f~f ~~~~~~l J~~~~~l

UHITUI STATU AIR H41L

A por~ion of the new Contract Air Mail first flight cachets released by the Postoffice

Department this month

J~tr 1~~~

• 1938 EDITION • 586 Pages

2 1000 Illustrations

Cloth Bound $2.00

T HE STANDARD CATALOGUE OF AIRPOST STAl\IP·s is the recognized guide book for collector and dealer. The 1938 edition plus supplements, as published in SANABRIA'S AIR POST NEWS (sent free): Keep you up to date.

Air Post Stamps on Approval

Auction Sales Held Regularly on Air Mail and United States Stamps

Nicolas Sanabria, lao. Recognized V.l orld Headquarters on Airpost Stamps

17 E. 42nd Street, New York, N. Y. CABLE ADDRESS: NICSAN, N.Y.

by

D. E.

1-1 ELM UTI-I

THIS SHRINKING WORLD M ONSIEUR THE WRITER had a spade

beard that bobbed up and down as he wrote. He sat in his study, quill in hand (for in those days the typewriter was called the Calligraph and it was a clumsy instrument of hideous noises). He diFJped quill .Point in ink, wrote "Finis" to the last page of manuscript.

He took a fresh sheet of foolscape. On it he woulct put the title to this, his latest novel. For a time. he was silent, concentrating. Then a smile crinkled his eyes, P3ised the corners of his mustache, shook his spade beard.

·:;:n his somewhat sloppy writing Mon­sieur the writer wrote these words:

"Around the World in 80 Days" By Jules Verne.

That title fascinated him. The concept was breath-taking. The world was big. Of a certainty it took a man as skillful as his hero to ·attempt· circumnavigation

THl: AIRPOST JOURNAL

3

in so rapid a time as eighty days.

• • • One century wheeled into the next, and

still the tale penned by M. Jules Verne thrilled readers. But otb.er events were transpiring. Two young men were tinker­ing with a contraption they took to Kill Devil Hill at Kitty Hawk. It was a heav­ier-than-•air machine calculated to carry man through the air. This was as much sheer madness as were the flights into sheer speculation of the French novelist.

But this ,airplane flew-crazy box-kite though it was. It flew. It kept on flying.

Other minds brought new ideas to the concept of flight. The design of the plane grew nearer and nearer to perfection.

Biplanes and monoplanes had en­thusiasts. Men went off onto tangents, created planes with three, four and even more wings.

The fuselages grew sleeker, larger. The

e OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE e AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY e JULY 1938 VOL. IX. NO. 10 e ISSUE 99 - - 10c PER COPY

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

e The late Wiley Post, twice holder of 'round-the-world air records.

motors became larger, lighter in com­parison to delivered power.

In those changing planes man was destined to smash Verne's daring thought that man could travel around the globe in eighty days. Smash it to smithereens. Cut months to weeks. And weeks to days .. .

It is 1924. In leisurely fashion the fliers of the United States Army made their way around the world in planes. The flight lasted from April to September. Verne's record was safe. But it was doomed.

It is 1927. Frenchmen Castes and Le­Brix set out to circumnavigate the world. They finished in 1928.

It is now 1929. That heroic vessel of the .air lines-direct descendent of the first flimsy contraption of lighter-than-air en­thusiast old Count Von Zeppelin-com­manded by Hugo Eckener and named ap­propriately GRAF VON ZEPPELIN rose from her German hanger, pointed her nose to the east ... kept it eastward over the stretches of Europe and Asia . . . over the heaving north Pacific . . . across

4

the western hemisphere . . . dipped brief­ly to pay respects to Gotham . . . soar­ed eastward still over the Atlantic to reach home again.

During the three year period from 19~8 to 1930 the world was circled-a portion at a time-by another of the classics of avhtion and air mail history. Gallant crack pilot Charles Kingsford Smith who went down in flight over the Arabian sea in shark-infested water s-flew around the world.

Time marches forwar.d . It is 1931. Two gentlemen by the names of Wiley Post and Harold Gatty blaze their way •around the world in the nor th temperate zone. M. Verne's record appears now like the creeping progress of a rheumatic tor· toise.

A flight that lasted from July to No­vember of 1932 saw Von Gr onau and three companions fly around . the world.

It is 1933. Here is the brief dramatic dash around the wor ld of the one-eyed flyer in the Winnie Mae, Wiley Post. Starting date: July 15th. Finish: July 22n.d. Here too one regrets to add that another gallant flyer of the list of those who girdled the globe has gone-spinning down to the hard, hard earth of Alaska, carrying into eternity with him that be­loved screen, stage and radio comedian and commentator-Will Rogers.

Tear three more years off the calend•ar. It is 1936. A round-the-world derby is on. Newspapers are sending reporters around the world on any existing air lines. Sep· tember 30 is starting doate. Win, place and show positions went to journalists Ekins, Kieran, Dorothy Killg.allen. Ekins return­ed October 17th. M. Verne' record given a K. 0. punch by Wiley Post is groggy.

It is 1937. Tragedy again stalks the boards. From the west coast of America a Lockheed Electra lifts, wings westward, comes to temporary grief at Hawaii. Re­paired the ship starts on an eastward course. A leisurely course around the world. An ambitious course that follows closely the equator. And then somewhere west of Howland Island something went wrong. Badly wrong. Ted Noonan and that splendid le::! der of women flyers, Amelia Earhart, passed from the passing scene.

It is 1938. It is today. The world has been circled in ninety

hours. Five efficient flying men in a stout

(Continued on page 34)

• · THE NEW LIBERIA AIRPOSTS

•

AIRS OF THE MONTH IIFEAST or Famine" is an old expres-

sion . This holds true in regards· to news of airmail stamps. And this month we "feast" ! For there's more than a 17 course dinner to offer. So we'll start with the " Soup" and go to the "dessert" not forgetting some of the "nuts."

e AEGEAN ISLANDS e In the same de­sign but in new colors and with a suit­able overprint reading "lsole ltaliane Dell Egeo" we have the Augustine Bi-

• BY ALTON J. BLANK

All data on New Issues of Air Mail Stamps shouJ:d be sent direct to Editor Alton J. Blank, 1850 Burnett Avenue, East Cleveland, Ohio.

5

millenary set. Values and colors are: 25c. dark violet, 50c. green, 80c. blue, 1 L plus 1 L lilac, and 5 L plus 5L red. The first three are overprinted in red and the last two in blue.

-F. W. Kessler

• CANADA The most attractive air stamp yet from this northern neighbor made its appearance Ju~e 15, 1938. The

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

first day cover bore the new issue, bright blue in color, speedily to my address. It's design shows a hi-motored pontoon equip­ped plane in flight over the Mackenzie River in the N. W . T.

-J. F. Wilsdon, M. J. Harris

• CHILE • One nundr ed and eigh t y two pesos will be the face value of the t w o new sets p r omised. There will be six values for domestic service and 30 values for foreign.

e COLOMBIA e The SCADTA Co. is pre­paring two airs in Germany showing an airplane over the old San Diego Church. The stamps will be bi-colored and of 20 and 30c. denominations.

e DOMINICAN REPUBLIC e A 10c. green will show a hydroplane in flight near the obelisk on George Washington Ave. in Trujillo City.

• ECUADOR • While not airmail it is of interest to note that the 70c. brown of the issue of 1937 comes with the sur­charge reading: "Casa de Correo y Tele­grafas de ·Quayaquil." This takes it out of the airmail category.

• EGYPT e The 2mm. plane over the · pyramids has been issued in orange red and black in place of the former color grey and black. Watermark crown and Arabic F and perforation 13lh is the same as the former stamp.

• FRANCE o A 50 francs deep · blue showing the portrait of Clement Ader has just come to hand. While there is no def ­inite designation that it is an• a irmail stamp it is of interest to. aero­philatelists in that the · man honored is recognized b y some authorities as b eing the first to fly in a heavier than air ma~ chine. In the background of the stamp appear s one of the French inventors ear_ ly steam a irplan es. The dates " 1841-1925" refer to Ader's life. The inscript ion " Pre­curseur de L 'Aviation" credits him w ith being the predecessor of 'aviation .

-Otto Moses

6

• GERMANY • A four value Zeppelin set is in. preparation according to "Stamps" magazine. Values will be 50 and 75 pf. and 1.25 and 1.75 marks.

Meanwhile we have before us a two value set honoring the centenary of Count Von Zeppelin. A twenty-five p fennig blue stamp shows the inventor at the helm of one of his early airships. Below appears the draftsman's outline of an early ship. The 50 pfennig green present s the control gondola of a mod­ern Zeppelin. Below is the draftsman's outline of a modern ship. Both are in­scribed "100 years Graf Zeppelin," and "Deutsche Luftpost."

-F. W. Kessler

• GREECE • Due to a shortage of the 1933 50 lepta stamp a provisional may be released soon. It will probably be on the current 50 1. postage due stamp.

e INDO-CHINA e The President Doumer commemorative is 37c. in value and or­ange red in color. It shows native travel­ers, a train, and a portrait of Doumer, who was governor of this colony for many years. The inscription "Tr<ms-In­dochinois 1901-1936" refers to the railroad across the colony which was completed during his tenure of office.

In addition to the commemorative we have in the same design as the current perm3nent set two values. They are llc. red and 37c. olive. These are necessary due to a change in rates .

-F. W. Kessler

JULY 1938

o JUGOSLAVIA o Distinctly American in appearance are the four Aero Club 30th Anniversary stamps. They show, as a common design, searchlights on planes over a bridge a nd city much like . "Lil' Old New York." I n the upper left corner is a plane device a nd the word "Beo­grad." Values and colors are: 1+ 50d. green, 1.50+1d. red, 2 + ld . violet, and 3+ 1.50d. blue.

- Otto Moses

• LEBANON • A special 10 piasters a i r mail stamp will be issued to commemor­ate the Marseilles-Lebanon flight by avi ­ator Nogues. It w ill show a view of Bey­routh and a portrait of the aviator . Total issue will be 30,000. There will a lso be a special sheet limited to 10,000 containing the same stamp-some reports state in blocks of four-others as a single.

The Medical Congress set listed last month is known imperforate. o LIBERIA • Waterlow and Sons , Ltd. have excelled themselves in the execut ion of an airmail set of 10 values, just releas· ed. The s tamps are on wove paper and possesse a face value of $2.25.

The l c. green and 50c. brown are verti­c a l oblongs showing an eagle alighting. The 2c . orange red and lOc. violet show a tri -motored seaplane. The 3c. olive and 30c. grey black present a gull in flight over ocean waves. These last four are horizontal oblongs. The 4c . orange and 5c. blue green are triangu>ar in form and picture a pair of cranes. Using the up­right design we find a bi- motored seaplane as the central design for the 20c. lilac and $1 ultramarine.

- Jack Schildhouse, F. W. Kessler

,• MEXICO • Six stamps made up of three values each with its own design but

FIRST COMMERCIAL FLIGHT BY BRITISH PLANE MERCURY to U. S.

Only freight and a few newspapers were carried. A s an authentic record of this historic event I am offering subject to be­ing unsold:

N ewspaper Page dated London, July 19 or 20 cacheted and w ith N . Y. P. 0. re­ceiving mark of July 22 and U. S. stamps at $3.75 net . Only a few available.

R. SCHOENDORF 5854 78th Ave. Ridgewood, N. Y •

.lli4maii

NEW ISSUE

iJ.icunf.LtJ

SERVICE We maintain the most complete and efficient New Issue

Service of Mint Airmail Stamps of the World. Obtain Your Airmail Stamps at the Original Prices before

Speculation sets in and Prices Go Up. Write for fr ee information and descriptive folder

F. W. KESSLER 551 FIFTH AVE. £ NEW YORK. N.Y.

7

'·

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

issued in. two colors accounts for the new commemorative from our southern neigh­bor. They were issued for the 16th Inter­national Congress of City Planning held in Mexico City. The 20c. red or violet shows an air view of a public square and public buildings in a city. The 40c. green or dark green shows an aerial view of two pyra­mids. The 1 peso in either ultramarine or grey presents .an aerial view of the har­bour.

