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THE AIRPOST JOURNAL The American Air Mail -tM~IBPOST Society r;~-;JOllBNAL A Non-Profit Corporation Incorporated 1944 Organized 1923 Under the Laws of Ohio Official Publication of the AMERICAN Am MAIL SOCIETY PRESIDENT Robert W. Murch 9560 Litzinger Road VOL. 32 NO. 2 ISSUE 366 St. Louis 24, Mo. SECRETARY Ruth T. Smith 102 Arbor Road Contents ...... For November, 1960 Riverton, New Jersey Flights of the Pioneer Aviators, TREASURER 1908-1914 ...... 26 John J. Smith 102 Arbor Road Riverton, New Jersey Foreign Pioneer Airpost Flights, VICE-PRESIDENTS 1909-1914 ...... 31 Joseph L. Eisendrath, Jr. Louise S. Hoffman Official Section . . . 35 Florence L. Kleinert Dr. Southgate Leigh, Jr. Looking Back at Aviation from 1960 37 EDITOR - Other Publications L. B. Gatchell Catalogue of Airmail Postal Cards 43 ATTORNEY George D. Kingdom Airpost Dedication News. 45 DffiEc;!TOR OF FOREIGN RELATIONS Rare Swiss Air Mail Blocks ...... 47 Dr. Max Kronstein Early Experiments with Rocket- AUCTION MANAGER Assisted Manned Airplanes 48 Samuel S. Goldsticker, Jr. Contract Airmail Cover Notes DffiECTORS 49 Alton J. Blank Herbert Brandner Tips by Julius 53 George S. Chapman Samuel S. Goldsticker, J"r. A.P.J. Ads Inside Back Cover Lester S. Manning Emmett Peter, Jr. Dr. Tomas Terry Earl H. Wellman EDITOR ADVANCE BULLETIN SERVICE Joseph L. Eisendrath, Jr. Herbert Brandner 350 No. Deere Park Drive, Hi~bland Park, 4038 Forest Ave., Brookfield, ID. ru. ASSISTANT EDITORS SALES MANAGER Robert W. Murch Herman Kleinert Ernest A. Kehr L. B. Gatchell 213 Virginia Ave., Fullerton, Pa. DEPARTMENT AND ASSOCIATE EDITORS MEMBERSJUP DUES R. Lee Black, N. Pelletier, Florence L. Kleinert, $4.00 PER YEAR Dr. Max Kronstein, Richard L. Singley, William Dues include subscription to R. Ware, Julius Weiss, James Wotherspoon, John THE AIRPOST JOURNAL. Ap­ Watson, William T. Wynn, Frank Blumenthal. plicants must furnish two ref­ Samuel S. Goldsticker, Jr., J. S. Langabeer. erences, philatelic preferred. At Published monthly at Albion, Erie Co., Pa., U.S.A. least one must reside in Appli­ Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office cants home town. Applicants at Albion, Pa., February 10, 1932, under under 21 years must be guar­ the Act of March 3, 1879. anteed by Parent or Guardian. The AIRPOST JOURNAL is not conducted for Membership may be terminated profit. The Editor, and all others, serve without by the Society in accordance compensation. Receipts from advertising, sub­ with its By-Laws. scriptions and contributions are applied to the betterment of the magazine and the promotion Correspondence concerning sub­ of aero-philately. scriptions, back numbers and The Editor and Officers of The American Air bound volumes, address changes Mail Society assume no responsibility for the and other matters and all re­ accuracy of statements made by contributors. mittances should be sent to the Every effort is made to insure correctness of Treasurer. All general commun­ all articles. ications and advertising should Subscription Rates: $4.00 per year, 35c per copy. be sent to the Editor. Advertising Rate Card available from the Editor NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 25 Flights of the Pioneer Aviators, 1908 - 1914 by James Wo:therspe>on (Concluded) WHITE, Claude Grahame. R. Ae. • ,fortunately the wind began to in- c. certificate No. 6, April 26, 1910. crease and Grahame-White was for­ Claude Grahame-White also held the ced down near Lichfield to await bet­ French Aero Club certificate No. 30 ter weather. All Saturday night the from January 4, 1910. At this period pilot stood by in case the wind should Grahame-White was :flying at Pau in abate but a gale was brewing and his new Bleriot, which attained a condihons became worse. The final speed of 60 mph on its trial flights. misfortune occurred the next after­ He already owned two single seat noon when a gust blew the aircraft Bleriots, and was awaiting delivery over and did considerable damage. of a Farman. He planned to form a Grahame-White set about repairing flying school near London, and he the damage, working with his crew also had received the exclusive rights day and night until Wednesday 1or distribution of Farmans in Cen- morning to make the plane again air­ tral and South America. In Febru- worthy. The pilot retired to bed for ary Grahame-White completed ar- a much-needed rest preparatory to rangements for the transfer of his making a fresh start next morning. now flourishing School of Flying At 6 am on that Wednesday morning, from Pau to England. He had secur- Paulhan's machine had arrived at ed possession of the site of Hendon Hendon, and at 5:21 pm it was in the Aerodrome and was waiting comple- air bound for Manchester. Grahame­ tion of the sheds befure he brought White was awakened. Within ten his six Bleriots and two Farmans minutes he was out of bed, dressed, across the Channell. Among his pu- and in the air. At 6:29 he crossed the pils at this time at Pau was Arm- official starting line and flew stead­ strong Drexel, an American destined ily northward into the gathering to become a brilliant pilot. Grahame- dusk. Paulhan landed at Lichfield White himself had brought a Bleriot at 8:10 pm, 117 miles qut from Lon­ to Brooklands where a .few short don, as White was forced down at flights were made. On April 23, 1910, Roade after sixty miles had been Claude Grahame-White leaped into covered at 7:55 pm. Thus the French­ the limelight and established himself man, with only about fifty-six miles as the undoubted leader of British to go, held a lead of sixty-seven miles aviation. and had averaged 44 mph against The "Daily Mail" had offered a White's 42 mph. Such a desperate prize of 50,,000 pounds to the first situation called for desperate meas­ pilot of any nationality to fly from a ures and Grahame-White rose to the point within .five miles of their Lon- occasion. Assembling a multitude O!f don offices to a point within five cars around his field he utilized their miles of their Manchester offices, or head lamps as :floodlights and essay­ vice versa. Two pilots, one English ed the incredible hazard of a night and one French, had entered for the flight in order to overtake the contest. Both were to pilot Henry Frenchman. The attempt was nearly Farman biplanes with 50 hp Gnome successful. Grahame-White took off rotary engines. Grahame-White at 2:50 am and had reached a point erected his machine at Park Royal, only ten miles short of the spot London, as Paulhan awaited the ar- where Paulhan was preparing to re­ rival of his at Hendon. It had not sume his flight, when engine trouble arrived as Grahame-White took off brought him down at Polesworth, 1{)7 at 5:15 am on April 23, 1910. All miles from London, just before 4 went well until Rugby was reached am. About three minutes later Paul­ iwo hours five minutes later. Un- han took off once more, completed PAGE 26 THE AIRPOST· JOURNAL the journey without mishap, and won won the Gordon Bennett Cup Race, the prize. held at Belmont Park, New York. He In May Grahame-White flew across completed the twenty laps in one country from Br.ooklands to Woking hour one minute, at an average speed where he was fined 25 pounds for of 60 mph. The next day he won driving a motor car at 40 mph, later $10,000 .offered for the fastest flight flying back to Brooklands. from Belmont around the Statue of Grahame-White was one of the Liberty and back. Two other pilots many pilots to take part in the Wol­ als·o made the .flight, but were dis­ verhampton Meeting, 1910, capturing qualified under the rules laid down the duration competition, and second by the donor. In turn both were in the speed contest. At the Bourne­ awarded the prize, but after many mouth Meeting of July 10, 1910, he protests and appeals by various Aero captured the prize for distance flown Clubs, in 1912 the prize was finally by a !flight of eighty-nine miles in 2 paid to Grahame-White. hours 31 minutes. During the same He was entered for the Baron de meeting he was one of the pilots to Forest contest, a flight from England make a flight to the Isle of Wight into Europe, the prize to be awar.ded and return. The next meeting to b~ to the pilot who made the longest held was at Blackpool, which com­ flight. Grahame-White was at Swin­ menced on July 28, lasting three gate Downs, where a great storm weeks. Grahame-White liked to wrecked a few machines, including spread abroad the idea of the practi­ his. He repaired it but crashed while cal worth of aer:oplanes as vehicles flight