'had burned to death three days before while flyin,g the mail between Chicago and Cleveland and whose body was, at the -time, resting at his home. Fritz leaned out of the cockpit, dropped a wrea1Jh, and then headed toward Detroit, ar­riving there one hour and forty-five minutes later.

The Post Office Department pro­vided a special large round cachet for the inauguration of these .fligihts for use at Detroit, Deal'born and Cleveland. This cachet consisted of three circles, a dvuble circfie on the outside and a single on tJhe inside. Between the double circle and the inner circle appeared in 11wo lines on the top:

First !Flight Inaugurating Conitroct Air 1Mail Service in U. S.

and on the bottom: Chica-go-Detroi t-Clevelland

In the center vf the inside circle were in five lines the following:

City State Time Feb. 15 1926

This cachet was affixed in black ink. In addition, the Post Office in Cleveland applied another dfficial, special cachet in black or magenta ink consisting of a small circle, and reading:

-First Airmail FU.ght Feib. 15, 1926 Cleveland to Detroit.

and in the center in four lines:

Feb. 15

10 A. M. 1926

PAGE 63

lDc Air Mail Stamp, Issued 1926 As Section 3 of the Kelly Bill called

!for not less than lOc an ounce for air mail .posta,ge on contra.ct routes, ithe Post Office Department ordered a distinctive air mail stamp of that de­nominaUon to 'be printed. Third As­sistant Postmaster General R. S. Re­gar issued on January 27, 192,6 the following bulletin:

Postmasters ·al!ld others connected !With the Postal Service are notified that the department is abowt to is­sue a new 1 Oc air mail stamp in connection with the Postmaster General's Order No. 3817 dated January 19th, 1192,6 as published in the Postal Bulletin of January 26. This stamp intended iprimarily for use in the air mail service, will be valid for all puvposes for which ipostage stamps of the regular issue are used.

This stamp is a horizontal rect­angle 75/100 'bY 1-84/100 inches in size and is printed in lb1ue ink. The central design represents a relief map of the United States, shOIWing some of the rivers and mountain rainges. On each side is an aivplane in flig'h'i:, one traveling east and the other toward the rwest. Across the top of the stamp in white Roman letters are the words "United States :postage" witbh the words "Alir !Mail" directly 'beneath. At the bottom of the stamip in shaded letters is the word "Cents" and in both lower corners are the white numerals "10".

Ornamental dassic brackets appear at eacli side of the stamp.

The new air mail stamp will be ·first :placed on sale .February 13th, at the post offices at Detroit and Deal'born, 1Mikh., Chicago, Ill., Cleveland, Ohlo and Washington,

D. C. They :will also 'be placed ·on sale on this date at 'i:he :philate11c agency, Division of Stamps, Post Office Department, at WashingtO!Il, for the ibenefit of stamp collectors and dealers.

lSc Air Mail Stamp, Issued 1926 On September 18, 192'6, a new air

:PAGE 64

mail stamp of 15c denominaition for use in the contract air mail service was issued 'by the 'Post Offilce De­partment and first placed on sale a.t WashingtO!Il the same day. This was the same shape, size and design as the lOc stamp except ·that the num­erals "115" appeared in both lower corners of the stamp. This stamp was printed in sepia.

(To Be Continued)

Airport: DeJicat:ions By WILLIAM T. WYNN

13537 Rockdale, Detroit 23, Mich.

Greenville, !Mich. held dedication of municipal airport on Aug. '18, just 1:5 covers without cachet. - - - Phifer Airport at Wheatland, Wyo. was dedi­cated on July 14, cacllet by the Fly­ing Farmers. - - - The Downtown Heliport at Baltimore, IM:d. was dedi­cated on June •27; printed caclle'i: on 96 covers. Our thanks to Paul Bugg for his work on this one. Our deep­est sympathy to Paul 'W1ho recently lost his wife. - - - Guymon, Okla on June 17th is first flight only, as cov­ers were not mailed at rthe ti:me of dedication. - - - The dedication of Richards-iGebaur AFB was held at Grandview, Mo. on April 27; 861 covers mailed with cachet. - - Phelps, Wis. was due to dedicate Sept. 22. All who have cards with your editor have been notified and should have had time to cover the event.

.A!gain we repeat, there is no charige >for this service, JUST send a supply of self-addressed cards to the ad­dress at ,the head of this column and you receive any airport dedication news that comes to our attention. - -There may have !been a dedication of the Naval Air Station ·at Niagara Falls, N. Y. on Sept. 1, !but we are not sure :at this time; more later on this one.

THE AlRPOST JOURNAL

APJ ADS RATES:

THREE CENTS PER WORD per in­sertion. Minimum charge 50 cents. Re­mittance must accompany order and copy. The AIRPOST JOURNAL, APJ Ads., Al­:nion, Penn'a.

WANTED - United States covers with fancy cancels before 1877. Fair and Ex­position advertising covers and postals before 191G. Pictorial advertising covers before 1911. 19th Century United States postal cards wanted. First Flights with Lindbergh CIO stamp and booklets want­ed. United States used air mails Cl to C31 wanted in quantity. Charles· J. Mol­nar, 1246 Summit Drive, Cleveland 24, Ohio. 321-12t*

SOURCES OF SUPPLY for Air Mail Col­lectors I Directory listing 125 Philatelic Agencies throughout World, $1.00. BED­AR:O PUBLICATIONS, Box 637-K, Det­roit 31, Mich. 326-12t*

RARE Arctic. Antarctic Covers for sale; Expeditions. Flights, Helicopters, Antarc­tic ;Jatos (Jet ass.) Send lOc for list of several hundred Polar items. Belham Ex­change, Box 119, Ridgewood 27, N. Y.