8

They are perforated 14 x 14, watermark­ed "Mexico" multiple and bear the in­scription at the base " Talleres de Imp. de E st. y Valores-Mexico." In size they are 1% inches long and l llz inches wide . They are ·available for u se from April 1 to Aug_ ust 31, 1938.

-J. Schildhouse, F. W. Kessler Victor M. Suarez shows me a copy of the

20c. (#975) of the 1934 issue on unwater­marked paper. This makes a distinct ma­jor variety. This in addition to the error on Revenue watermarked paper. Both of these must not be confused with the nor­mal variety of the recently issued one that is typographed.

The 5c. red brown comes perf. lO llz in­stead of 12 as heretofore.

• NETHERLANDS e Another st:lmp for special flights has been announced. It will be 12llzc. in blue-grey-brown color-in size 28 x 39 11zmm and showing a crow orienting itself in flight. The stamp will be inscribed "Bijzondere Vluchten" and "Nederland 12l/2c ." Since it is first to be used on the Amsterdam-Capetown flight in December 1938 for the Dingaan's Day Centenary Celebrations it will not .avail­.able until that time. It will be produced in intaglio-printing from a design drawn by the artist- engraver Aart Van Dobben­burgh.

The Air Defense Commission has re­quested a semi-postal which will in all probability be aeronautical in subject mat­ter.

-F. W. Kessler, M. J. Harris

• PANAMA • Unofficial reports state that October 1, 1938 will bring us a Constitu­tion set. One states that values will be 7, 8, 15, 50c. and $1: while another adds a 1, 2 and 3 cents. Besides the normal var­iety there will also be issued a miniature sheet bearing the 7, 8 and 15c. in a block.

The Normal School stamps noted here last month are on the Map type stamps rather the monument type. They are 7c. on 30c. (#14) deep violet and Be. on 15c. (#9) green.

-F. W . Kessler

• PARAGUAY • The familiar 102 pesos Cathedral type will soon appear in orange color.

• PERU • Mentioned in March we now have the new "permanent" set of 13 values ~rom 5c. to 10 soles. They are smaller than the predecessors issued in two colors and done in finer detail. All

JULY 1938

are photogravue except the three high values.

The 5c. lilac brown shows the People's dining Room at #4 Callao; th~ 15c. dark brown the monument on the Plains of Junin in honor of the Cavalry hattie fought there on Au:ust 6, 1824; the 20c. carmine portrait of Rear-Admiral Manuel Villar who won a decisive naval battle in 1866; 25c. dark green Tarma-geographical center of Tr.ansandine travel; 30c. orange Archinana Intake on the lea River; 50c. green Iquitos-naviation port on the Ama­zon; 70c. slate blue the auto road and railroad on the Infiernillo Canon; SOc. olive the San Lorenzo balcony; 1 Sole grey green the Plaza of San Martin in Lima; 1.50 S . violet lake San Miguel Radio station OAXV A; 2S. slate blue and red brown Chavin monument-the Jaguar God personifying Rain, Thunder, and Lightning; 5 S. brown Ministry of Public Works at Lima; and the 10 S . gray and olive green the Cript of t~e Hero's-Lima­in Memory of the Nation's defenders of the War of 1879-1883.

-F. W. Kessler

e RUSSIA (U.S.S.R.) e The Arctic Ex­pedition of 1937-38 rescue will be observ­ed with a set of four values.

F. J. Field, Ltd.

• SALVADOR • In response to 'my query of last month R. Alexander D. comes to my aid . He stat~s that while the original

. decree called for 30,000 of the U. S. Con­stitution commemorative it was later changed to 60,000. ·

There will be issued in the near future a set of four values honoring Jose Canas a liberator of the slaves.

• SPAIN • The U. S. Constitution com­memorative stamp has been overprinted "Aereo plus 5 pts." The s tamp is of one peseta denomination (former) ·and shows the statue of Liberty before crossed flags

9

of the United States and the Spanish Re­public. Both flags are in normal colors. This airmail stamp was issued in the quantity of 10,000.

It also appears as a miniature sheet­one stamp in a large white border-is­sue 1000.

-F. W. Kessler

• SP A1N • Part of postal history set con­tains two values inscribed "Correo Aereo." They are 1 pts. violet showing a 4 motor­ed plane in flight over mountaineous ter­rain and 2 pts. orange showing an airship used in transoceanic air service. They are the product of Waterlow and Sons.

A 45c. plus 5 pts. ~red shows a soldier and nurse carrying a wounded man from the battlefield.

Nicolas Sanabria lists five values-con­sisting of various surcharges on the 25c. lake of the Monteserrat issue inscribed "Correo Aereo."

There is a special sheet for the His­pano-American Conference. We also have before us the 10c. red Don Quixote issue of 1906 surcharged ''Corero Aereo 14 Abril 1938 XII Aniversaria de la Republica 2.50 p."

(Continued on Page 30)

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL is entered as second-class matter, February 10, 1932, at the post office at Albion, Pa., under the Act of March 3, 1879. All editorial copy, advertising, new and renewal subscriptions should be sent direct to the publication office at

Albion, Penn'a. The AIRPOST JOURNAL is not con­ducted for ,profit. The managing edi­tor, all department editors, feature writers and contributors serve gratis and without compensation of any kind. All receipts from. advertising, subscrip­tions and contributions are applied di­rectly to the betterment of the maga­zine and the promotion of aero-philately.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES United States ...................... $1.00 per year Canada and Foreign ........ $1.50 per year Single Copies ................................ 10c each Back Numbers .............................. 15c each Bound Volumes also available.

ADVERTISING RATES One inch, per issue ............................ $ 1.00 Quarter Page, per issue ................ $ 3.25 Half Page, per issue ........................ $ 6.00 Full Page, per issue ........................ $10.00 Front Inside or Back Cover Pages

(when available) ............................ $12.00 Composition charge for solid, tabular

or special typographic layouts: 10c to 25c per inch additional. Interested advertisers may apply for

contract rate for space used every issue for a period of 12 months. Ad­vertising and editorial copy MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE 20TH OF EACH MONTH. 10 days before publication date.

IT'S IN THE AIR

Official publication of the American Air Mail Society. Published monthly at Albion, (Erie Co.,) Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

WALTER J. CONRATH. Editor Albion, Penn'a

GRACE CONRATH, Business Manager Albion, Penn'a

ALTON J. BLANK, Assistant Editor 1850 Burnett Ave .. E. Cleveland, 0.

GLEN W. NAVES, Assistant Editor % Herald-Journal Newspapers

Spartanburg, S. C.

ASSOCIATE EDITORS FRANCIS J. FIELD, Sutton Coldfield,

England L. B. GATCHELL. 10 Birch Brook Rd.,

Bronxville. N. Y. D. E. HELMUTH. 1724 Page Ave., #11,

East Cleveland, Ohio JAMES C. HEARTWELL, 341 Carroll

Park West. Long Beach, Calif. F. W. KESSLER, 551 Fifth Avenue,

New York. N. Y. RICHARD L. SINGLEY, Post Office,

Lancaster, Penn'a

DEPARTMENT EDITORS ALTON J. BLANK Airs of the Month

·FRANK A. COSTANZO Crash Cover News

JAMES C. HEARTWELL Air Stamps You May Have Missed

W. R. PATTON Canada

MAURICE S. PETTY Dedications and Unofficials

CHARLES G. RIESS Contract Air Mail Routes

further bids for the future establishment

of a regular mail and passenger service

over that body of water separating the

greatest nations of the white race. Gtant

new airships shuttle back and forth to

demonstrate the superiority of their fa­

cilities in an effort to secure coveted and

profitable mail contracts.

Fifteen or twenty years ago tepid wea­

ther spelled a let up from philatelic ac­

tivities until the autumn season. But to­

day scorching summer suns and luring

beaches are more or less neglected of

necessity by the busy airpost collector

who makes any kind of an effort to keep

up with current aeronautical accomplish­

ments and first flights.

Open season on the North Atlantic at­

tracts a half dozen countries to make

Other pilots, with that buming spark

of romance that kindles the accomplish­

ments of the pioneer, make elaborate

preparations and plans ... or utterly fail

10

JULY 1938

to do so . . . and project their ships around the world in a few days ... across an unfriendly ocean in ,a few hours. It may be sensational and daring ... it.may prove a hundred things or none . . . it may be intelligent or it may be crazy ... Whatever it is ... or however you accept it . . . it's still history . . . and it's in the air.

Following the deluge of airpost good will created through the organization of the first National Air Mail Week, with its thousands of cachets, comes nearly three score new official air mail. stops to en­brace new cities and towns, inaugurate still new routes. More ,air history in the making and more interesting stamps and covers to add to that enchanted volume which is aero-philately.

CATALOGUE PROGRESS Work on the American Air Mail Cata­

logue, which is being ,published by the AAMS, is progressing most satis£actorily and p!'actically one-half of the material has already been composed into type. Hundreds of illustrations for the book are now being collected and announcement of advance sale is made this month. Although several of the sections have not yet been completed in manuscript form it is ex­pected that the book will be published during the :liall months.

This undertaking, which is the largest ever attempted bY the Society has receiv­ed splendid cooperation from·the member­ship and collectors in general. No effort hase been made to cheapen or reduce the quality and contents of the book and the publication will be the finest of its nature ever released. The venture will require further assistance from · collectors and members and it is hoped the sale of the books will bring in sufficient funds to cover the cost of publication. The cata­logue will be well worth the asked price and purchasers of the individual books should bear in mind that the volume itself has only been made possible through the generous contributions of sponsors, who donated from $25 to $200 and subscribers to the DeLuxe edition at $10.00. In. other words, each copy of the catalogue sold will undoubtedly represent more in actual cost than the retail price.

AIR MAIL WEEK ACHIEVEMENTS Much recognition is due to an additional

number of our fine members and collec-

11

President's Message

• It is with considerable pride I am

ready to announce the organization of our newly elected officers and various committee chairmen.

Letters have been mailed to each of the board of vice presidents detail­ing their duties and as Chairman I have appointed Alton J. Blank of Cleveland.

Re-appointment of Advance Bulletin Superintendent is Walter J. Conrath.

Re-appointment of Edwin W. Beit­zell, Washington, D. C., as Society Li­brarian.

A letter to the secretary of each chapter has been mailed from the President's office asking ·for continued service and co-operation, also, re­questing more new members for the A. A. M. S. for this next year.

A plan is being formulated to in­crease our membership by a recruiting contest which will be announced in:@e­tail in August A. P. J. .,:r;

Report of Secretary at annual con:­vention showed a healthy growth dur­ing the past year and we must striv~e

to do even better during this year 1938-39. It can be and will be done with all members striving to secure at least one new member. If such a goal wer·~e possible we would have a Society mem­bership in excess of 1400. I am sure that is a real target to shoot at, b~t feel that it is not beyond the realm of possibility. Let's all strive for this ob­jective and know 1938-1939 will be our best year.

Respectfully, Paul F. Robertson,

President AAMS

tors who helped make the First National Air Mail Week an outstanding success.

Reports have still been coming in over the past month, and it was necessary to

ho1d over a few of the accomplishments

because of lack of space in our June issue.

Perhaps one of the best planned and presented aero-philatelic broadcasts was

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

presented over Chicago's station WCBD, by members of the Chicago Air Mail Society at 6:45 o'clock, May 17. The most interesting playlet was written by Sam­uel Ray and announced and produced by_ Richard Kross, publicity director for the Consolid:tted Broadcasting System. A large number of listeners requested further in­formation on airpost collecting and receiv­ed a free cover, an AAMS recruiting book­let and an invitation to join the Society.