testing it. Severely cut by of transport. Blackpool provided him wires, he fainted ·from loss of blood. with several •opportunities. His first Another plane was ordered but his adventure was a flight to Victoria doctor would not permit him to fly. Pier where he landed on the sand Early in 1911 he designed a new and took off again. The next day he small pusher biplane with front ele­ flew to Southport, again landing and vator and boxkite tail, known as the taking off on the sands. In the af­ G. W. Baby, which proved to be very ternoon he won the "Daily Merit" fast and handy. In April Grahame­ prize of 500 pounds, and for the rest White made a flight from Hendon to of· the evening settled down to "joy Birmingham in his Farman. In the riding", most of his passengers being same month White's School at Hen­ ladies. The next day produced a vio­ don was visited semi-officially by lent wind, and Grahame-White, the Colonel Seely, Under Secretary for only pilot to venture aloft, was timed War, as the War Office was begin­ to exceed 70 mph on a down wind ning to take an interest in aviation. flight. Although the weather was unfit for On August 10, he flew to Fleet­ 1flying, Seely prevailed on Grahame­ wood, landed, then crossed More­ White to take him up in the G. W. cambe Bay to Barrow, and then !flew Baby for a brief flight. In May, a back to Blackpool. On the last day military display ·of aircraft took place of the meeting, Grahame-White flew at Hendon. Grahame-White demon­ for seventeen minutes in a gale, net­ strated bomb-dropping from a Henry ting 2,000 pounds in prize money. Farman, marking deadly shooting At the Boston, USA, meeting on with 100 lb bags of sand. In July he September 7th he won $10,000 of­ initiated the Isle of Man to aviation fered by the "Boston Globe'', cover­ although hampered by wind. ing a cross country course of thirty­ At the Boston Meeting of 1911, three miles in forty minutes. ·In ad­ Grahame-White appeared flying a dition he scored four firsts and three Nieuport, ab.out which he knew noth­ seconds at the meeting, which made ing whatever. On the !first day he his total prize money $32,100 for the won the speed and altitude prizes. He week. In October Grahame-White next appeared at the New York NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 27 Meeting where he won the cross aircraft, built up largely of steel tub­ country race, and with Sopwith ing, with a span of fifty-seven feet, won the team relay race. By the end and a float undercarriage which of 1911 Grahame-White was familiar could be changed for a wheel landing with, and flying, Henry Farman, gear in ninety minutes. Grahame­ Bristol and G. W. Baby biplanes and White flew it as a land machine as Nieuport monoplanes. far as Boulogne, where he fitted the At the Hendon Easter Meeting of floats and flew to Folkstone. On Sep­ 1912, he gave the spectators a great tember 6, 1912 a demonstratkm of thrill. 8,000 had pa1d admission but night flying at Hendon included him had been told no flying was possible as one of the pilots. At the end of_ due to very bad weather. He brought 1912' Grahame-White was interesting out his old Henry Farman which had himseLf more in the manufacture of first appeared at Wolverhampton in aeroplanes, although he was still fly­ 1910. He put his two engineers, Carr ing as usual. and Law, on the landing skids and In January 1913 he produced the .flew for 200 yards at a height of ten "Poular" biplane, to provide a cheap feet. He decided to attempt a Longer handy aeroplane for school work, or flight, and placed Lewis Turner and for the private owner. This plane Carr seated on either s1de of him on carried pilot and passenger and was the bottom wing. Just after the take· designed for a speed of 50 mph, with off, a gust of wind caught the ma­ fuel for four hours flying. It sold at chine and caused one of the wing $2,000. tips to dig into the ground. White On June 24, he went to Paris to and ·Turner jumped, but Carr hung take delivery of a Morane seaplane. on and performed a gr.ound loop with He took o:fif from the Ile de Jatte on the machine, crawling out smiling the Seine, flew down the river to le and unhurt. Havre, where he had breakfast. Then During the 1912 Naval Review he followed the coast up to Boulogne White flew over the Fleet at Port­ and crossed to Dover. In the after~ land. After the Aerial Derby he gave noon he flew around to the mouth of a demonstration of night ,flying. A the Thames, and up the river to Put­ large acetylene searchlight had been ney. Being impressed by the increas­ fitted to his old Farman biplane and ing popularity of passenger flights at others were arranged as floodlights Hendon, he decided to produce a ma­ round the field. The experiment was chine to cope with this demand. In highly spectacular and thoroughly the spring of 1913 he produced the dangerous, but was carried off with famous "Char-a-bane", a pusher bi­ Grahame-White's usual skill. He was plane with a span of sixty-two feet. one of the pilots in the "Daily Mail" A large nacelle rested on the center tour of Britain in 1912. On June 29, of the bottom wing and protruded he married Miss Dorothy Taylor of well forward. The pilot sat in the New York City. The wedding took extreme front with seats for four place at Widford, and the reception passengers in pairs behind him. This at "Hylands", the mansion ·of Sir D. machine was powered by a 120 hp Gooch. Grahame-White flew down Austro-Daimler engine driving a pro­ for the wedding and landed on the peller nine feet three inches in lawn of the mansion. Verrier and length. This machine proved to be an Hucks also flew down for the wed-. instantaneous success. Louis Noel, ding. chief test pilot of the Grahame White In July 1912 Grahame-White pur­ Co., decided to make an attack on cha>ed the latest edition ,of the Hen­ the world's record for duration with ry Farman, going to Paris and flying a pilot and seven passengers, which the machine. back by stages with his then stood at six minutes 49 seconds. chief engineer, Carr, as passenger. Having stowed away his load, he ~his Farman was a most impressive took off d'rom Hendon on September PAGE 28 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL 22nd, to stay in the air for 17 min­ in Ireland. He reached Chepstow, utes 25 seconds. Noel was not con­ proceeding to Goodwood near Fish­ tent with one world's record, and he guard where he landed in the same firmly believed that the plane could d'ield that he had used on his previ­ lift an even greater load. On Octo­ ous journey. On the following day ber 2 he piled no less than nine P3'l­ he crossed the water and made a sengers in the machine and succeed­ forced landing on the other side at ed in taking off from Hendon to d'ly Gorey. This last stage of d'ifty-five around the aerodrome for 19 min­ miles had been covered in forty-five utes 47 seconds. This fine perform­ minutes, at an average speed of over ance set up another world's record 70 mph. This was the second time in a new category. To prove his lat­ that Corbett Wilson had performed est machine was no freak ,Grahame­ the astonishing feat of crossing the White personally flew it across coun­ dangerous Irish Sea to his home in try frO!IIl Hendon_ to Brooklands and Ireland. back again with five passengers. On the return journey the party covered In February, 1913 he purchased the nineteen miles in fifteen minutes, at latest Bleriot monoplane and went an average speed of 76 mph. over to Pau to take delivery. While there he made several flights, notab­ By the end of 1914 Claude Gra­ ly one from Pau to Orthez and back, hame-White was devoting most of his and a two hour's tour of the Gave time to the construction of planes, Valley. Corbett Wilson's next daring but ooten flew in some of the short flight was to take him across the races at Hendon. Alps. On May 21 he left Bue in his WILSON :Q. Corbett. French Aero new two-seater Bleriot monoplane, accompanied by a mechanic, and flew Club certificate No. - January 16, 1912. Wilson was an Englishman who non-stop to Dijon in three hours. Af­ ter resting, he took off again and learned to fly at the Bleriot School reached Lausanne after a !further in France. In April, 1912 he was fly­ ing at the Bleriot School, Hendon. flight of two hours twenty minutes On the afternoon of April 17, he and during which he crossed the Jura D. I. Allen decided to fly together to Alps at a height of 13,120 feet. In Dublin. Soon after take•off they be­ June he left Rheims accompanied by came separated, and Allen landed at his French mechanic, and