· 330-5tx

AAMS EXCHANGE ADS

FOREIGN Covers Wanted - First Day -First Flight - Special Events - No Com-· mercial - in Wholesale Lots. Will ex­change US covers. Write. Walter Brooke, Boyertown, Pa. Ex330-4t

EXCHANGE transoceanic mail from flown, attempted or intended flights. Krinsky, 250 E. 96th St., Brooklyn, N. Y. Ex330-4t

WANTED - Pioneer, Historical Balloon, Rocket, Jet and Polar Flight covers. Will buy or swap for U. S., U. N. or Boy Scout material. P. Hellige, Saco, Maine.

EXCHANGE F. F. CAM's; FAM's 1933 to date, rarities, V. Fine - Autographed - Off cachets - Commem. Frankings - direction­ally flown - F. D.'s - HPO's - Rockets for U. S. Postage (mint). Horn, 32 Ster­ling Place, Brooklyn 17, N. Y.

WANTED - Good used airpost album Worldwide stamps. A-le Alphonse San­tonastasi, Hq. Sqdn., 2712 Maint. Gp., Box 197, APO 323, San Francisco, Calif.

MICHIGAN Flights, Dedications, Events, exchanged for your covers bearing Lind­bergh stamps. Many scarce covers avail­able. Leon Berman, 18265 Mendota, De­troit 21, Mich.

WANTED - Flown Rocket Covers, New­foundland Aerophilately and collateral material. Dr. James Matejka, Hotel La­Salle, Chicago, Ill.

NOVEMBER, 1957

AAMS EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT BUY SELL - WANT LISTS

DESIRE Exchange of Aerogrammes and airpost stationery. Mint, used, FD, FF, errors. Also FF covers. 'Vm. K. Simon, 0-101 Midland Ave., Fair Lawn, N. J.

1932 3c 5c Olympics day of issue on F. F. AM33, El Centro. Trade for block of four Magsaysay. Fred Wilde, 917 N. Burris Ave., Compton, Calif.

WANT U. S. C 1 to 6 - 13 to 15. Very fine mint. Offer FAM's, CAM's, Early Dedi­cations, good U. S. or Foreign. Rubin, 6509 Delmar, University City, Mo.

Ex331-2t

I WILL GIVE 8 different first dav covers or 1000 mixed foreign stamps for 200 large U. S. commemoratives. S Tauber, 708 E Tremont Ave., Bronx, N. Y. 331-2t*

AEROGRAMMES. Want foreign contacts to supply or exchange aerogrammes with imprinted stamp. Mint and flown. Clay­ton J. Goodpastor, 350 Marvin Way, Au­burn, California. Ex331-2t

EXCHANGE large stock FDC's, FF's Hun­gary, Romania, Jugoslavia, Spain, India, Australia, etc., against Canadian mater-ial, singles or quantities. J. Barchino, Brantford, Ont., Canada. Ex331-2t

WANTED 80c US Airmail on FDC (Art­craft or Fleetwood) pstmk. Honolulu 3/26/52. Offer wire selection US commem pl. blks. John Kornfeind, 9116 Newcastle, Morton Grove, Ill.

WORLD WIDE - Airpost, $tamps Day, Centenary, Philat. Exhibitions, U.P.U. -MINT. 'Vhat do you need - What can you give? Dr. Calvi -1040 Alberni, Van­couver, B. C., Canada.

BOOK REVIEW-(Continued from page 47)

the contr1bution of the amateurs to aviation, follows the ·growth of the aviation industry, aviation contests and meets, as ·well as giving the story of the mail from 1911 to 1927, the development of present aviation companies. It also goes into detail on military aeronautics, development of airports, and .gives a history of the regulation of flying by State and Fed­eral agencies. A chapter is devoted to flyers and their achievements since 1919, and many names will be well known to collectors. We know of no other source where so much information of interest to ·aeropihila­telists is to 'be found in one volume, and we :highly recommend this •book to our readers.

AUCTION NOV. 27

CALIFORNIA COLLECTION of

AIR POST STAMPS formed by a well known collector who prefers anonymity

This outstanding and valuable collection is filled with com­plete sets, rarities, varieties and errors, almost all being unused. A few of the notable pieces are:

U. S. - Zeppelins in singles and blocks of 4.

Argentina - Sanabria #30, Zeppelin l.80p on thick paper, Watermarked large sun, cataloging $500.

China - Sinkiang set complete.

France - Both "Ile de France" overprints.

Honduras - #Cl"2, C4-ll and Cl3, cataloging $2,370.

Italy - Balbo return flight. Also the airpost semipostal officials for 4 colonies.

Liberia - #Cl-3.

Mexico -- San. #7, Tejeria-Tapaehula first flight,' on cover, cataloging $1,000. San #8-15 with o.g., $2,400. Amelia Earhart, $300.

Newfoundland - Hawker, de Pinedo and Columbia, cat. $6,650.

Philippines - Madrid-Manila set complete.

Saar - San. #2a, imperf. pair, cataloging $1,500.

Sweden - The 20-ore on 2-ore, wmkd. Crown, $450.

Syria - First three issues.

Uruguay - San #4, black overprint, $350.

Write today for a free catalog of this sale.

HARMER, ROOI(E & CO., INC. 560 Fifth Avenue (at 46th)· New York 36, N. Y.

International Auctioneers of Fine Stamps

THE :AIRPOST JOURNAL