From Almon :r. Tripp, Detroit, comes news and three interesting photos of the unique manner in which . air mail was picked up and delivered for National Air Mail Week at Northville and Plymouth, Michigan. The special letters were re­routed by pony rider, stage coach and plane. From the perfect photos Mr. Tripp sends of this event, we are· sure he is one of the best combination philatelists and photographers ever privileged to enjoy the two hobbies.

In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia's post-

master :Joseph F. Gallagher, state chair­

man for Air Mail Week, is tickled over

receiving the Graddick Trophy for the

best portfolio of activities in connection

with the week. The colossal album enter­

ed in the national contest by Gallagher

contained 250 pages and was 26% inches

'in length, 23 inches wide and seven in­ches thick. The book was bound in cloth and full Turkey Morocco leather. Aside from clippings, photos, proclamations and associated material the book contains hundreds of Pennsylvania's Air Mail Week covers. The album, which is said to weigh over 100 pounds, will go on ex­hibition throughout the country.

In Washington, Postmaster General :James A. F.arley was practically beseiged, swamped and unable to acknowledge the thousands of complimentary Air Mail Week covers he received, as will be noted from the accomp;mying photo. The Gen-

(Continued on Page 23)

• NATIONAL Air Mail Week brought thousands of unique Airpost covers and greet­ings to Postmaster General James A. Farley, shown with the large collection in the above photo.

12

e THIS ENVELOPE, recen tly found by Norman Serphos, of the Scott Stamp & Coin Co., is believed t o b e the only ex­isting souvenir of an early attempt to link ships at sea with shore via air ser­vice.

f' I ··:·-'CY4 •: <. . II:]'\ '· '

r, · ftt•~ :'·FIRST AERIAL IARIHB· D

VIA · CURT~SS

PIONEER FLIGHT N0.1 by ~RN~ST A. KEI-IR

Stam:o Editor, N. Y. World-Telegram

It's not an obtrusive cover. It has neither gaudy stamps nor colorful labels nor fancy cachets and yet it is one of the very 'few remaining souvenirs of a flight recognized as the first American pioneer mail trip that, in 1910, was. pro­claimed in bold face headlines of New York newspapers.

Flying airplanes twenty eight ye~u'S

ago was risky business and only a few daring adventurers could be found to demonstrate aviation's possibilities. The airplane was less than eight years old and even then was but a side show at­traction that held an au~ience spell­bound when it flew and scared them to death when it cracked up in a field. of corn.

The New York World envisioned a regular airmail service and early in November of 19~0 commissioned Glen H . Curtiss to prepare for the first ship-to­shore flight.

13

Within a week preliminaries were completed and on the morning of No­vember 12 headlines of all New York City papers shrieked wtih the news that a plane would fly from a ship fifty miles at sea to Gotham.

An 85 foot runway ('24 ft. wide) was built on the after-deck of the Hamburg­American Liner "Pennsylvania." The path sloped downward for seventy feet and then sharply rose, its tip being about 60 feet above the water.

Glen Curtiss arrived at Hoboken a few hours before the sailing, with a specially built bi-plane. The frail craft was as­sembled, set up on the improvised run­way and given a final inspection before the "Pennsylvania' set sail at noon on November 12. 1910.

Newspapermen a n d photographers, aboard the luxury yacht "Wild Duck," preceded the liner to a rendezvous fifty miles out of Sandy Hook to witness the launching.

At approximately 3 P . M. the "Penn­sylvania" hove into sight and last min­ute preparations were mad~. The gaso-

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

CAM Cover Notes

••

•

BY CHAS. G. Rl ESS Information concerning. C.A.M.'s should be sent direct to the editor of section, P. O. Box 11, Albany, N. Y .

•

FOUR NEW AM routes have been auth~ orized by the Post Office Dept., over

which service will be inaugurated in the near future. The new routes are as fol­lows: AM-38 Phoenix, Ariz. to Las Vegas, Nev., with Prescott and Kingman, Ariz. as intermediate stops. AM-39 .Jacksonville, Fla. to New Orleans, La. with intermedi~ ate stops at Tallahassee, Marianna and Pensacola, Fla. and at Mobile, Ala. and Gulfport, Miss. AM-40 'IIampa, Fla. to Memphis, Tenn. with the following in­termediate stops: Tallahassee, Fla., Al­bany, Ga., Atlanta, Ga., Dotham, Mont-

n

UNITED STATES AIR MAIL ltOUTI AM 40

14

JULY 1938

gomery, Birmingham, Sheffield and Tus­cumbia, Ala. AM-41 Detroit, Mich. to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. with intermedi·ate stops at Flint, Saginaw, Bay City, Traverse City and Cheboygan, Mich. Service over this latter route is scheduled to be in­augurated on July 20, 1938 with service to all points except Cheboygan which no doubt will be serviced at a later date when necessary airport improvements at that point are completed. It is nnder­stood that Saginaw and Bay City will no doubt use the same airport in which · event there will be no flights between these two points.

Cach.ets For Air Fields

Official first flight cachets will be fur­nished to all points on these new AM­Routes and in addition will be applied to first flight covers dispatched from air mail field stations. Air Mail Field Stations are located at Detroit, Mich.; Jackson­ville, Fla.; New Orleans, La. and Atlan­ta, Ga. Collectors desiring air mail field covers from these points should send them to the "Clerk in Charge, Air Mail Field" at the point from which such covers are intended for dispatch and should not be sent to the Postmaster at

UNITED STATES AIR HAIL ~Jf~Jtf£1NUM·I~~,-9=)

15

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

that point for field dispatch. It is possi­ble that all points on these new routes will not be serviced on the day of in­augural flights over same. However, at such points covers will be held for the actual first flights at •a later date. Also, it will be necessary in such cases after service is actually established to cover the later points. for inbound as well as outbound covers.

AM-32, Grand Rapids, Mich. On .Tune 15,- 1938 AM-32 was extended

from Grand Rapids, Mich. to Chicago, Ill. Official cachet for Grand Rapids was applied in green while the one for Chica­go was applied in purple with the Chica­go air mail field using a dull blue. First flight from Grand Rapids to Chicago was by trip 7 leaving at 6:40 P. M. and the first flight from Chicago to Grand Rapids was by trip 2 leaving at 3:40 P. M.

AM-35 Pilat and poundage data for new

AM-35 points inaugural flights are as follows: Chey'enne-1east 73 lbs. (5899 pieces); Rapid City-east 66 lbs., west 17 lbs.; Piei111e-east 7 lbs.. west 66 lb~; Huron-west 64 lbs.; Peadwood-east 3577 pieces, west 1524 pieces; Lead-east 49 lbs., west 23 lbs. Figures for Spearfish not as yet on h~nd and will be report­ed later. Sam Moser was eastbound pilo! with Harold Wynne co-pilot for all points. .Toe Leferink was westbound pilot for all points. Postmasters are as follows: Cheyenne-William G. Haas; Rapid City-Eugene L. Bangs; Pierre­Randolph Y. Bagby; Huron-Edwin H. Bruemmer; Deadwood-Grover C. Ken­worthy and Lead-.Tohn Krambeck. While the official schedule stated that Lead, Deadwood and Spearfish would all be

16

JULY 1938

served by the same airport and that each would dispatch its air mail by special messenger to this airport it is also reported that Sturgis and Belle Fourche, S. D. also dispatch air mail daily to and from this airport by special mesenger. A further check-up is being made on these latter two points and in the meantime anyone having. covers from these two points are requested to report same.

Boulder City, Nev. Boulder City, Nev. was embraced as

a stop on AM-2 and AM-37 on April 3, 1938. Boulder City dispatched 204 lbs. (10,109 pieces) eastward via first flight, trip 2. AM-2 and 15 lbs. (909 pieces) westward via first flight. trip 3, AM-2. Boulder City dispatched 18 lbs. (1,108 piecs) northward via first flight, trip 25, AM-37. First fl.ight pilots from Boulder City are as follows: AM-2 east-Felix Preeg; AM-2 west-J. G. Walsh; and AM-37 north-W. H. Dowling. Postmaster at Boulder City is Ferris M. Doolittle.

Other Firsts Los Angeles dispatched 2 lbs. (27

pieces) via first flight, trip 2, AM-2 on April 3, 1938 to or via Las Vegas. First flight pilot-Felix Preeg. Mary D. Briges is Acting Postmaster ·at Los Angeles.

Los Angeles dispatched a total of 141 lbs. of which 3 lbs. (UO pieces) were for Boulder City via first flight, trip 2. on April 4, 1938 via. AM-2. First flight pilat­E. F. Hereford.

Las Vegas, Nev. dispatched 2 lbs. by first flight, trip 2, AM-2 eastward on April 3, 1938 ·to or via Boulder City. First flight pilot is reported as H. H. Halloway from Las Vegas on this flight. However, this is possibly an error as Felix Preeg was no doubt the pilot and H. H. Halloway possibly the co-pilot. Nevertheless it is possible for H. H. Haloway to be the first pilot if there were two sections (2 planes) flying this trip at the same time and such air mail as was picked up at Las Vegas was put aboard Halloway's plane.

Las Vegas, Nev. dispatched 4 lbs. by first flight, trip 26, AM-37 southward on April 3, 1938 to Boulder City. First flight pilot was William Dowling. Postmaster at Las Vegas is F. F. Garside.

Schedule Changes Effective April 26, 1938 air mail ser­

vice was resumed at Caribou, Me. via AM-27.

Effective May 9, 1938 air mail service was resumed at Presque Isle, Me. via AM-27.

Longest CAM Flight Mr. Albert N. Brown has kindly sent

the writer of this column a cover on what is the longest non-stop flight made to date over any AM route. This cover was flown on May · 15, 1938, twentieth anniversary of regular air mail service, from San Francisco to New York City via AM-1. Carried on a section of trip 6 this flight was non-stop between Den­ver, Colo. and New York City a distance of approximately 1500 miles. This cover which is not a first flight cover and will not receive catalogue listing in the AAMS catalogue is nevertheless a very interesting one that will fit in nicely with any cam cover or National Air Mail Week cover collection.

• FIRST DAY SALE OF NEW U. S. STAMPS

Dates and places of first day sale of five new postage stamps were announced re­cently by Postmaster General James A. Farley.

The new stamps and date of issue are as follows:

7-cent Jackson, August 4. 8-cent Van Buren, August 11. 9-cent Wm. Henry Harrison, August 18. 3-cent Iowa Centennial, August 24. One-dollar Wilson, August 29. The four Presidential stamps are being

issued in the new regular series, while the Iowa Centennial stamp is being is­sued in connection with the one hund­redth anniversary of the adoption of the territorial form of government in the old Iowa territory.

First day sales of the four Presidential stamps will be held in Washington, D. C., with general sales throughout the country following as soon thereafter as distribu­tion will permit.

The Iowa Centennial stamp will be placed on sale for the first time in con­nection with the opening of the Iowa State Fair at Des Moines on August 24.

17

LOOSE LEAF BINDERS for the AIRPOST JOURNAL

Keep your file of back numbers in good condition. Bound in black water­proof fabricoid, stamped with gold. Will hold 24 issues. Window on back for volume numbers. Each, post­paid, $2.00. AIRPOST JOURNAL - Albion, Pa.

~OMMEMORATE FIRST TRANS-PACIFI~ FLIGHT F. A. M. BACKGROUND NEWS NOTE

BOB FOWLER has flown across the Isthmus of Panama again!

Twenty-five years and virtually the en­tire scope of progress in aeronautical science and development separate the two flights made by this pioneer airman be­tween the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Recently Fowler retraced his route of ·a quarter of a century ago-but this time he flew as a passenger in a modern Pan American Airways liner, soaring over a course · now enjoyed by thousands of sightseers.