tried to d'ly to Hendon in the teeth of a westerly Chester. ·The next morning he took off again and was sighted over Holy­ gale. After experiencing some vio­ head, steering out to sea on the lent bumps, he decided to land at Peronne, 75 miles from Rheims. The course for Dublin, and was never next day he continued to Hardelot seen again. Meanwhile Corbett Wil­ and, leaving there at 4:50 am the son had landed at Almeley, a few next morning he crossed the Chan­ miles north of Hereford. On the day nel and arrived safely at Hendon, of Allen's death, Corbett Wilson flew having covered 120 miles in eighty on a few miles to Colva, where he minutes at an average speed of 90 was delayed for three nights, after mph. By the end of 1914 this bril­ which he proceeded as far as Fish­ liant pilot had faded from aviation. guard. On the morning of the sixth Clay. out from Hendon, he led:t Fish­ (These notes have been concerned guard and flew across the St. mainly with the most prominent pi­ George's Channel in one hour forty lots of the period. Any fellow collec­ mlnutes to land at Crane, about two tors, that may have autographs not miles from Enniscorthy. This was mentioned in these notes, can contact the second crossing from England to the writer and he will be pleased to Ireland. supply any information he can. Ad­ On September 19 he left Farnbor­ dress is 14 E. Main St., Broxburn, ough in his Bleriot to fly to his home West Lothian, Scotland.) NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 29 BOOK REVIEWS - mentioned as early clues to one of the future scopes of commercial flying. THE AEROPLANE. an historical sur· Whether they read the text from cover vey. Charles H. Gibbs · Smith ... H. to cover at once or keep this volume on M. Stationery Office, London, 375 their book shelf for handy reference, they will derive much valuable information pp, 18950. 35 shillings. to add to their understanding and appre­ One of the best and most popular ref­ ciation of the achievements in aviation as erence volumes has always been "Histori­ reflected in their collections. cal Survey of Heavier-than-air-Aircraft", Nobody can ever expect to write a by the late M. J. B. Davy, a Keeper in lengthy volume (THE AEROPLANE the London Science Museum, better comprises 375 pages with many excellent and well chosen illustrations), without known,to many, as the Victoria & Albert any mistakes creeping in, but in this book Museum. It was first published in 1929; they are few and of minor nature. So later two revised editions appeared. This many aviation books nowadays repeat handbook has now long been out of print. only what has already been said before, "The Aeorplane, an Historical Survey", elsewhere, that it is a real pleasure to salute Mr. Gibbs-Smith's book as a well by another well-informed aviation schol­ worth while addition to the ever-expand­ ar and prolific writer has now replaced ing aviation literature. Davy's book and while British book prices also seem to be climbing now - If American tourists find themselves £1 15sh. roughly equals $5.00 - this vol­ in London with spare time on their ume remains an excellent value, for Mr. hands, they should head for the Science Gibbs-Smith has covered his subject most Museum; a visit there would be a MUST. thoroughly and painstakingly. The many They will be rewarded by viewing a addenda and appendices make it a bit magnificent collection of historical air­ difficult for the reader to find his way craft. One of the gems is a well pre­ around, but he has the satisfaction of served Antoinette monoplane which many knowing that practically every aspect of people consider the most beautiful air­ the subject has been covered thoroughly. craft ever produced. The Victoria & Al­ Mr. Gibbs-Smith is not afraid of sticking bert Museum also houses the outstanding out his neck in expressing his personal airmail collection of the late Miss Penn­ views and backing them up. It makes for Gaskell who donated it to this place in objective reviewing and deflation of many order that her wealth of material might claims to having invented the first air­ be available for future generations to en­ plane, be they Russian or other national joy. It was my good fortune that the last ones. The author abstains refreshingly time I went to this museum, they were from boasting of, and boosting, British just preparing parts of the Penn-Gaskell successes. As a matter of fact, he does collection for general display. Other not hesitate to emphasize how slow Eng­ airpost collectors will no doubt be ex­ lish aviation was in developing at the tended every courtesy if they make their start and gives the Wright brothers full interests known. credit for having produced the first - Erik Hildes-Heim practical flying machine. Mr. Gibbs­ Smith points out they were far ahead of the contemporary French aviation pio­ ARLINGTON FIRST DAY neers in 1908, and calls a spade a spade On August 12, 1960, there were 247,- when. he sees it as a crime - which it 190 first day covers bearing the new 7- really was - that no Allied plane pilots were provided with parachutes in World cent "fire red" airmail stamp cancelled at War which would have saved many val­ Arlington, Virginia, and 561,448 stamps uable lives. sold. Airpost collectors have the satisfaction About 6,500 were canceled at the of finding pioneer airmail flights briefly Marriott Hotel convention station. PAGE 30 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Foreign Pioneer Airpost Flights, 1909-14 A. THE PIONEER AIRSTAMPS OF THE WORLD (1909-1914) THE 1913 PIONEER AIRSTAMPS OF SWITZERLAND THE FIRST AIRPOSTS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF SWITZERLAND, MAY/JUNE 1913 By Dr. Max Kron.stein • There were only two pioneer air stamps issued in the outhern part of Switzerland during the National Aviation Fund drive of 1913, one at the air meet­ ing of Sion-Sitten and the other at the air meeting of Lugano. I. THE SION AIRPOST Sion-Sitten is situated in the canton of Valais in the upper valley of the Rhone rh er. This valley is north of the Simplon mountain group and the high peaks of the Mont Blanc, the Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn and it is therefore north of the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. (It is in the French-speaking area). It is south of the high glacier mountain chain of the Berner Oberland and to reach it from the north by air, it is necessary to fly a.cross the snow- and ice-covered peaks of the Wildstrubel, or the Jungfrau group, which belongs to the highest mountain ranges of the Alps. Sion itself is situated in the sunny valley of the Rhone underneath two groups of lower hills with old castles on top of these hills. They are to be seen in the design of the 50 cents air stamp which was issued for the occasion. The same countryside was shown again in the 1941 postal air stamp issue of a 40 centimes air stamp in grey rose and again the issue of the same stamp in light blue in 1949. The 1913 pioneer air stamp was printed in an issue of 4.000 copies, in sheets of 5 rows of two stamps. The design was by A. Martin in Arbon; the printing was carried out in a local print shop, by J. Pfefferle. The stamps are in two types, one on a glossy paper, the other on a mat paper. (Two stamps of each sheet show a slight difference in the design of the monoplane, which is sometimes referred to as the type of a "broken" airplane).

NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 31 The stamp shows the type of monoplane as it was used by 0. Bider, the .pioneer pilot of the period in Switzerland, in flight over Sion and is inscribed "Journee Val­ aisanne - d'Aviation - Sion 18 Mai 1913 - 50cts - 50cts - Foste Aerienne". The color is red and the stamp is perforated 12. 70 of the stamps were destroyed, 1600 were _sold for the flight, even though 1496 cards only were actually flown. The rest of .the remaining mint stamps ( 2339) were sold later on. The aviation day was or­ ganized for the National Aviation Fund Appeal and when the local group felt that the preparations had well progressed, the date was set for May 11, 1913. Oskar Bider, Attilio Maffei and Emile Taddeoli agreed to participate in the aviation day. Oskar Bider announced his plan to arrive by air with the first airplane flight across the high Berne Alps. This date of May 11 was the Whitsuntide holiday. It was expected that Bider would leave Berne on the north side of the Alps at 4 a.m. that day and fly across the Wildstrubel mountain group to Sion and would participate in the aviation events there later that day.

.PAGE 32 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Late on Saturday the weather suddenly changed to the bad and it rained all night. When it became evident that Bider would not be able to make his trans­ alpine flight under such conditions, the events were postponed for one week and the railroad stations were informed to hold back people who would be ready to come by train for the air events. For those who came out to the airfield, about 10 minutes from the city, between the Rhone River and the road to Bramois, Maffei and Taddeoli made a few short time flights that afternoon, when the weather had improved slightly. But the main events were held for May 18. In view of this sudden postponement it is surprising that the airstamp has the date of the late day, May 18, 1913. Not even proofs have been reported with the earlier date. In order to assure this aviation day at the later date, Bider used the first good weather day to make the necessary flight from Berne to Sion. This was on May 13, when Bider suddenly decided to start around 4 a.m. There was no pre-announce­ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ small engine, well were aware of the fact, when Bider's plane was heard circling over the city and climbing to an altitude of about 12,000 feet, before turning to the Alps, which he crossed at a temperature of minus 10 degrees Centigrade. On the Sion side the people had been informed of Bider's coming arrival and since the local committee did not think of another way of waking the citizens up on time for the arrival of the plane a gun salute was heard in the valley at 4:30 a.m. People understood and hurried to the airfield, where soon after 6 a.m. the plane became visible over the Wildstrubel and landed safely at 6: 15 a.m. Bulletins were distributed in Berne to let people there know about Bider's successful transalpine flight. He left the plane there and returned to Berne by train to come back for the aviation day on .the 18th. After such extensive preparations the aviation day took place on May 18th. Bider as well as Maffei made several flights. Bider twice flew passengers, once the Colo!lel de Courten, the other time a local citizen, Mr. Gay. Taddeoli,on the last flight had an accident, when the plane ran into a willow tree, under which numerous spectators had assembled. Some ran away, others climbed the tree, but no­ body got hurt. Later in the afternoon Bider (with Mr. Gay) made a flight to the town of Sierre-Siders, and a sack (containing the 1496 cards and covers) was dropped enroute. These cards were either cards showing Bider with his plane or the cards of the Swiss National Subscription, usually with the inscription in French. Such cards exist with a text indicating an issue by the cantonal committee of the Canton of Neuchatel. The air stamp as well as the postage stamp show the circular postal cancellation "Poste Aerienne Suisse - 18.V.13" in violet color. At 7 p.m. Bider left with Col. de Courten as passenger for a flight along the Rhone valley to Lausanne at the Lac de Geneve and from there back to Berne. The weather was so poor again that Bider had to come down to about 1200 feet over the town of Martigny in order to locate his position. However, the flight was completed successfully the same evening. From the number of stamps issued and the small number of flown cards it is evident, that these items belong to the rare items in our collection today. II. THE AIRPOST FLIGHT FROM LUGANO Although there was only one airpost flight from Lugano for the National Coll­ ection, there were three subsequent aviation meetings, preceding this actual post flight. On one of these days - May 4, 1913 - the weather was so poor, that only NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 33 Bider was able to perform a pa senger flight that day. The date of the post flight was then set for June 8, 1913. Lugano is situated on the south side of the Alps in the Italian language sector of Switzer1and. It is a well developed city on the blue Lake Lugano, not far from the larger lake of Locarno and separated by a mountain chain from the beautiful lake of Como. The border between Switzerland and Italy criss-crosses this lake reg­ ion. This is why the actual flight finally did take place between Lugano and a town not located on any of these lakes, the town of Mendrisio. It is situated \.Vithin Switzerland's borders. This post fliaht of the June 8, 1913 was made by a well known local aviator, Attilio Maffei, who had received his pilot diploma in France as early as Feb. 12, 1912 on a Bleriot monoplane. For the occasion an airpost stamp had been issued in a very simple design and surprisingly at a value of 25 centimes instead of the 50 centimes values of the other Swiss air tamp . The stamp was printed in the local printing house of the Soc. Tipo­ grafica Lugano in a total issue of 4000 stamps. Each sheet had 10 stamps in five rows of two tamps each. But due to the prin1itive v. ay of production there are a number of varieties and some printing differences. Because of these crude ways of production, fakes of this mint stamp were found quite early. Here it turned out that more cards were dispatched than stamps had been printed and therefore there are cards without the air stamp. Here, too, the air fee had to be paid at the time of posting the cards. The cards were the issue of the National Committee in use with Italian inscrip­ tion. Special local cards were issued for the occasion. The airstamp as well as the postal stamp received a large circular cancellation either in b]ack or in blue "Posta Aerea Svizzera - 8 AUG. 1913 - LUGANO" and were backstamped at arrival in Mendrisio the same day. On the aviation day the airfield at the Champs de Mars was packed with en­ thusiastic spectators throughout the day. Before he made the airmail flight Maffei made a number of short flights over the field and the city. He finally carried about 7,000 cards from Lugano to Mendrisio in a twelve-minute flight. Mendrisio is the southernmost city in Switzerland. It is interesting to note that the well-known Swiss newspaper, the Berne "BUND" PAGE 34 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL reported on June 9, 1913, that Maffei carried about 5,000 cards and covers from Lugano to Mendrisio and that he carried other mail on his rehun flight from Men­ drisio to Lugano, where he landed after a fine glider flight. This fact, that the contemporary paper reported cards flown in one direction as well as cards flown in the other direction, has never been listed in the catalogues. JJ:t is difficult to identify in what direction a card was actually flown. In spite of the fact that here a relatively larger number of cards had been car­ ried, the flown Lugano card belongs to the rare collector's items and mint stamps are rarely found. (But where they appear it is necessary to call for an expert testi­ mony, since this stamp has often been faked). OFFICIAL SECTION AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY MONTHLY REPORT. From the Secretary RuJh T. Smith, 102 Arbor Road, Riverton, New Jersey November I, 1960 NEW MEMBERS 4779 Durant, F. C., III. 35 Lowell Rd., Concord, Mass. J4780 Corwin, Kent, 3276 Pennsylvania, Dubuque, Iowa. 4781 Harris, Paula T., (Mrs.), 4706 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans 15. La. 4782 Malott, Richard, F /Lt., Officers Mess 30 Air Materiel Base, RCAF, CAPO 5051 Canadian Armed Forces, Europe. 4783 Neuwirth., Otti, P.O. Box 640, Ciudad Trujillo, Dominican Republic 4784 Lieber, Milton D., 33 Crooke Ave., Brooklyn 26, N. Y. 4785 Brooks, Howard A., 550 Fifth Ave., New York 36, N. Y. 4786 Ambler, Norman, ~1505 E. Hickory St., Streator, Ill. J4787 Faulkner, Carl J., 21 Madbury Rd., Durham, N. H. 4788 Graf, Donald R., P. 0. Box 547, N. Tonawanda, N. Y. NEW APPLICATIONS Malkin, Stuart J., 126 Walnut St., Bloomfield, N. J. Auditor, Age 30. AM AU SA U20 UC FF lD - United Nations Specialized By: S. Goldsticker Clark, Gordon D., 3021 Lambert Dr., Toledo 13, Ohio. Salesman, Age 26. SC PC Z X By: R. T. Smith Van Gorder, Lawrence, 2001 - 38th Ave., Oakland 1, Calif. Painter, Age 59. AM AU U20 UC PC CAM FAM Z lD PIX By: R. T. Smith Collins, George B., Jr., 65 Carpenter Ave., Mt. Kisco, N. Y. Food Retailer, Age 34. AM UC FAM OF By: R. T. Smith Schwenk, John F., 929 Ferry St., Easton, Pa. Chief Registrar, Age 39. AM AU Z lD X By: R. T. Smith Reinhard, Stephen, 333 N. Columbus Ave., Freeport, L. I., N. Y. Minkus Pub. Age 18. U20 UC HC CAM FAM OF DC By: Wm. T. Wynn Dressler. Quentin A., 805 Williams St., Great Bend, Kan. Ass't Secty. Age 41. AM AU U20 UC PC HC PA FF GF CAM FAM RP CC OF Z CF lD X By: P. C. Nahl NEW LIFE MEMBER #102 Hart, Robert W .. Box 204, Racine, Wisc. DECEASED LM #2 Truby, Harry, New Kensington, Pa. 3587 Fravel, Ira F., Glendale, Arizona. CHANGE OF ADDRESS 2695 Smith, Joseph A., Rm. 504, Main P.O., Chicago 7, Ill. 4135 Krauss, Alfred N., 524 Olin Hall, Cornell Univ. Med. College, 445 E. 69th St., New York 21, N. Y. ,4778 Eisele, Alfred 0., P.O. Box 221, Croton Falls, N. Y. 4047 Ellison, W. R., 2987-3535 East, Salt Lake City, Utah. 4384 Hester, John F., 184-17 -89th Ave., Jamaica 23, N. Y. 3820 Thomen, Luis F., (Dr.), Via Luigi Luciani #1, Monte Parioli, Rome, Italy 3756 Alexander, William L., 2617 E. 9th St., Tucson, Arizona. 