He Flew a Biplane On April 27, 1913, when Fowler, piloting

a specially built biplane, tied the two oceans together in flight, he m ade avia­tion history and also stirred up consid­erable national concern over the vulner-

ability of the huge Canal project from aloft. Then the Canal was nearing com­pletion.

On his single pontoon craft .Fowler ltad fitted an 80 h. p . engine to carry the heavy excess load of pilot, camerman and equipment.

A friend and student of pioneers in flight was this modest airman.

Knew Pioneers

At Dayton, Ohio he learned to fly with the Wright brothers as his instructors. After three hours as a student pilot, he bought his ovin plane and returned to his home on the West Coast to start a transcontinental flight which he finished. Next he planned the Panama Canal Zone flight. At his "factory" near Los Angeles he had as his next door neighbor another

• PREPARING for the 52 mile flight across the Isthmus of Panama which was the first ever made along the route of the Panama Canal, Robert G . Fowler is here shown in the midst of last minute adjustments. Fowler is the y oung man in white slacks be­hind the propeller. Farther in the backgr ound and seated in the plane is R. E. Duhem, motion picture cameraman who took the first motion pictures from the air of con­struction work on the Canal, whiC'h was going forward at that time.

18

W. !iAvtes JOURNAL

SPARTANBURG, S. 0.

• Souvenir cover flown from Pacific to Atlantic in 24 minutes-14 minutes in the air !-aboard P AA liner on which Bob Fowler was a passenger April 27, 1938 when he retraced his history making pioneer cross-Isthmus flight of 25 years ago.

young airplane designer and builder who also was t o make aviation history-Glenn L. Martin.

Fowler's machine had 43 feet span in the upper wing, 32 feet, tip to tip, in the lower wing, and was tested first on wheels, developing a top speed of 70 miles an hour and a landing speed of about 45 miles per hour. The 10-g3.llons fuel reserve was sufficient for 100 hours aloft.

Single Pontoon A single pontoon replaced the wheels.

The craft was loaded aboard ship and Fowler and his photographer, R. A . Duhem, shoved off for Panama City to prepare for the flight across to Cristobal. The flight was north-south, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, a paradox caused by the curving of the isthmus into a hump between the Central and South

. Americas. P reliminary tests went off smoothly and the morning of April 27, 1914, dawned. The weather was clear, wind mild and the temperature stood at 90 degrees. Pilot Fowler and Photograph­er Duhem took off and headed north across Panama.

19

The first mountainous ridge brought air so bumpy they couldn't even keep the camera pointed in the gener-al direction of the Canal. Two circles back across the bay and the biplane was up to 3,000 feet and moving at 70 miles per hour ·in the hot tropical air . The photographic pro­gram ran smoother. The gre~t Pedro Miguel Lock was passed and the plane soared on toward the continental divide where steam shovels ground and bit away in the mountainside, making Cule­bra Cut. Tricky wind currents but Duhem insisted that Fowler circle twice so he could shoot good pictures of the big con­struction job. Fowler turned to the right. The right wing went down-down­down-as the strong, "temperamental" air currents jerked and shoved the light plane around. Desperately Fowler work­ed the controls. Ambitiously, frightened, Duhem ground away with his camera. The biplane spun like a top . . . and then Fowler manag61d to ptill her nose up and

by GLEN W. NAVES Spartanburg, S. C.

THE AI RPOST JOURNAL

• DOUGLAS DC-2 of the type used by Panama Airways inJ the service across the Isthmus of Panama, paralleling the Panama Canal. In O!le of _these planes Robert G. Fowler retraced! the course of his fiight 25 years ago, m which he was the first to cross the Isthmus by air.

she was on an even keel ag ::tin!

Over Gatun Lake Over Gatun Lake they flew into heavy

rain squalls. Fowler removed his goggles to improve visibility, Duhem continued to shoot pictures. On they flew and a few minutes later were over Gatun Dam and yelled with delight as the Atlantic loom­ed into view.

But they weren't safely down!

Fowler had figured the flight course at 52 miles. He had "gassed-up" accordingly. But the extra circles and the squalls and rought air had consumed more than the estimated quantity of gasoline, •and over Cristobal they suddenly learnedl the bi­plane's tank was dry!

Hurriedly, Fowler scanned the jungle below and started to nose the ship down -then remembered that beneath him was a pontoon and not wheels. Altitude had been lost but desperately he headed the biplane back toward the bay, skimmed over the top of the piers, smacked into the water at the bay's edge and piled high and. dry upon a coral reef.

20

57 Minutes

The first Pacific-Atlantic flight had been completed in 57 minutes.

Congratulations were showered upon Fowler and Duhem. They were feted from one end of the Isthmus to the other and their flight was ranked with Bleriot's across the English Channel.

And then from the White House at Washington came an executive order: no more flying across the Canal. And any person who took pictures of the Canal from the air would get 10 years or a $5,000 fine or both. Not only that, but back in the United States Fowler and Duhem were under technical arrest. But the only 'secret" their protographs re­vealed was a steam shovel tearing away at the top of a mountain-so they were released.

On his return official welcomes, lunch­eons and speeches greeted Bob Fowler­but the display couldn't equal the ex­citement and suspense of his flight 25 years ago.

11~ !Jdu.ance $ale a/- /llew

RMERICAN AIR MAIL CATALOGUE •

Board Fixes Rates For kdvertising And Sale of Books

• DETAILS to rush completion and publica_ tion of the American Air Mail Catalogue, financing and preparation of which has consumed the past eighteen months, were discussed by members of the catalogue committee of the American Air Mail Society at a recent meeting in New York City.

Report Progress Although progress in compilation and

publication of the book might seem to be slow, members of the committee pointed out that the volume is being written by several dozen airpost experts, scattered over all parts of the United States <and foreign countries and the completed book will comprise approximately six hundred or more pages. Hundreds of illustrations and maps must be selected and engrav­ings secured to make the book the finest of its type ever published. The work of printing the book alone will consume at least two months.

At the current time more than half of the book has been composed into type and many of the illustrations for the completed sections have been secured. Several sections are still incomplete in copy, but will be set into type as soon as the editors complete their work. It is therefore now possible to announce that the volume should be completed sometime this fall if <>11 sertions are completed in copy form during the next few weeks.

Advance Subscription Price $3.00 The cahlogue commitee fixed an ad­

vance subscription price of $3.00 on the new book. This price will apply only to orders sent direct to the publishers, The Airpost Journal, Albion, Pa., before pub-

• ov WALTER J. CONRATH

Business Manager American Air Mail Catalogue

21

CATALOGUE FUND CONTRIBUTIONS

The following contributions and sub_ scriptions to the DeLuxe edition of the forthcoming Ameriran Air Mail Catalogue have been received since the last listing and are acknowledged with thanks and apprecLation here­with: Walter Bruggmann* ........................ $60.00 Robert M. Flinn ................................ 10.00 George D. Kingdom ........................ 10.00 Ralphael Alexander, D. ................ 10.00 E. S. Terry .... :..................................... 10.00 Louis J. Heath .................................... 5.00 H. E. Robinson .................. ................. 3.00

(*) This listing represents the amount realized and paid into the Fund to date from the sale of a part of a fine lot of 100 Clipper and Philip­pine covers donated to the Catalogue Fund by Mr. Bruggman. The covers were placed on sale at the Convention and several of the branch chapter meetings of the Society.

lication and accompanied by remittance. The retail price of the catalogue after publication will be $3.50. Postage charges are extra on all orders, either in advance or after publication.

Wholesale or quantity prices on the catalogue were also adopted by the com­mittee and interested parties, to whom the discount applies, may secure a sche­dule of these prices which will be publish­ed in several weeks.

It was pointed out by the committee that the price of $3.00 or $3.50 would prob­ably not cover the cost of individual copies of the book unless a substantial number of copies are sold. This lower than cost price is only made possible through the contributions of leading col­lectors who h3.ve underwritten the pro­ejct making possible the publication of the air mail catalogue.

Advertising Rates A limited amount of advertising will

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

be accepted to be included in the cata­logue following any special or individual section. Advertising for the United States Airpost Stamp Section, the Pioneer, Gov_ ernmental and Contract Air Mail Sections should be forwarded to the publishers, The Airpost Journal, Albion, Penn'a, at an early date as these sections will be the first to go to press.

Full page, half page and quarter page spaces will be sold. The page size will be the same as the Airpost Journal size, and only copy layouts of a horizontal shape will be accepted for the fnactional spaces. The following rates will apply to adver­tising: Full page $30.00; half page $17.50; quarter page $10.00 The full page rate will apply where advertisers desire to use two half pages or four quarter pages in dif­ferent sections of the book. A discount of 5% is allowable on advertising, when re­mittance accompanies the order. How­ever, all advertising accounts must be paid in full before the section in which the advertising is to appear goes to press, previous to publication of the com­plete catalogue.

Trans-Atlantic Air Mails 1919-1938

Flown Covers

Propaganda Stamps

Autographs

Documents

Semi-Officials

Literature

and Other Specialties

Francis J. Field, Ltd. Publishers

Sutton of "The Aero Field"

Coldfield, England

22

NEW CANADIAN FLIGHTS By authority of the Postmaster General

regular air mail service between the fol­lowing points will be inaugurated on or about August 4th, 1938:

VANCOUVER, British Columbia and WHITE HORSE, Yukon Territory, via Williams ,Lake, B. C., Quesnel, B. C. Prince George, B. C., and Fort St. John, B. C.

To commemorate the iuauguration of this Canadian air mail service, the fol­lowing special cachets (ten separate and distinct designs) will be used on letters carried on the initial flights, as follows:

Vancouver-Williams Lake. Vancouver-Quesnel. Vancouver-Prince George. Vancouver-Fort St. John. Vancouver-White Horse. White Horse-Vancouver. Fort St. John-Vancouver. Prince George-Vancouver. Quesnel-Vancouver. Williams Lake-Vancouver. These cachets will be used only on such

covers as are sent to the DISTRICT DI­RECTOR OF POSTAL SERVICES, VAN­COUVER, B. C., and which reach him not later than August 2nd, 1938, bearing Cana­dian postage at the rate of 6c for each one ounce letter addressed to the U. S. or Canada.

New Canadian Airmail Services

August 1st and 4th will see about 4,000 miles of new routes operating in Canad3., the largest amount of mileage opened in any week, and probably the greatest ever to be started in such a short time. On August 1st the Trans-Canada, Winnipeg to Vancouver 1,168 miles, Regina to North Battleford 350 miles and Lethbridge to Edmonton 300 miles. On the 4th Van­couver to White Horse about 2,000 miles. Besides this a route was opened on June 12th from Gods Lake to Sachigo River, Ont. distance 220 miles and on July 17th Peace River to Fort Vermilion, about 120

• by W. R. PATTON

All information concerning Canadian Air Mail should be sent direct to Editor W. R.. Patton. Box 2384, Winnipe2', Manitoba, Canada.

JULY 1938

miles.

The Trans-Canada is flown Winnipeg­V.ancouver by Trans-Canada Airlines. Reg­ina-North Battleford by Prairie Airways Ltd. Lethbridge-Edmonton and Peace .River-Fort Vermilion by United Air Transport Ltd. Vancouver-White Horse by Ginger Coote Airways.

Time table of the three Western (Prairie) Services is as under:

11:30 P. M. lv. Winnipeg (C. S. T.) ar. 3:23 A. M.

12:36 A. M. ar. Regina (M.S. T.) lv. 12:43 A.M.

12:51 A. M. lv. RegiTha (M.S. T.) ar. 12:28 A. M.

3:27 A. M. ar. Lethbridge (M. S. T.) lv. 10:55 P. M.