25'37 Kussmaul, Clarence, 3927 Elm St., E. Chicago, Indiana. 4110 Weiss, Julius, 502 E. 185th St., Cleveland 19, Ohio. 4490 Shymko. N., 11504 - 136th St., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 3842 Johnson, Paul G. A., 1263 Husted Ave., San Jose 25, Calif. LM72 Title, Samuel H., 40 Juniper Lane, W. Hartford 17, Conn. 1477 Bates, Chandler, P.O. Box 187, Gloucester, Va. 4532 Bucher, Mercedes, 2745 Ordway St., NW., Washington, D. C. NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 35 MORE ABOUT NOMECLA TURE Mr. Gatchell takes Mr. Lewandowski FIRST 119611 EDITION to task in the September issue of Airpost Journal, for his use of the term "airmail entires" in reference to aero-postal sta­ tionery. Gatchell claims that "any UNITED ·flown airmail letter regardless of how it is franked, whether it be by adhesive stamps, postage meter or impressed stamps is an air mail entire". He asks STATES "Let's get this settled now, once and for all, and not confuse coll ectors by the use of nomenclature which does not ad­ STAMPS here to the facts". We feel that Mr. Gatchell is the one 160 Pages • Nearly 2000 Illustrations who is confusing the collectors, - not Mr. Brand new edition of America's most widely Lewandowski! The word "Entire" in used U.S. & B.N.A. Catalog - published by philately, - if not in Mr. Gatchell's use, the world's largest stamp firm. A complete - has long meant postal stationery. Phil­ illustrated listing of all major U.S. issues. ately has its own meaning to many terms, U.S. Possessions, and British North America, - and this use of the word "entire" has including up-to-the-minute prices. Also spe­ been common for years. There is no bet­ cia lties, Confederate States, United Nations, ter reference to this than the "American "Americana ", etc. PLUS : The U.S. Stamp Stamp Collector's Dictionary" by Harry Identifier .. : ,a comprehensive illustrated Konwiser, - page 77, as published in book let which enables you quickly to distin­ 1949. guish between rare and common " look-alike" stamps . All this and The phrase "Air Mail Covers" is quite more, in one BIG volume! 3.-S ¢ adequate to encompass the meaning that Send for your copy NOW ! Mr. Gatchell wants to give to "Entires". Let's not confuse collectors by etting up H. E. HARRIS & CO. special meanings to words and phrases :Catalog Dept., Boston 17, Mass. used in aero-philately, but stick to the meanings already in common u e in Phil­ AUSTRALIAN EYE ON ROCKET ately in general. MAIL -Ed Richardson A Reuter's dispatch Canberra says that AND SOME MORE th e Australian Postal Deoartment is ex­ amining United States ~xp e rim en ts in Referring to the article of Mr. L. B. sending mail by rocket. Gatchell in the last APJ about nomencla­ The department wants to ascertain ture, may I say that the term "entire" is whether the Skylark rocket being tested generally understood in the trade as re­ at Australia's Woomera rocket range ferring to postal stationery, comprising could be adapted to that purpose. Offi­ stamped envelopes, postal cards and let­ cials say mail delivery by rocket will de­ ter sheets. E very auction catalogue uses pend on the cost, safety and accuracy of this term and there is not a single col­ the scheme. lector who would be confused. Flown airmail letters, franked by ad­ hesives or by meter, are referred to as MI NT Al RMAI L SETS flown covers (or cards), hardly anybody would call them "entires". Confusing is WANT LISTS welcomed for Mint only for South and Central America, Mex­ the French expression calling them "aero­ ico, Canada-AIR MAILS, POSTAGE, grammes". etc. Complete sets our Specialty; singles also furnished. Whether it is airmail or ordinary, an "entire" is just that, a piece of postal Woodmere Stamp Company stationery. P . 0 . Box 145 Woodmere, N. Y. - A. E. Lewandowski PAGE 36 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Looking Back _At _,_.\ viation From 1960 A Chronological Chari by Herbert Rosen UNITED STATES • 1910 (50 Years Ago) li825 (135 Years Ago) Augustus Post, born in Brooklyn, - First recorded plans of Aerial naVi­ N. Y., made an American distance gation patent issued in America to balloon record in the Gordon Bennett Ermond Charles Genet, signed by race. President John Quincy Adams. Walter Richard Brookins, first avia­ li830 1130 Years Ago) tion student of the Wright brothers, Charles Ferson Durant, born in made the first night flight in Ameri­ New York City 1805, the first Ameri­ can aViation history. can to fly in the Western continent Charles K. Hamilton made record­ ascending in his balloon from Castle breaking round trip airplane flight Garden, N. Y., witnessed by Presi­ from New York to Philadelphia. dent Andrew Jackson. Claude Grahame White, notable 1835 (125 Years Ago) English pilot, took first honors at the John Wise, American pioneer bal­ International Air Meet, sponsored by loonist, first ascended in a balloon the Harvard Aeronautical Society at on May 2, 1835, from Philadelphia. Squantum, Mass. 1860 (100 Years Ago) Ralph Johnstone in 1910 became a Samuel Archer King, great bal­ daredeVil pilot with the original loon proponent of America, took first Wright Flying Team, the first pilots aerial photographs over Boston. taught by Wilbur Wright, and- won The birth date of Capt. Thomas for America the duration record of 3 Scott Baldwin, who built the first hours, 5 minutes, 40 seconds. American-made dirigible balloon cal­ John B. Moisant competed ·in the led the "California Arrow", tested in Gordon Bennett Trophy Races at Bel­ Washington, D. C. mont Park, N. Y., for the fastest 1890 (70 Years Ago) round-trip flight from Belmont Park Harry Frank Guggenheim, one of around the Statue of Uberty. America's outstanding leaders in Octave Chanute, educated in New Aeronautical development, born in York City, who in 1896 obtained au­ West End, N. J., August 23, 1890. tomatic glider stability, died in 1910. Beckwith Havens, born in New Hugh Armstrong Robinson, Ameri­ York City, May 29, 1890, among the can pioneer balloonist, worked on hy­ first of the famous exhibition pilots of droplanes in 1910. the Curtiss School. Glenn L. Martin started as an ex­ 1900 (60 Years Ago) hibition flyer in 1910. Capt. Hugh L. Willoughby of New­ Arch Hoxsey, another daredevil pi­ port, R. I., one of America's pioneer lot of the original Wright flying team, balloonists and aviators, made flights in 1910 established an altitude record over the City of Paris in a spherical of 11,500 feet. At a flying meet in balloon. St. Louis took ex-President Theodore The Wright brothers started glid­ Roosevelt on the first flight ever made ing experiments. by a former chief executive of the 1905 (55 Years Ago) U.S. Major General Frank P. Lahm, the Eugene Ely, one of the original fli­ first U. S. Army Air Pilot, held li­ ers of the Curtiss Exhicbition Co., flew censes for balloons, airships and air­ a Curtiss plane to the. Virginia shore planes, beginning 1905. from the deck of the cruiser Birming­ Lincoln Beachey, one of the out­ ham anchored at Hampton Roads, off standing American pioneer stunt fli­ Norfolk, Va. ers, began his flying career as a barn­ Frank Trenholm Coffin learned to storming balloonist. fly at Dayton, Ohio at the Wrigh! NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 37 School in 1910, where he was one FOREIGN of the first five civilian pilots. 1785 (175 Years Ago) 1915 (45 Years Ago) Jean Pierre Blanchard, noted Grover Loening became the first French pioneer aeronaut, made the civilian aeronautical engineer in the first balloon voyage across the Eng­ U. S. Army Signal Corps. lish Channel. 1920 (40 Years Ago) Charles Green, celebrated English Major Corliss Champion Moseley, aeronaut, who constructed a giant first Pulitzer aviation speed prize win­ balloon with many innovations and ner, established an American record made many notable ascents, born in by flying 176 miles per hour at Mit­ London in 1785. chell Field, N. Y. 1850 (110 Years Ago) Rudolph William Schroeder, early Pierre Jullien, French Watchmaker, American air champion, made the designed and constructed a new type first altitude flight of over 30,000 feet. of propulsion airship in 1850. 