3:42 A. M. lv. Lethbridge (M. S. T.) ar. 10:40 P. M.

5:22 A. M. ar. Vancouver (P. S. T.) lv. 7:00P.M.

Lethbridge-Edmonton Addition 7:45 P. M. lv. Edmonton (M. S. T.) ar.

5:45 A. M. 9:30 P. M. ar. Lethbridge (M. S. T.) lv.

4:00A.M.

Regina-North Battleford

6:00 A. M. lv. Regina ar. 11:56 P. M. 6:20 A. M. ar. Moose Jaw lv. 11:40 P. M. 6:30 A. M. lv. Moose Jaw ar. 5:00 P. M. 7:23 A. M. ar. Saskatoon lv. 4:07 P. M. 7:33 A. M. lv. Saskatoon ar. 3:57 P. M. 8:06 A. M. ar. Prince Albert lv. 3:42

P.M. 8:16 A. M. lv. Prince Albert ar. 3:14

P.M. 9:01 A. M. ar. North Battleford lv. 2:30

P.M. This service was started on 18 days

notice to the Public, thus no cachets will be provided, and worse still, most collec­tors will not even be able to cover the route.

On July 17th the Peace River route was operated to Carcajou, · North Ver· milion and Fort Vermilion, time about 2 hours.

On August 4th V.ancouver will be link­ed with the Yukon stopping at Williams Lake, Quesnel. Prince George, and Fort St. John, all in B. C. Service will be week­ly on Thursdays.

On June 12th Pilot P. Davoud of the Canadian Airways Ltd. left God's Lake, Man. at 7:10 A. M. arriving at Sachigo River, Ont. >at 8:05 A. M. a distance of 220 mile~. He flew in 158 pounds of mail,

23

mostly parcel post. Leaving there at 2:00 P. 1\I. arrived at God's Lake at 3:15 P. M. with 12 pounds of mail. Service is Sundays oniy.

The only cachets provided on any flight will be the Vancouver-White Horse . All the others will NOT have any cachets, and due to sudden notice, will be 1:1ather hard to get hold of.

The Canadian section of the Catalogue gees to Mr. Angers tomorrow via air mail from Winnipeg, and will include every­thing in Canada right up to August 4th, 1938. Of course, it will not be possible to give amount of mail carried after June 12th flights.

Catalogue, Canadian Section We are just putting the finishing touch­

es on this Section, and it will be in the hands of Mr. Angers by July 15th. The Pioneer mentioned is only one of the many items now catalogued for the first time. An enormous amount of research has been done since 1934 but, we are still quite a distance from being 100% perfect. When the Catalogue comes out, will you PLEASE help us? How, just by writing in about anything you think is worth while, to me at Box 2384, Winnipeg, Man. Tb.rough readers of the "Joumal" we have been able to acid eleven flights never before recorded, so that your letters are well worth while to the Edito!·s.

Bulletin Winnipeg, Man., July 18th, "1938.-0ffi­

cially announced tonight that the Trans­Canada Airlines WILL NOT commence operations between this City and Van­couver on August 1st. Neither will the Regina-North B attleford or Lethbridge­Edmonton lines. Possibility start with air­mail will be September 1st. Landing fields at two or three places cannot be ready in time.

• EDITORIAL

(Continued from Page 12) eral stated in a recent interview that it was estimated his office received approxi­mately 150,000 letters for the Week.

Also estimated from incomplete reports was the fact that at least 15,000,000 air mail letters and 25,000 parcels were mail­ed by air mail during National Air Mail Week.

Airpost Stamps Show Rise In Recent Kessler Sale Ptl.ICE developments so important with­

in the aero-philatelic realm that they will remain NEWS throughout the season featured the Fred W. Kessler auction& early in May at 551 Fifth avenue, New York City.

This well-patronized series of sales con­ducted by an airpost dealer of high in­ternational reputation had very gratifying and outstanding results, including:

1-New trends and values in various aero items were revealed.

2-Many unusual and infrequently offer­ed pieces came on the market.

3-The auctions resulted in several Standard Airppst Catalogue price changes as an indication of the keen interest authorities showed in the transactions.

4--An almost surprising interest in good condition used copies marked the sales· from the beginning.

5-Despite the so-called "recession" bidding was lively and highly competi­tive with enthusiastic collectors demon­strating that it is a pleasure to invest good cash in stamps and covers when the right kind of material comes on the mar­ket.

Items selling for more than the usual retail net prices included:

Argentine, last sets issued, Scott's numbers 530-7, Standard numbers 31-8, Scott's price $9, Standard pr~ce $5, price realized $5.20.

Austria, last set issued. Scott's numbers 706-20, Standard numbers 32-46, Scott's price $7.11, Standard price $6.25, price realized $6.35.

Bolivia, interior issue, Scott's numbers 335-41, Standard numbers 43-49, unpriced in Scott's. Standard price $1, price real­ized $2.85.

Chile, 6 p. on JOe., Scott's number 606, St2nd?rd number 16, Scott's price $12, Standard price $10, price realized $11.25.

•

by R. J. LYONS and GLI:N W. NA VI:S

China On Cover

China, first set on flown cover, Scott's number 651-5. Standard numbers 1-5, Scott's price $7.75, Standard price $6.50, price realized $11.75.

Curacao, first set on part cover. Scott's numbers 201-3, Standard numbers 1-3, Scott's price $13, Standard price $17.50, price realized $23.

Denmark, complete, Scott's numbers 701-10. Standard numbers 1-10. Scott's price $3.71, Standard price $2.10, price realized $2.60.

Dominican Republic (Columbus) Stan­dard numbers 33-40, Standard price $4.60.

Dutch Indies (on flown cover) Scott's number 562, Standard rtumber 12, Scott's price $1.50, Standard price $2.50, price realized $2.70.

Ecuador, 10 sucres orange, Scott's num­ber 508. Standard number 16, Scott's price $20, Standard price $25, price realized $30.

Ethiopia (Abyssinia) Scott's numbers 451-61, Standard numbers 11-16, unpriced in Scott's, Standard price $3.75, price realized $4.

French Guiana (complete) Scott's num­bers 301-08, Standard numbers 1-8, un­priced in Scott's, Standard price $2, price realized $2.20.

German Blocks Germany (blocks of 4 on flown cover)

Scott's numbers 659-60, Standard numbers 58-9, Scott's price $3.40, Standard price $1.40, price realized $1.45.

Germany (on fragments) unlisted in Scott's Standard numbers 310-11, Stan­dard ;rice $2.40, p;ice realized $3.

Iceland (Balbo issue) Scott's numbers 312-14, Standard numbers 12-14, unpriced in Scott's, Standard price $17.50. price realized $28.25.

Italian colonies (Garibaldi) Scott's num­bers 307-11, Standard numbers 7-11, un­priced in Scott's, Standard price $1.50, price realized $2.10 .

Italian colonies (Dante) Scott's num­ber 312, Standard number 12, unpriced in Scott's, Standard price $3.25, price realized $3.50.

Italy (on flown cover) Scott's number

24

JULY 1938

1048, Standard number 51, Scott's price $4, Standard price $6. price realized $7 .25.

Italy (Rome-B. A. and Rome-Mogadis ­cio issues) Scott's numbers 1052-5 and

, 1073-8. Standard numbers 55-58 a nd 82-87, unpriced in Scott's, Standard p rice $3.75, price realized $4.50.

Balbo Issue at $44.50 Italy (on flown cover) Balbo official,

Scott's number 1261, Standard number 200, unpriced in Scott's, Standard price $40, price realized $44.50.

Mexico, 5 p. pro-university , Scott's num­b er 967, Standard number 75, unpriced in Scott's, Standard price $8, price realized $8.35.

Nicaragua (Air Post Week issue, Scott's numbers 1085-8, Standard numbers 92-5, unpriced in Scott's, Standard price $4, price realized $4.95.

Russia (on flown covers) Standard num­bers 81-88, Stand,ard price $2.05, price realized $2.25. (unlisted by Scott .)

Senegal (complete) Scott's numbers 400-410, Standard numbers 1-11, unpriced in Scott's, Standard price $2, price real­ized $2.30.

Southwest Africa (complete) Scott's numbers 501 -509, Standard numbers 1-8, unpriced in Scott's, Standard price $3.75, price realized $4.50.

Sudans Sold Sudan, Scott's numbers 401-2 and 404.

Standard numbers 1-3, Scott's price $2.00, Sta ndard price $2.35, price realized

$2.65; Scott's numbers 406-14 and Standard numbers 4-12 included.

Union of South Africa (complete) Scott's numbers 501-6, Sta ndard numbers 1-6, Scott's price $7.41, Standard price $3.95, price realized $4.90.

(Unfortunately, Scott's does not price a number of important airpost items in used condition).

In the sale a number of other items brought high prices including U . S. Z epps on first day cover at $45; Albania, Scott's 629-42, Standard 29-42, $'?<; Argentine, blue overprint, Graf Zeppelin, Scott's 520-24, Standard 20-24, $10.40; Argentine, green overprint Graf Zeppelin, Scott's 525-29, Standard 25-29, $30.50; Australia , Ross Smith on flown cover, Standard No. 1, Standard p rice $250, sold for $230; Chile, Scott's 608, Standard 11, $3.80; China, $2 and $5, Scott's 670-71, Standard 19-20, $3.50; (China, Sin-Kiang, Scott' s 1903, Standard 24, $157.50; Cyrenaica, Scott's 319-20, Standard 18-19, $9.75; Dominican Republic, Scott's 851-2 and 854-5, Stan­dard 10-11 and 13-14, $19; Dominican Re­public, officials, Scott's 901-2, Standard 100-1, $19; Ecuador, Scott 's 658, Standard 107, $87; Egypt , Scott's 251-4, Scott's 1-4, $4.20; Guatemala, Scott's 731-50, Standard 32-45, $10.40; Guatemala, Scott's 769-78, Standard 74-83, $3.40; Haiti, Scott's 324,

·Standard 7, $9; Italian colonies, Scott's 313-19, Standard 15-21, $4.40; Japan (min­ature sheet) Standard 8, $19; Lebanon, Scott's 257-64, Standard 84-91, $2.70; Man­chukuo (complete) Standard 1-4, $3.50; Mexico, Scott's 968, Standard 76, $19.75; Mexico, Scott's 969, Standard 77, $62.50; Mexico, Amelia Earhart, Standard 89, $175.50.

Also in the higher brackets were a

"SWIVELOK COVER ALBUM" T(@).NE

25

With Either Gr~y or Bla.r.k Sheets An e fficient and durable cover

album as only Elbe can make it. Bla ck I mitation Leather bind­

ing over stiff boards. Album comes complete with 50 (grey or bla ck) album leaves scored to lie flat . " Swivelok" mechan­ism permits an expansion up tG 200 sheets. Made in six standard sizes- from $1.60 to $9.20 retail. FREE : Cat. # 9-P.

ELBE FILE & BINDER Co. 215 Greene St., N.Y. Dept. A .

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

AIRPORT

~m L~l ~~ COVERS •

•

BY MAURICE S. PETTY News of future and past events under this section should be sent direct to Mr. Petty, 507 Quackenbos St., N. W., Washington, D. C.

C OMJ;NG: airport Dedications: Erie, Pa. CofC says probably in August.

Covers to them. ........ Covers will be held by P. M. at Hendersonville, N. C., and by Mrs. H. Douglas Brown, Jr., 502 W. First St., Oil City, Pa., but both very indef-inite. ........ Winchester, Va. CofC says postponed tmtil fall. Covers to them. . ...... . None in prospect at Ely, Nev., Sioux City, Iowa, Steubenville, 0., Beaver Falls, Pa., or Winamac, Ind. ........ Cachef for 25th anniversary first woman flight in Canada, Mrs. Alys McKey Bryant, July 31. Unsealed covers to George Fawkes, 567 W. 18th Ave., Vancouver, B. C. Un­used US commemorative stamps will b~ accepted in exchange for Canadian ones to be placed on covers.

PAST AIRPORT DEDICATIONS: Dan­ville, Pa. Stamp Club cachet applied to 2468 covers on May 19th, and CofC in­scription on some. The special pick-up was held on the 19th, but due to bad wea. ther, the airport dedication was post­poned to the 20th. Too bad, but the 19th will rate as NAMW and the 20th as dedi-cations ......... Victor, Idaho, Acting P. M. verifies dedication of Bennett Field there May 19th. About 25 covers without mark­ing mailed. H. N. Sweet reports receiving one ........ 1018 covers with black printed dedication cachet pmkd. May 19th from

Edgemont, S. D., but according to the

Edgemont Tribune, issue of May 25th, bad

weather caused a postponement of the

special flight and covers actually carried

out on Saturday, May 21st. Dedication

ceremony cancelled altogether. The

Brookings, S.D. Register writes announce­

ment of airport dedication was premature, that they had air mail pick-up May 19th but no dedication ........ Panguitch, Utah, May 19th, typed, reported for Bryce Can. yon Airport, but P. M. says it has not yet been officially dedicated .. ..... Grayling, Mich. CofC and PM says NO dedication May 19th, but may be in future ......... P. M. and City Information Bureau, Elk Rapids, Mich. say NO dedication there May 19th. ........ Iuka, Miss., Pres. CofC says NO dedication in prospect, so 42 covers on hand mailed May 16th for NAMW ......... Hemphill, Tex. CofC says field never completed so 90 covers on hand mailed May 18th for NAMW ........ . Musogee, Okla. covers of May 15th said to have been for dedic.ation of new run-way only ........ CofC, Ely, Nev. says NO dedication. Covers for NAMW only ........ . G. F. Lancaster shows Fort McKavett, Tex. May 19 with 8 line stamped cachet for dedication C. B. Ranch Airport. Veri­fied by newspaper and P. M. who says 135 mailed ........ Lusk, Wyo. airport form-ally dedicated May 19th. NAMW cachet used. Also special printed dedication en­velope sold at 5c each was used there and at each point in county participating in NAMW pick-up that day, each of which had its own NAMW cachet also. As every dedication on May 19th was also part of the NAMW pick-up flights, we believe that Lusk should be the only officially recognized airport dedication in this par­ticular group, the other towns not ac­tually participating in the dedication. The two types of covers not counted separate­ly, but totals are Lusk outside county 1916; Keeline 670; Kirtley 712, Jireh 546; Node 647; Van Tassell 653; Whitman 650; Hat Creek 639; Bright 543; Spencer 575; Dogie 540; Leverett 743; Lance Creek 815; Mmville 647; total 10,296 ......... Brunswick, Ga. dedicated McKinnon Field located on St. Simon Island May 20th and Board of Trade applied separate distinctive cachet for each of the three post offices. Mailed that day 628 pmkd. Brunswick; 151 St. Simon Island; and 76 Sea Island. .. ...... Douglas, Wyo. dedicated American Legion Airport on May 20 with cachet by Legion

26

JULY 1938

and Kiwanis printed in blue or red, with or without a three line flown stamp, and also used a rubber stamped cachet of similar design. 1178 mailed in ·all. . ...... . Anderson, S. C. NAMW cachet read ''May 19-21, Dedication of the Anderson Air­port," and mailed about 3000 covers, most­ly 19th, but all three days seen. BUT the

. actual dedication of the airport was May 2'ith and covers of latter date with in­scriptions by. Airport Commission or dif­ferent autographs, but no cachets. Hence 19-20-21 can only rate as NAMW. . ...... . Anniston, Ala. NAMW cachet -also read "Dedication May 19th" but that too was wrong. Same cachet used an authenticat­ed dedication dates of May 21 and 22, 1P38, and a collector added a stamped "Official· Dedication May 21 and 22" to 10 covers on 21st and 26 on 22nd. Airport Commission verifies and says total of 150 mailed ........ G. F. Lancaster shows Cabot, Ark. May 28 with dedication inscription signed by E. L. Bailey, Owner and Man­ager, of Bailey Airport. Event verified by Mr. Bailey, who also is Mayor. Few mail-ed ......... Mansfield, Pa. PP. M. says covers of May 25 are NOT airport dedications. ........ Huntingdon-Ironton-Chesapeake Air­port dedication May 29th verified, having been postponed from 19th account wea­ther. Covers seen from Huntingdon, vV. Va. with typed inscription by P. M. Those

from Chesapeake, Ohio, have ink inscrip_

tion by P. M. and are pmkd. 30th 9 A. M.

P. M. writes his office closed all day

Sunday 29th and open until 10 :30 A. M.

the 30th, and 50. covers mailed. Those pmkd. Ironton, Ohio. mostly have in-scriptions and ,about 300 mailed ......... Alex-andria, La. did not dedicate April 20th or May 19th ......... Sitka,Alaska, air mail cover received pmkd. June 1 on USS Sandpiper with "F. A. B. Sitka, Alaska" in killerbars, :and typed "Sitka, Alaska, June 1, 1938, First Fleet Air Base in Alaska Commissioned This Date. J. C. Cronin, Lieut. Comdr. USN Comdg." ....... . Lakeview, Ore. covers of May 30th with NAMW cachet mean nothing according to P.M ......... Brooklyn, N.Y. dedicated Coast Guard Air Station June 17th and Aero Philatelic Society of National Aeronautic Assn. sponsored a black printed sticker on green paper designed by member G. F. Lancaster. 94 mailed and pmkd. Brook­lyn and 72 flown out to and pmkd. WashH ington,D. C. same day. Also some mailed without stickers, but with inscription signed by P. M. and still others with neither sticker or inscription, pmkd . Brooklyn, and simihr late mailed ones seen pmkd. June 18th, 12:30 A. M. . ...... . ·Hillsdale, Mich. dedicated airport June 19th and W. T. Wynn, Jr., shows one

''DEDICATION''

• Cachet used at recent Brook­lyn Coast Guard Air Station dedication.

U.S. COAST. GUARD AIR STATION

BROOKL nl - l~EW YORK.

~ · OFFICIAL CACHET

NATIONAL AERONAUTIC ASS'N. AERO- PHILATELIC SOCIETY

27

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

with P.M. inscription. P. M. says 321 mail­

ed ......... Hagerstown, Md. dedicated Muni­

cipal Airport June 19th. Small three line

box cachet stamped on 40 covers by Jr.

CofC. Large printed black one of hangar,

etc., by Stamp Club on 229 air mail and

59 ordinary covers. Also 85 of the print­

ed envelopes were sold at the field but

not known how many of them were

mailed says Mr. Adam Harsh ......... La

Porte, Ind. covers of July' 1 with inscrip­

tion reported but not seen. More later. ....... Crosby, N. D., July 3, magenta cachet by CofC for airport dedication (not veri­fied) ......... Cape Cod Airplines writes that their base near New Bedford, Mass., was offidally opened April 18th. No formal op­ening or dedication or cachet. Regarding covers of May 3rd, New Bedford CofC says there was NO dedication there that day or any other recent one. ........ Sitka, Alaska, covers of March 11th mentioned in April issue, should be March 1st, and were for dedication of new Post Office. not airport. ........ Biddeford, Maine CofC v.-rites they had NO airport dedication on Oct. 11, 1935, nor at any other time, and are not going to have any. Covers on hand were mailed with NAMW cachet ..... .... Covers of April 30th with embossed cachet for Reeves Field opening, received from San Pedro, Calif. F. H. Wilde went down that day with covers he was hold· ing and quotes both Mr. W. G. Crosby (who handlea the covers) and the CofC that NO airport dedication took place, so Mr. Wilde did not mail the covers he is hokling. Neither did the postmaster at Terminal Island ........ Dr. J. F. Ulman re­ports Colville, Wash. cover of June 16th with ink "Special Flight." Details un· known.

NATIONAL AIR MAIL WEEK covers were so numerous that it would take the entire Journal to list all of which we have knowledge, so ·are attempting none Dr. J. F. Ulman reports 486 received, H. N. Sweet reports 431, while I received 362. Following NAMW covers have been investigated and found NOT to be airport dedications. By C. F. Lancaster; Lake Charles, La.; Alexandria, La., Arcadia, Fa., Grove City, Pa., Harvey, N. D., Mason City, Wash., Muscle Shoals, Ala., Dan­ville, Va., Willoughby, Ohio, Jellico, Tenn., Cedartown, Ga., Connellsville, Pa., Beck­ley, W .Va., Hot Springs, Ark., Carters­ville, Ga., Bloomington, Ind., Eagle River,

Wise., Biddeford, Maine. By H. N. Sweet: Crescent City, Calif., Mojave, Calif., Nev­ada City, Calif., Cartersville, Ga., (City Clerk will hold covers), Rockford, Ill., Lansing, Iowa, Atwood, Kans., Alexandria, La., Jackson, Maine, Starkville, Miss., Ada, Minn., Harvey, N. D., Eugene, Ore., Red­field, S. D., Ipswich, S. D.

THANKS FOR NEWS ASSISTANCE this month to Miss A. B. Cilley, J. R. F. Dan­zinger, George Fawkes, Chas. A. Erb, Ed· ward Hacker, Adam J. Harsh, G. F. Lan­caster, Dr. H. B. Miller, Glen W. Naves, Harry N. Sweet, Dr. J. F. Ulan, F. H. Wilde, W. T. Wynn, Jr., T. V. Young­blood, Claud L. McDermott, and numer­ous CofCs and PM's. Personal thanks for covers received from Alvin H. Anderson, Walter Conrath, John C. Horn (4), Miss Lavinia E. Horton, Glen W. Naves (3), Dr. J. F. Ulman (5) and F. H. Wilde.

• CLEVELAND CELEBRATES 2(10TH MEETING ' 0 VER ONE HUNDRED persons were

in attendance at the 200th meeting celebrated at the Hotel Hollenden the night of May 17, by the Cleveland Air Mail Society, Chapter #3 of the A.A.M.S.

Taking adv•ntage of the coincidence of National Air Mail week at the same time members were doubly entertained. The nrogram was divided into two parts:- one for observance of National Airmail Week '.nd the other for the 200th meeting.

For the first part Major Berry, of the Cleveland Air!)ort was the principal speaker. He gave an enlightening talk on the early days in commercial aviation particularly with reference to Trans­continental mail and Lighted Airways. He stressed the part Cleveland's airport has played in the progress of aviation.

Second on the program was Mr. W. P. Feiten, district traffic man3ger of Unit­ed Air Lines. The gentleman gave a brief history of U. A. L. and highlights of that company's activities of the present day. He then presented the presiding officer with five complimentary tickets for a flight to be held the following week at the Cleveland Airport. After the meet­ing a drawing was held and Mr. Hiscock of the East Cleveland Philatelic Society, Mr. Michels of the Cleveland Stamp Club, Mr. Griffin, of the C. A. M. S .. a junior

28

JULY 1938

and a young lady visitol" were the for­tunate winners.

Cleveland's mayor, Harold H. Burton, sent a message that he had been detain­ed in Columbus, the state capital, with the local relief problem but he would be with us later on in the evening.

Announcement was made that the Club had arranged for an extensive exhibit thruout the city to help the Post Office Department in their celebration of Air­mail Week. Members had arranged frames and placed them in the main department stores, banks, library build­ings, and Post Office. Mr. Joseph Arnold and Mr. Warren Parrish had charge of this work. Mr.· Alfred Stern, secretary of the C. A. M. S. handled the arrange­ments for the 200th meeting program.