1860 (100 Years Ago) 1925 (35 Years Ago) The practical gas engine invented Lincoln Ellsworth, together with by the French engineer Lenoir. Roald Amundsen, attempted first 1870 (90 Years Ago) flight over North Pole on May 21st. Alphonse Penaud, noted early ex­ perimenter in flight, first to apply 1930 (30 Years Ago) twisted rubber bands as motive pow­ Elinor Smith, record-breaking Am­ er in a helicopter or screw flying erican aviatrix, selected in 1930 from models. the field as America's first woman Balloons carry passengers and mail flier. from besieged Paris. Pigeons also car­ Ruth Rowland Nichols, first woman ried microfilm messages. flier to hold three international rec­ 1880 (80 Years Ago) ords, the first woman to set a one­ Wolfert's dirigible featured the first stop, transcontinental record from Los use of petrol engine in the air. Angeles, Calif., to New York City of 1890 (70 Years Ago) 13 hours and 21 minutes. Lawrence Hargrave of Australia, Boris Sergievsky, champion record pioneers in compressed air ornithorp­ holder and test pilot, established four ters. seaplane world records for speed and Clement Ader, French pioneer in altitude in 1930. aviation, claimed the first successful Ralph Stanton Barnaby guided the flight in a dynamic airplane. first glider launched successfully from 1900 (60 Years Ago) an airship to Washington, D. C. The first Zeppelin flew over Lake Dieudonne Coste and Maurice Bel­ Constance. lonte made the first successful direct 1905 (55 Years Ago) flight from Paris, France to New York Trajan Vula, early Hungarian ex­ City. perimenter, demonstrated unusual type monoplane. 1935 (25 Years Ago) 1910 (50 Years Ago) Thor Solberg, skillful Norwegian Henri Fabre, of Marseilles, France, pilot, made the first New York to made the first successful seaplane Norway amphibian flight over the flight. North Pole. Karl Illner, noted and skillful avi­ Wiley Post, whose round the world ation pilot in Austria, broke all pre­ flight beat all records, 1931-1933, vious records in first Austrian air­ was killed in an airplane accident near plane. Point Barrow, Alaska. Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls, of Brig. Gen. Orvil A. Anderson and Great Britain, first to make a round­ Lieut. Col. Albert Williams Stevens trip crossing of the English Ohannel made a record stratosphere balloon and become the first pilot to fly the flight of 72,335 feet on May 15th. charinel from the English coast. PAGE 38 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Georges Chavez, born in Paris, Fiji Official Airletter France, first aviator to pilot an air­ plane over Alpine Passes. Government officials of Fiji have is­ First international air race, London sued an official aerogram bearing the to Manchester. inscription "O.H.M.S./ AEROGRAMME/ Baroness de Laroche, the world's FIJI and the added red circular inscrip­ first officially registered woman pilot. tion OFFICIAL PAID P.M.G./ SUVA, Maurice Tabuteau, French aviator, FIJI. Unfortunately for collectors, this made the first successful flight in an airletter is not available to the public airplane across the Pyrenees. and collectors who requested them have Anthony H. G. Fokker, Nether­ been advised that these official sheets lands, builder-designer of pioneer air­ "are not for sale." Undoubtedly they craft, built his first airplane. will be scarce, since collectors will be 1925 (35 Years Ago) able to obtain them only on the off­ General Francesco De Pinedo, chance of finding a copy in official cor­ Italian Marquis and highly skilled respondence emanating from Fiji. ( Ap­ aviator, distinguished himself by fly­ parently they will be unobtainable in un­ ing round trip from Italy to Japan. used condition. ) The basic sheet i1t of 1930 (30 Years Ago) the Australian format type with a light Dr. Claude Dornier, well-known blue overlay. Space for the stamp has German designer, produced a sea­ been left blank. Other inscriptions are plane, the giant DO-X, which started by AIR MAIL in a panel at left, and its world-famous flight in 1930. directly over it, To Open Cut at Top. Capt. Wolfgang Von Gronau, with On the back is the customary injunction, three companions, flew from Germany If anything is enclosed, letter will be via Iceland and Labrador to New York. sent by ordinary mail. Folding instruc­ Jean Mernoz, noted French record­ tions are on the side panels. making pilot, made first commercial air crossing of the South Atlantic. A PROJECTED AIR SERVICE Engineer Schmied!, Austria, started IN EAST AFRICA IN 1911 his first rocket experiments. 1935 (25 Years Ago) Late in 1911 a German group consist­ Walter Mittelholzer, famous Swiss ing of Dr. A. Hildebrandt, a former cap­ aviator, who made exploration flights tain, Dr. M. Weiss, a former lieutenant, into Africa, Asia and tli.e Arctic, died and W. Lenk of the German Central in 1935. Postal Administration submitted a "Mem­ Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, noted orandum to an Improvement of the Traf­ Australian pilot, who made first U.S. fic Conditions in German East Africa"- - Australia Pacific flight in 1928, lost at that time a German colony. This on an England-Australia flight dur­ memorandum contained a map of ing November, 1935. proposed "Air Service Routes for the 1940 (20 Yars Ago) Communication and Postal Service in Italo Balbo, Italian Pilot, who com­ German East Africa". manded the first mass squadron flight from Italy to Brazil, killed in an air­ It projected Route I. from Kilimatinda plane accident in World War II. (a railroad station) to Maschi and Tan­ ga on the shore. Route II. from Udjedji on tl1e lake of Tanganjika to Tabora and ADDITIONS &: CORRECTIONS from there to the north to Nuansa on TO THE N,EW DIRECTORY the Victoria Lake, and Route III., from Wiedhafen on the Njassa Lake to Kilos­ Add on page 2 under "Executive sa, a railroad station. Board" - William R. Alley and Her­ man Kleinert, Sales Manager. A load of 200 kilograms or 440 pounds Change 2 members listed on page was scheduled for each flight. Since then ,56 under LEBANON :to SWEDEN nothing more has been heard about the (Lowenadler &: Luning) proposed airpost services. -Dr. Max Kronstein NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 39 LET LONG DELP YOU

Regardless of your philatelic interests, it will always pay you to keep in touch with Elmer R. Long, member of the A.A.M.S. tr more than thirty years, and keenly interested in all fields of hilately (especially aerophilately) during that time. 1 For more than twenty-five years, a Monthly Mail Auction Sale has been held in Harrisburg where countless thousands of fine stamps and covers have been dispersed to collectors and dealers in all parts of the world. Do you receive these catalogs regularly? If not, drop a line today and ask to he placed on the list.

For those who desire a price list of hooks, ahums, catalogs as well as U.S. stamps, Christmas Seals and philatelic supplies, attention is directed to the current 43rd edition "Collectors Hand­ book". This 1960 pocket-sized booklet is yours free on request. ,

And, lastly, when the time comes that your collection is for sale, serious thought should he given to placing it with Long for handling in one of these varied monthly Auctions. Your Cor­ respondence is invited. t f When buying or selling anything philatelic, remember: "The Department Store of Philately"

Life Member: 11112 MA\RIKIE'lr S'lro' AAMS APS IEILMER Ro ILO~G BHA\RRHSBll.JRG, IP A\o SPA

PAGE 40 THE AIRPOST1 JOURNAL NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 41 Catalogue of Airmail Postal Cards (Concluded) by August Wery

Austria. • into consideration the relative posi­ A. Airmail stamp; head of pilot. tion of the stamp on the card or the different vignettes. It is impossible 1 10 gr. orange. to list all of these cards; we limit a. - 1933. Airpost card, showing gli­ this description to the 4 cards hear­ der flight, Graz - Maribor. ing one airmail stamp. (Size 149 mm. x 103 mm.). B. Airmail stamp, head of pilot and b. - July, Wipa card with small view small landscape. in green at top left. ( 8 different views ) . 5 10 gr. orange + 12 gr. blue green. ( Traunsee). 2 15 gr. red violet. a. - 1933, January. Airpost card. a. - 1933, July, Wipa card (similar Flight of Robert Kronfeld, card size to 1 b). 150 mm. x 98 mm). (Photo on b. - 1937, May, Whitsuntide flights, back). May 14 - 21. Switzerland - Austria - This card exists in 5 varieties: Germany. 1 - White card with bust photo­ 3 30 gr. olive. graph of Kronfeld, autographed, 6 a. - 1933, July. Wipa card (similar lines of text on the address side. to 1 b). 2 - Same photograph, 3 lines of text b. - 1937, May 15. First flight Kla­ on the address side, stamps in a genfurt - Bratislava. horizontal pair. 4 50 gr. gray. 3 - Same, but stamps in a vertical a. - 1933, flight, Graz - Maribor pair. (Similar to 1 a) . 4 - Same, but with supplementai;y b. - 1933, July, Wipa card (similar text, "Mit Segelflug = Kronfeld = to 1 b). Wien - Semmering". c. - 1937, May. Whitsuntide flight, 5 - Photograph of Kronfeld in front (Similar to 2 b). of his plane. Remarks: When the Wipa Exposi­ b. - 1933. 20th anniversary of the tion was held in July, 1933, visitors Vienna Cover Collectors Society. could imprint, by means of a meter Yellow card, size 150 mm. x 105 machine placed at the entrance of mm. (With view of Vienna at left, the exposion, up to three figures for in gray-green or in brown). postal use on any size or type of c. - 1933. Flight, Graz - Maribor. card. . Special cards, without stamps (Similar to Nos. la and 4a). on white stock, size 150 mm x 90 6 50 gr. gray + 12 gr. blue green. (Traunsee) mm. bearing a vignette in green were likewise sold for that purpose. a. - 1933, January. Kronfeld flight, Eight different vignettes exist, each (Similar to No. 5a). relating to a philatelic demonstra­ This card exists in 3 varieties. tion organized during the exposi­ 1 - Bust photograph of Kronfeld. tion. 2 - The same with supplementary The .optional postal amounts that text "Mit Segelflug", etc. could be printed consist of 4 values 3 - Photograph of Kronfeld in front for Airpost ( 10, 15, 30 and 50 gr.) of his plane. and 7 values for ordinary post ( 3, 5, b. - 1933. Flight, Graz - Maribor. 12, 24, 30, 40 and 50 gr.). Numeral (Similar to Nos. la, 4a, and 5c). C. Airpost stamp, head of pilot type or small landscape. and 2 postage stamps, landscapes. Theoretically, there can exist 264 different cards each bearing at least 7 10 gr. orange + 12 gr. blue green one airmail stamp, without taking ( Traunsee) + 40 gr. violet (Inns- PAGE 42 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL bruck) large type. a. - 1950, October 29. Juba Expo­ 1933, January. Kronfeld flight, shn­ sition at Graz. - ( 4 different cards). ilar to Nos. 5a and 6a). Bust photo­ b. - 1950, December. Card No. 16a graph of Kronfeld, without the text: surcharged "Exposition Jubilaire, "Mit Segelflug, etc.". Dec. 1950." D. Airpost stamp, head of pilot and c. - 1951, 20th Anniversary of the postage stamp, costumes. first Rocket post trial in Austria. 8 10 gr. orange + 12 gr. brown (Up­ d. - 1951, April 7 - 8, Philatelic Ex­ per - Austrian Man) . position, Albatross. a. - 1934, October 20th, 13th Phil­ e. - 1951, Card No. 16a surcharged atelists Day. 'l er Vol", First flight Milan-New b. - 1936, June 27, St. Christopher - York. dedication of heavy military arma­ f. - 1951. First flight, Milan - Ath­ ment. ens - Istanbul. c. - 1937, October 3, 1 Puzzle (Ex­ g. - 1952. First flight, Salzburg - perhnental) Munich - Copenhagen. Flight to Kaltenleutgeben. h. - 1953. For aid to Holland. (Card No. 8 b Surcharged). 17 1 sh. blue (airplane) . 9 10 gr. orange + 20 gr. brown. (Up­ a. - 1950, First Flight, France - Ca­ per Austrian Woman). nada. ( 6 different cards ) . 1936,6 December, Day of the Post­ b. - 1950, Souvenir card of the First age Stamp. Zeppelin flight in 1900 issued on 10 10 gr. orange + 35 gr. rose. (Steier­ the occasion of the fifth balloon mark). flight. 11 10 gr. orange + 45 gr. red brown: F. Different ordinary postage stamps (Tirol). , 18 60 gr. rose violet (Effigy Amerling) 12 15 gr. brown violet + 5 gr. lilac. 1948, October, 25. First balloon {Karnten). flight from Vocklabruk. a. - 1936, May 21, Austrian Old 19 60 gr. red, (Commemorative stamp Soldiers Day in Aspem. of the Universal Postal Union). 8 - 1936, June. International World 1949. Souvenir card of Dr. Herr­ Competition of the Catholic Turners mann. Union at Vienna. 20 1 sh. deep blue {Similar to U.P.U.) c. - 1936, June 27, (Similar to No. 1950. Peace card. 8 b). 21 1 sh. gray black ( lOOth anniversary d. - 1937, May 3, Fliers contribution jubilee of the first postage stamp). our Thanks. a. - 1950. Celebration post card. e. - 1937, July 1. First flight, Linz - b. - 1950, Same, surcharged First Salzburg and return. Flight Innsbruck - Amsterdam. ( 2 different texts, Linz - Salzburg c. - 1950. Same, surcharged First and Salzburg - Linz). Flight Salzburg - Brussels. 13 15 gr. brown violet + 12 gr. brown. d. - 1950, Same, surcharged Jubilee ( Upp er Austrian Man) . Exposition of December. a. - 1936, July, Olympia flight, L. Z. 22 20 gr. green (Esperanto). 129. 1951. 20th Anniversary of the First There are two very distinct shades Rocket Post Trial. ( Sixnilar to No. of the 15 gr. brown violet and lilac 16c). as well as many photographic views 23 30 gr. violet (St. Gebhard). of mountains on the back. 1951. 20th Anniversary of the First b. - 1936, August 6 - 10. North Am­ Rocket Post Trial (Similar to Nos. erican flights. 16c and 22). 14 30 gr. olive + 35 gr. rose. (Steier­ 24 60 gr. gray violet (Andre Hofer) mark). 1951. 20th Anniversary of the First 15 50 gr. gray + 5 gr. lilac. ( Karnten). Rocket Post Flight {Similar to Nos. E. Different Airpost stamps. 16c, 22 and 23). 16 60 gr. gray violet {Crows in flight). 25 1 sh. (Strauss Son) NOVEMBER, 1860 PAGE 43 1951, 20th Aniversary of the First Same card aes No. 1 b. but the 25 Rocket Flight ( Similar to Nos. 16c, pf. blue stamp bears the inscription 22, 23 and 24). Nuremburg instead of "B.A.E.C.", 26 3 plus 3 plus 3 plus 3 plus 3 gr. ol­ 2 5 pf. green ( + 25 pf. blue). ive. ( Costumes) Danzig 1951. Philatelic Exposition Albatross. 1932. Luposta International Expo­ 27 30 gr. rose carmine ( Costumes). sition of Airpost, July 23 - 31, 1932. a. - 1951. Card issued for Pro Juven­ Airmail stamp with inscription tute and sold at 2 sh. for the 6th "Flugpost" on the wings - white, balloon flight, ,leaving Villach, Mar. card, size 140 mm. x 105 mm. 3, 1951. l 10 pf. red. 28 30 gr. violet ( Costumes) 1937. Daposta. First National Phil­ a. - 1951. Publicity card No. 09, atelic Exposition, June 6 - 8. surcharged for the international tab­ Airmail stamp with inscription "Luft­ le tennis exhibition. post". White card, size 150 mm x b. - 1951. Card issued for Pro Juv­ 105 mm. entute and sold at 2 sh. for the 7th 2 10 pf. vermilion. b;illoon flight, leaving Salzburg, Oct­ Swi:tzerland ober 21, 1951. 1925, October, Airpost card. 29 70 gr. green (costumes) Stamp with effigy of William Tell. a. - 1951, Card of congratulations Card issued for the First Flight, for the German Airpost Exposition Zurich - St. Gall. Yellow card, with with the text relating to the 1st different views on back. Size 140 Swissair flight. Salzburg - Zurich mm. x 90 mm. Innsbruck - Zurich, May 26, 1951. 1 10 c green. ( 3 different cards). 2 20 c Vermilion. b. - 1951. Card of congratulations 1926, May, Nhora, first aim1ail, May for the jubilee of the Berlin Circle 15, 1926. of postal Entire Collectors, with text Stamp with effigy of William Tell. relating to the 3rd Aerial Tou;i: of White card, size 137 mm x 89 mm. Sicily. ( 3 different cards). 3 10 c yellow green. 30 20 gr. (Ziehrer). a. - Without complementary text. 1951. Commemorative card, 30th b. - with compleme11tary text: postal Anniversary Vienna Fair. card of the aviator. ( Chaud 400 m.) 31 1 sh. + 50 gr. (Olympic stamp of c. - With complementary text: postal 1948) card of the aviator. ( Chaud 500 m.) a. - 1952, Olympic card relating to 1927, May, 30. First Flight La the first Austrian Exposition of sports Chaux de Fonds - Lodes - Lucerne; stamps. Aviation Society N H 0 R A. b. - 1952. Same with text relating Airmail stamps - A yellow colored to the special flight July 17, 1952, design at left: a plane in flight Vienna - Helsinki. dropping watches. Bavaria Cream card, size 148 mm. x 106 1912, October 5. Airline, Munich - mm. Schleissheim and Freising. 4 25 c blue. T. -p. Head of Leopold to right 5 35 c brown. 5 pg. green. 1927, August. Airpost card. Second T. -p. Semi-official, Munich Aero­ International Air Meet, Zurich, Aug­ club - 25 blue, "B.A.E.C." at left. ust 22. Design or view in :black on Printing, 30,000; sold 23,000. back. View in colors on ·back. White or yellowish card. Size 140 l 5 pf. green ( + 25 pf. blue) mm x 90 mm. Airmail stamps. View, Symbolic Aerial crew. 6 25 c blue (White card) . a. - Over a landscape. a. - Design: Air view of Zurich. b. - Over Munich. b. - Photo: Mount Cervin. 1912, October 15 - 17. Air line Nur­ 7 40 c violet emburg - Munich. a. - photo, Mount Cervin (white and PAGE 44 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL yellowish cards). that date. b. - photo, Mount Matterhorn ( yel­ June 23-Paterson ,N.J. Heliport, two lowish card) . different cachets. ( 125). 1928. Card No. 4 bearing upon the June 26-Know City, Tex. Municipal yellow design, a minute 1928 and (100). the time table of the air lines. Geneva - Lucerne - Eplatres and June 26-Carrollton, Ky. Butler State return. Lucerne - Eplatres -Basle Park, postmarked 27th due to Sun­ and return. day. (64). 8 25 blue. June 26-Crystal Falls, Mich. A new run­ a. - black surcharge. way only. No covers known. b. - red surcharge. July 23-Des Moines, Ia. Rededication. Some have cachet. ( 50). Airport Dedications The editor of this column will hold By WILLIAM T. WYNN your self addressed cards and will advise 13537 Rockdale. Detroit 23. Mich. of any airport dedication news that may come to this desk. There is no charge Any aditional information regarding for this service. these or other dedications will be appre­ ciated by the editor of this column. Jan. 1- 1-Los Angeles, Calif. Poncho Australia's Worst Air Disaster Barnes, ( few). Jan. 1-21-Winnsboro, S. C. ( 18) June 10, 1960 will be remembered as Feb. 2-12-Lakeland, Fla. Dedication the day on which Australia had its worst was 12th, Covers received too late commercial air disaster, one that took the and are postmarked 13th. Covers of lives of 29 citizens. March (?) are also too late. No covers are known. Flight 538, Brisbane to Mackay, Feb. 14-Reno, Nev., is OK but no cov­ Trans Australia Airline's Fokker Friend­ ers are known. ship - VH-TFB - "Abel Tasman" - left Mar. 3- 5-New Iberia, La. NAS. ( 3) Brisbane at 5 P.M. for Mackay, calling April 30-Harlingen, Texas, Richards. at Maryborough, Bundaberg and Rock­ (200) hampton en route. The aircraft arrived May I-Corona, Calif. is OK. Few cov- over Mackay at 8:30 P.M. to find the ers. airport closed owing to fog. After cruis­ May I-Midland, Texas, terminal only. ing around for 90 minutes waiting for May I-Midland, Texas, terminal only. the fog to lift, the aircraft sent out its Mav 22-Abilene, Texas, Butterfield, Ok. last message at 10.10 P.M., and then May 28-0cean City, Md. (207) crashed into the sea off Mackay. May 29-Ida Grove, Ia. Godersen, (14) The pilot, Capt. Frank C. Pollard; May 30-DuBois, Pa. Jefferson Co. All First Officer Capt. G. Davis, two host­ covers are postmarked June 1 and esses and 25 passengers, including Mr. backstamped Newark AF June 1st John O'Grady, American Consul in held for first flight. Queensland, were killed instantly. June 11-Louisville, Ky. Shewmaker, (169). The eight mail bags aboard tl1e air­ June 11-Hopkinsville, Ky. no covers craft were found floating in the sea known. early on Saturday morning and taken to .June 12-Edgemere, L.I. N.Y., Far Rock­ t11e Post Office in Mackay, where on away, Hosp. Heliport .