The first president of the Society was called upon to take charge of the second half of the meeting. Mr. H. H. Griffin dis­missed the present officers and called upon the first Secretary, Jim Schweier and the first Treasurer Frank Grant to assist him in presiding. The first Vice President, Mr. C. L. Gates was unable to attend.

Carrying out the idea of "Old Timers' Nite" each of the officers told of the many Interesting things that happened in the early days of the society. Mr. Griffin then proceeded to call the .roll of the original charter members present and as each name was mentioned the member was aUowed a few words of greeting.

Those who spoke were Bill Langdon, who had charge of the three letters Col. Lindbergh carried across the ocean on his historic flight which were on display at the first convention exhibition; Burt Williams, who drove up from Pittsburgh specially for the meeting, Mark Emsley, ~diie IBrow:n, Jack 'Schildihouse, Mrs. Blake Battles (Anna Shafer), her moth­er, Mrs. Shafer, Edward McLennan, ar,d a number of others.

Among the guests who were called up­on for a few words were: Mrs. Louis K. Boswell, who introduced her friends from the "99" dub of women fliers, Vera Tt.1rner, feminine parachutist, Mr. Jack Bassichis, pilot who was to fly the mail from Akron to Cleveland in the "Pilot for a Day" demonstration, and a number of fellow collectors from the other local clubs in the city of Cleve­land.

Mayor and Mrs. Burton arrived dur­ing the discussion period which followed

29

the program and gave a talk about the importance of the use of airmail and every modern convenience in helping correct our present difficulties. Mrs. Burton was gracious enough to say a few words. The meeting was then ad­journed and a general round table forum and discussion was held.

-A. J. B.

• AIRPOST STAMPS SHOW RISE

(Continued from Page 25)

Newfoundland Hawker (Scott's 501, Stan­dard 1) on cover, catalogued in Scott's at $1,500 and in the standard edition at $1,-750, and sold for $1,075; a Newfoundland de Pinedo on cover at $220; and various Nicaragua, Panama, Persia, San Marino, Tripolitania, Philippino and other items, all selling within very close range of catalogue values.

• PIONEER FLIGHT NO. 1 (Continued from Page 13)

lin<' and oil tanks were filled. A small parcel of mail was sacked and placed aboard. Bud Mars, a young pilot work­ing with Curtiss, who had come from Baltimore only a few hours before took the ccmtrols and issued instructions for the flight.

Captain Russ of the "Pennsylvania" drove his ship full steam astern into the wind to offer better take-off condi­tions. The small airplane motor roared and passengers shouted cheers of good luck and happy landings.

But suddenly something went wrong. A crack! A r-r--rip! and a rain of woodjf-n splinters endangered eveTYone near the craft before the motor could be cut off.

In filling the oil tanks a bent pipe had to be used and in the excitement the mechanic left it on the wing of the plane. The suction of the propellor evi­dently attracted the pipe which shatter­ed the thin blades.

The phne was quickly dismantled and taken back to New York on the "Wild Duck" while the uPennsylvania," with its disappointed passengers steamed off to Europe. The platform was left intact for they planned to exhibit it to visitors !n Hamburg as the laitest means of

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

a erial-marine transportation. The specially imprinted envelopes were

returned to :9assen gers w h o mailed them, though a few, addressed to New Yor k residents, were taken back and posted at the Hudson Street Terminal Post Office and forwarded in the ordin­ary m anner.

Emma Trentini of the Victor Herbert Open Company wrote "My Dear Moth­er: I have had very b ig success with my opera and am in love with the Ameri­•cans for their kindness. Dovingly, :tmma. P. S . This is sent by aeroplane b y the New York World."

Though this particular pioneer airmail flight was a hilure, it led to numerous otr·;er ventures which, as :1 who~e. de­veloped aviation to the industry we know it today.

The N ew York World sought and re­ceived Na\Vy D'.!:!)<~rtment co-o!Jeration, but a few d ays before the flight P resident Taft rescinded the order. He urged that any such attempt should be undert:~ken by Navy craft and a week or so later the Cruiser "Birmingham" was rigged with a similar platform from which n avy planes assayed short hops as a means of aeria l defense in case of war. No mail was carried on any of these attempts, however.

• AIRS OF THE MONTH (Continued from Page 9)

• SWITZERLAND • For an international exhibition to be held at AARAU this com­ing September there will be issued a spe­cial sheet of three stamps consisting of two copies of the current 20c. postage and one of the lOc. on 65c. air mail provision­al.

The airmail day stamps have appeared and all are canceled but bear the original gum (Naughty Switzerland-tsk, tsk after all these years!)

30

• SYRIA • The Marseilles-Syria flight will be commem orated with a special 10 p. stamp showing a map of the Mediter­ranean with the ,line of fl ight indicated and a portrait of aviat or Nogues. As with the Lebanon stamp this will be issued in sheet form as well. e VATICAN CITY e Beautifully engraved but a bit too small for the fine amount of details contained thereon we have eight values from the Eternal City. Four designs are used.

The 25c. sepia and 1 L red show St . Peter's statue, the 50c. olive green and 2L ultramarine show the B ellini colonade and a Dove in flight with a!?- olive branch in its bill; the 75c. brown red and 5 L. blue black show the ascent of Elij ah; while the SOc. blue and 10 L violet present . a pic­torial version of the legend of the Vir ­gin of Loreto.

- F. W . Kessler • VENEZUELA • Because of the ·new rate changes nine new stamps are to be added to the current "American Bank note set. According · to a d ecree dated June 28 there will be: Bs0.45 (200,000 ) 0.70 (50,000 ) 1.35 (80,000) all having as a design a view of the central part of the Carabobo Monument; Bs0.30 (200,000) 0.90 (200,000) 2.25 (60 ,000) lateral part of the same monument a condor in flight; Bs0.20 (150,000 ) 0.50 (180,000) 1.4..() CS0,-000) view of the equestrian statue of G eneral Sucre.

All are to be the same size as the cur­rent •airs so they will form a part of the current set.

-C. A. Phillips

• BERMUDA-BOUND

Port Washington, starting point of PAA's experimental flights to Bermuda, is again active in the service via wings t o Hamilton. Direct air service connect­ing New York and the island on a 5-hour schedule has been inaugurated. This fol­lowed a winter of absence from the New York area, both PAA and Impe:rial Air­ways having moved their operations base down the coast to Baltimore early last winter to dodge the cold weather. Present schedules are four times a week. Collec­tors, therefore know that their covers flown to and from Bermuda on inaugural fli ghts actually taunched a regular ser­vice and were not flown as a straight aero-philatelic event.

JULY 1938

Aero-Philatelic News Notes

• by GLEN W. NAVES

The Herald-Journal Newspapers Spartanburg, S. C.

• LUFTHANSA O'ER ATLANTifJ<

Lufthansa, huge German air line, plan­ned to begin during mid-July once•a­week experimental flights between Lisbon, Portugal and New York,. via the Azores. Flights would continue through October. Portugal and U. S. officials have given the line officials approval for making the flights. Four-motored Junkers designed for ocean travel would make the trans­Atlantic trips, flying once in e3.ch direc­tion weekly. Purpose of flights is to show Germany is technically ready to open a regular fast mail route over the. North Atlantic. Pan American Airw3.ys and Ger _ man fliers have made a series of experi­mental flights.

• NEW FIRST-DAY AIR

First--day-of-issue cover additions in­clude the new 6 cents air mail stamp for Canada. The new plane-scene blue is a pleasant departure from the almost standardized Canada air issues. Issued June 15, the stamp is a part of the new 6 cents to $1 series of Canada.

• PAA TESTS CONTINUE

Fan American Airways' expert pilots and technicians early in July continued to test the company's huge new craft de­signed for the trans-Atlantic service.

Fellows, let the F. A. M. 14 extension experience be a lesson to you and "get all set" for a definite announcement on the next span ocean-ward from Hamilton, Bermuda.

31

SEEKING NEW ROUTE Dexter C. Martin, director of the South

Carolina aeronautical commission, and other aviation enthusiasts of several Southern states are negotiating for a hearing before the new federal civil avi3.tion authority on the proposed new route linking the Atlantic coastline of South Carolina with the Middle West. Asheville, N. C., with a large airport but without direct air mail and passenger connection, would be a new stop, like­wise Knoxville, Tenn. Other stops-now being serviced by Eastern Air and Delta Air Lines, would be Charleston, Columbi3., Spartanburg, Bristol, W. Va.-Tenn., Char • leston-Dunbar, W. Va., a new stop to be added at Augusta, Ga., and several others.

• NEW AUTHORITY

New civil aeronautics authority will control nation's non-military aviation, ac­cording to provisions of bill ·creating it and enacted at last Congress. Five mem­bers and an administrator comprise the board which takes some of its regulatory functions from the bureau of air com­merce; has power to issue and revoke licenses for air lines carrying passengers and property; pass upon such lines' rates and permit or refuse authority for air line mergerS or interlocking relation­ships.

• CNAC IN WAR ZONE

Restored China National Aviation Corp­oration routes are being operated entire­ly by CNAC since Pan American Airw3.ys withdrew its personnel from the interior war zone. Kai Tak airport on the Kow­loon side of Hong Kong is base and one of the busiest commercial aviation cen­ters in the Far East. Planes clear from 1hat point for interior Chinese cities, London, Saigon in French Indo-Chin;,, Singapore and San Francisco with mail, passenger and express connections for New York and other U. S. points. Pan Americ?n Airwavs, of course, . continues to fly the trans-Pacific route.

• EASTERN AIR RECORD

Eastern Air Lines which, incidentally, service this scribbler's home town on the New York-Houston run, on May 1 completed 10 ye3.rs of air service along the eastern seaboard. A major connection

American Air Mail Society ORGANIZED 1923 AS THE AERO PHILATELIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA

President PAUL F. ROBERTSON, c/o Decatur

Garment Co., Decatur, Ill.

Advisory Board GEORGE W. ANGERS WALTER J. CONRATH

L. B. GATCHELL HERBERT H. GRIFFIN

FRANCIS B. LEECH HARRY A. TRUBY

Vice-Presidents ALTON J. BLANK. 1850 Burnett Ave.,

East Clevehnd. Ohio. LOUIS J. HEATH, The Biltmore, 1940

Biltmore St.N.W.,Washington, D.C. CHARLES G. RIESS, P. 0. Box 11,

Albany, New York. WILLIAM M. STUART. Apt. 808,

2124 Eye St .• N. W .• Washington, D. C.

Directors WILLIAM R. ALLEY, 261 Broadway,

New York City. YORK BRIDDELL, P. 0. Box 668, St.

Petersburg, Fla. ALBERT N. BROWN. 270 Tehama St.,

San Francisco. Calif. WALTER BRUGGMANN. P. 0. Box

1314 Manila. Philippine Islands. FRANK A. COf:TANZO. P. 0. Box 32,

Punxsutawney, Pa.

• ORlAN E. GREEN. 555 W. Drayton. Fe1·ndale. Michigan.

MRS. ETHEL B. STEWART, Lake Lenape, Andover. N. J.

Secretary EMIL VLASAK,

293 Bridge St. Springfield, Mass. Treasurer

GEORGE W. ANGERS, 293 Bridge Street, Springfield, Mass.

Sales Manager ROBERT M. FLINN

4224 Main Avenue, Norwood, Ohio

Advance Bulletin Superintendent WALTER J. CONRATH

The AIRPOST JOURNAL. Albion, Pa. The Advance Bulletin is. sent regularly by the manager only to those members who are in good standing and provide a supply of self addressed regulation Government Postal Cards.

Exchange Department Each member is entitled to two 25-word Exchange Notices ver year, in the Offi­cial Publication, without charge. Ad­dress direct to the publication office at Albion, Penna.

Official Publication THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

Published monthly and sent to all· members in good standing.

The Secretary's Report

NEW MEMBERS 2084 Dupuy, John W., 310 26th Ave. No., St. Petersburg, Fla. 2085 Richardson, 0. J., 5242 3rd Ave., South, St. Petersburg, Fla. 2086 Jackson, Allan B., P. 0. Dept., Westwood, N. J. 2087 Ward, Mrs. Emily L. M., 1210 9th St., North St., St. Petersburg, Fla. 2088 Blackmar, E. H., 550 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, Fla. 2090 Hackett, Robert, 770 No. Broadway, Yonkers, N. Y. 2091 Ducker, Hugh L., P. 0. Box 1708, Miami, Fla. 2092 Goodnough, Edward H., Island Road, Ramsey, N. J. 2093 Driscoll, Daniel F., 258 Hamilton St., Geneva, N. Y. 2094 Terry, Tomas, Aputado 1222, Havana, Cuba. 2095 Terry, B. H., 803 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio. 2096 Milian, Richard, 351 Linea & H. St., Havana, Cuba. 2097 Spencer, Otis, 129 Coral Way, Coral Gables, Fla. 2098 Hoskins, Henry, R., Dr. P. 0. Box 146, Sanatorium, Texas. 2099 Shaner, Clinton D., 12 Walnut St., Sharpsville, Pa.

APPLICATIONS POSTED Gould, Rodney J., 802 Third St., Northwest, Canton, Ohio. Age over 21. Auditor. Am

AU U20 UC. By Walter J. Conrath. Gould, Rev. Rodney C., 224 North Ave. N. E., New Philadelphia, Ohio. Age 38. Min­

ister. AM AU SO FF FAM LD. By Emil J. Vlasak.

32

JULY 1938 Dudek, Wesley A. c/o State Hospital, Little Rock, Ark. Age 36. Med. Sec'y. AU U20 UC.

By Emil J. Vlasak. Pienhardt, Jorge L., P. 0. Box 404, Guatemala City, C. A. Age 25. Secretary. AM. By

Walter J. Conrath. DeGroot, Mortimer, 110 W. 34th St., New York, N. Y. Age 44. Philatelic Mountings. EX.

By Walter J. Conrath. Billig, Fritz, 128 Market Street, Newark, N. J. Age 36. St. Dealer and Publisher. By

Walter J. Conrath Schwartz, Dr. Sidney, 37-24 Main St., Flushing, N. Y. Age Legal. Dentist. AM U20 UC

EX. By Silvain Segal. P. S. McMullan, 100 S. Granville St., Edenton, N. C. Age 40. Asst. Treas. Cotton Mill.

By Charles J. Wood. Jarrett, John V., Holabird Q. M. Depot, Baltimore, Md. Age 28. Soldier. AU UC HC

GF CAM FAM. By Emil J. VlBsak. Chong, Yu Siu, P. 0. Box 2486, Manila, Philippine Island. Age Legal. Manager Manila

Stamp Co. By George W. Angers. Mangold, Carl, 4131 Cote des Neiges Road, Montreal, Canada. Age 37. Designer. AM AU

Z. EX. By L. W. Charlat. Olmsted, Dr. Austin 0., 211 Minahan Bldg., Green Bay, Wis. Age 57. M. D. AM AU lD

Ex. By Emil J. Vlasak. FinkP.lstein, Martin, 1103 Walnut St., Kansas City, Mo. Age 31. Jeweler. AU. By U. P.

Skaggs., Seabold, Calvin E., 4148 Wellington Avenue, Chicago, Ill. Age 43. Clerk. F20 UC FF

CAM FAM Z CF 1D. By Emil J. Vlasak. RESIGNATIONS

1847 Williamson, Mrs. Percy, 643 High St., Pottstown, Pa. APPLICATION PENDING

2089 Lustig, Joseph E., 68 Nassau St., New York, N. Y. CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Bradley, Mary L., 3660 Seventh Ave., San Diego, Calif. Costales, Eugene N., 99 Nassau St., New York City. Decker, John, 1525 Fulton Ave., Bronx, N. Y. Hard, A. M., General Delivery, Marshall, Minn. Hayes, Frank R., 7 Cosgrove St., R. F. D. #2, Springfield, Mass. Lewis, Burton H.,10 Octavta St.. San Francisco, Calif. Rotnem, Vic, 38 Park Row, New York, N. Y. Vickers, Ed N., 929 Majorca Ave., Coral Gables, Fla. Wood, Charles J., 3313 Home Ave., Dayton, Ohio.

SOCIETY PINS We now have available a supply of Society Pins. The price is $1.00. Send your order

to the Secretary. It is a beautiful three color gold enamel inlay, emblem of the Society. At this time I would like to express my sincere thanks to the membership for their

trust in electing me to the office of Secretary. It will indeed be quite a task to keep up the good work of "Uncle George Angers" but you may rest assured, if it's at all possible, it will be' done.

On this my first report, it is indeed gratifying to list so many new members and new applications. Interest and enthustasm evidently is at a high pitch. Lets all do our share to maintain and even increase our membership by paying our dues promptly when due and obtaining new members among our fellow-collectors.

REMEMBER, this is YOUR society. The AIRPOST JOURNAL is the spokesman of the society. YOUR suggestions and criticisms wiU be gladly received and perhaps a page set aside in the Airpost Journal under this heading for YOUR contributions.

· Respectfully solicited,

AERO-PHTLATELIC NEWS NOTES (Continued from Page 31)

of the lines is with PAA-thence to the Carribean area, South and Central Amer­ica-in Miami.

• AIR CONFERENCE

A trans-Atlantic air conference recently was closed in Dublin. Representatives of the American, British, Canadian and Irish governments and of Pan American and Imperial Airways attended. PAA attaches reported at the conference "knowledge was pooled generously with only one pur­pose, the increase of safety and efficiency in trans-Atlantic flying."

EMIL J. VLASAK, Secretary.

The following announcement was made:

"The conference reached unanimous

decisions resulting in the setting up of

an elaborate detailed organization cover­

ing radio communication, radio direction

finding, meteorological service and safety

services, and defined the parts to be per­

formed by the operating companies and

the different governments in their re­

spective areas.

"It is felt that with the added facil­

ities which will be made available as a

result of the conference future operations will be greatly facilitated."

33

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL

THIS SHRINKING WORLD (Continued from Page 4)

Lockheed Electra have just returned. Ringing in their ears are still the cheers of the people of a great city which saw them start off such a short time before.

Leader of the group was Howard Hughes. He explains his success modestly. They had a plane. They followed instruc­tions that came with it. Any capable a~r line pilot copld have done as good a job .. New York to Le Bourget Air Field. A quick jump to Moscow, Siberia, Over Alaska. Across the United States to their starting point. It sounds dramatically simple.

Most great feats do. And somewhere along their trail, did these five men sense the spirits of those who were wishing them well-did they hear Wiley Post and Kingsford Smith and Amelia Earhart

cheering them on . . . ? Did they see the shade of a writer with a spade beard, grinning from ear to ear . . . ?

Into the •albums of air mail collectors have gone and will go items bringing floods of colorful stories of such episodes to mind. Of some of the episodes that make up the story of this shrinking world.

And that's how air mail collectors are made.

LOOSE LEAF BINDERS for the AIRPOST JOURNAL

Keep your file of back numbers in good condition. Bound in black water­proof fabricoid, stamped with gold. Will hold 24 issues. Window on back for volume numbers. Each, post­paid, $2.00. AIRPOST JOURNAL - Albion, Pa.

1\71.\N'I' illlS RATE:

One . cent per word per insertion. Re­mittance should accompany or.der and copy.

FIRST FLIGHTS; FOREIGN & CAM; airport dedications and other important covers. Priced right. Approvals against references. Frank Herget; 553 Suffolk; Buffalo, New York. 97-3t

MEXICAN AIR MAIL STAMPS, COVERS, information wanted for specialized collec­tion. Write first describing what you have to offer and prices wanted. Paul F. Berdanier, 3327 Eightieth Street, Jackson Heights, New York. 95-Gt

AIRMAIL, ALL COUNTRIES, 300 DIF­ferent $9.00. 500 · $20.00, 1,000 $100.00 Cash with order. Satisfaction guaranteed. Lecomte, Rue Frere Orban, Jumet, Bel­gium. 98-4t*

LUXEMBERG WANTED 19th CENTURY stamps and covers. Will give FAMs, CAMs, foreign first flight or .c3sh. R. E. ·Parke, North Conway, N. H. AAMS 1464.Ex-99-2t

WANT TO SWAP CAMS AND FAMS? Send your want list and I'dd ditto. J. F. Wilsdon, 52 John St., N. Hamilton. Ont:, Canada. #1087. Ex-99-2t

34

AAMS EXCHANGE ADS (Each member is entitled to two 25-word ads per year).

AIR MAIL WEEK FLOWN DEDICATION covers wanted. Advise event, date, and price via postal. Albert N. Brown, 270 Tehama St., San Francisco. Ex-98-lt

WILL EXCHANGE PENNSYLVANIA National Air Mail Week covers. What have you? W F. Housman, Steelton, Pa.

Ex-98-lt

F. D. LEX-CONCORDS, WALLONS TO exchange for CAMs, feeder flights, motor­bus in Oklahoma 1928, Speedboat in Calif. 1930. Samuel Lipkin, 95 Nassau Ave .. Bklyn. N. Y. Ex-98-lt

WILL EXCHANGE MISCELLANEOUS aero event covers, 1928 to date, for Na­tional Air Mail Week Covers, even basis. Lists first. Maurice Petty, 507 Quacken­bos St .. N. W .. Washington, D. C.

HAVE ON:!!: HUNDRED DUPLICATE AIR Mail Week pick-up standard size covers for exchange for similar items, cover for cover. Claude P. Neet, Saint Petersburg, Fla. Ex-99-lt

WILL EXCHANGE FOR MINT U. S. stamps one unused Nicklin Air Mail Al­bum, one leather cover for Scott Inter­national Album. Charles K. Evans, 451 Arlington St., Tamaqua, Pa. Ex-99-lt

GREAT RECORDS of GREAT RECORDS

We are proud to have the EXCLUSIVE handling of the following superb covers:

.:\IOLLISOl' Trans-Atlantic Record Solo Flight New York to London. ONLY 22 FLOWN. Cover iB signed by the famous pilot .

. With photograph and pilot signed guarantee ........ S75

CLOUSTON England-Australia-New Zealand-England in under ll days. Acknowledged the Greatest Record flight in his· tory. 5 stages from ................ ... 0 ••••••••••• $18 England-Cape Town-England in under 6 days. 3 stages, with photo-write up from .......... 0. 0 ••••• 0 ••••• $50 Numbers flown very sma!l (12 only on some stages) .

BROADBENT Australia-England in 5 days, 4 hours, 21 mins. The World's greatest solo Flight. ....... •o••······-·· S14 Signed hy Pilot l on]y ten flown ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18 England-Australia, forced landin~ when six hours off Australia, and with 20 1wurs to beat Jean Batten's Record. Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8 Photograph~ free with order.

JOHNSON Amy's Great England-Cape-England Record Solo · Flight. Ten ONLY Flown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S125 Photograph free with order.

All above are Great Rarities and Prices will soar in price. Offered subject to being Unsold. Photog1·aphs of these pilots can be supplied at l5c each.

GREEN LISTS FREE AND POST FREE ON APPLICATION

A. PHILLIPS AJR l\lAIL SPECIALIST

FOUR AND FIVE DOCK STREET NEWPORT l\10N ENGLAND Est. 1295 Tel. 3789

551

.t~J~. F.W.K€SSLER III&W YORK CITY

9~

CATALOGUE and PRICE LIST Of All Mint Airmail Stamps of the World in Complt>le SFts

Quoting our Net Selling Prices

St>nd Sc to Cover Mailing ExpensP.~

F. W. KESSLER 551 FIFTH AVE. £ NEW YORK. N.Y.