( 24). Tuesday, June 14, the Post Office dis­ June 12-Ft. Madison, Ia. too early, tributed over 7 ,000 letters to residents of postmarked, rain. Mackay and surrounding districts. Mail June 19-Ft. Madison, Ia. (38) suffered only slight water damage, and June 19-Carmi, Ill. ( 474) . was endorsed, "Received Mackay in June 26-Turner Falls, Mass. ( 5) dedi­ damaged condition". cation was 25th. No covers known -John Wats

NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 47 Early Experiments With Rocket-Assisted Mam11ed Airplanes by Dr. Max Kronstein

In the October 1959 issue of the Air- • assistance. The plane was taken into the post Journal reference was made to the air by a motor plane, before being re­ early rocket plumes of 1939. Since then leased. Espenlaub started the rockets newer studies have established the dates and bypassed the motor plane with the when the first rocket assistance was used strength of his rockets, and landed the in airplanes. plane without accident. Later he took Through cooperation of member Her- his plane to the field of the "Society for mann W. Sieger, we have verified sev- Rocket Studies" (Verein fur Raketenfor­ eral pioneer experiments. Schung) in W asermunde and tried to On June 10th and 11th, 1928, the Ger- start it from the ground by rocket power. man Research Institute for Glider flight But the system exploded and the pilot on the hill of the W asserkuppe in the was badly hurt. He never resumed the Rhone Mountains, in the center of Ger- experiments again. many, conducted experimental starts of a special plane, called the "Ente". (duck). The builder was Alexander Lippisch, BOOK REVIEW- who later constructed the wartime Mes­ serschmitt ME-163 rocket plane. GHOST SHIP OF THE POLE. By Wilbur Cross. Illustrated. 304 pp. Active in this early rocket experiment New York: William Sloane Associ­ were Fritz von Opel, Fr. W. Sander and Max Valier, all men with rocket interests ates. $5. in that period. Fritz Stamer, a well The flight of the airship Italia over the known glider pilot of earlier Rhon glider Arctic and its subsequent crash was as flight experiments, which had been be­ nothing to the tribulations of its builder gun as early as 1910 by Oskar Ursinus, and commander, Umberto Nobile, after conducted the flight. Another man of he was rescued. This most interesting the early Ursinus group, who took an book by Wilbur Cross is a vindication of interest in rocket assistance, was Gottlob Nobile, who suffered mental anguish and Espenlaub. His glider plane, the "Espen­ disgrace at the hands of, the Italian Fas­ laub 5", in August 1925 carried one of cists, at the height of their power toward the few official glider mails to receive a the end of the 1920s and early 1930s. postal cachet "By Gliderflight from the The episodes as described make you want Wasserkuppe to Gersfeld". In 1929 Es­ to gnash your teeth at his persecution. penlaub built two powder rockets into a It's a tale of the Russians, Norwegians, glider plane carried into the air by a and Swedes going all out to rescue No­ motor plane. Then he started t11e first bile and his men, while the Italian supply of the rockets, but before he was able to ship stayed at Kings Bay and did little or start the second his plane caught fire nothing. It's a story of exploitation of a and he narrowly escaped injury. This brilliant scientist, naive in the ways of start took place near Dusseldorf late in politics. the summer of 1929. Max Valier and Fr. W. Sander also took an interest in A recital of the events before the this experiment. crash of the dirigible, a gripping account Later Espenlaub built a special glider of its disaster, life on the arctic ice with for a rocket start. This was the "Feuer­ injured men, the search by plane and ice drachen" (Fire Dragon), but he never breaker for the lost men, the part played went beyond some preliminary rollout by radio in their discovery, location, an.d and starting experiments. Next he built recovery all hold your interest and you a tailless glider for rocket starts. He ig­ don't want to put the book down. nited the rocket which pushed the plane Events after the rescue are spread in a steep climb into the air. The plane forth in detail - and an afterward tells of fell back to the ground and crashed. Af­ the survivors yet living - You MUST read ter repairs, he used six small rockets for this book! PAGE 48 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL By William R. Ware, P.O. Box 595, Malden, Mo•

There are no major decisions by the • mail dispatched from these points is not CAB since our last notes except for the available, covers from Havre carry post­ award to Ozark Air Lines for service to mark time of 6:30 AM for Eastbound Galesburg, Illinois on Route #107. This dispatch and 3:30 PM for Westbound. service was scheduled for August 1st, so Glasgow used 7:30 AM for Eastbound you will probably have your covers from and 2:30 PM for Westbound dispatches. there by the t_ime this appears in print. Official cachets were applied in green at In the CINCINNATI - DETROIT SUS­ Havre and blue at Glasgow. They were PENSION INVESTIGATION, the Board the usual type showing map of Montana awarded a new Segment No. 10 to Lake enclosed within a shield. Central's Route #88 which will operate AM ROUTE #73 - ADDITION OF ·between Cincinnati and Detroit via Day­ LEMMON, S. DAK.: delayed for several ton, Columbus and Toledo in a general months, Lemmon was finally given ser­ North and South direction. Since Lake vice by this route on Jan. 15, 1960. This Central currently serves all of the cities city is served on the Denver-Minot seg­ involved, this new segment of Route #88 ment of this route. will simply result in additional directions The inaugural North)Jound flight from from the several cities and for that reas­ Lemmon was made via Flight #42 with on, we see no listable covers as a result Capt. Geo. G. Graham with 4228 pcs of of this new segment to be added to mail postmarked IO AM Capt. James R. Route #88. We understand that decision Langhofer flew the inaugural South­ is near in the KANSAS - OKLAHOMA bound Flight #43 and handled 480 pcs CASE and are awaiting the final decision of mail postmarked 4 PM. Official ca­ in this case with interest. chet in green. CHRONICLE- AM ROUTE #31 - ADDITION OF FT. LAUDERDALE, FLA.: Flown by AM ROUTE #73-ADDITION OF National Airlines, this city was added to HAVRE AND GLASGOW, MONT.: this route on Oct. 19, 1959. Being serv­ Further expansion of this route flown by ed by flights that terminate and origin­ Frontier Airlines, Inc., took place on Nov. ate at Ft. Lauderdale, service from this 2, 1959 on the Great Falls - Bismarck city is via Northbound flights only. segment of Route #73. The inaugural Northbound flight was Director of Flight Operations and made by Capt. W. R. Broocke, Flight Chief Pilot Everett L. Aden was in #816. He carried 5116 pcs of mail from charge of Eastbound inaugural Flight Ft. Lauderdale postmarked at 3 PM, Oct. #36 and also Westbound inaugural 19, 1959 Official cachet in magenta was Flight #37 when Havre and Glasgow used showing map of Florida enclosed weer added. Although the quantity of within the usual shield. NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 49 AM ROUTE #14 - ADDITION OF The initial Eastbound flight #841 was JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AND SOUTH­ flown by Capt. Milton H. Ellyson with BOUND DISPATCH FROM ATLAN­ 1970 pcs of mail from St. Joseph and TA.; Although Atlanta has been served 3500 pcs from Benton Harbor. This same by this route for years by Northbound crew flew the westbound inaugural flights, coincident to the addition of Flight #842 with 233 pcs from St. Jo­ Jacksonville to this route flown by Capi­ seph and 2000 pcs from Benton Harbor. tal Airlines, Atlanta made its initial Both cities used 10 AM postmark for mail Southbound dispatch to this route. dispatched via the Eastbound flight and 11: 30 AM postmark for their Westbound The inaugural Southbound flight from dispatch. Official cachet was blue at Atlanta was made by Capt. Frank W. St. Joseph and magenta at Benton Har­ Malons flying Flight #181, with 685 pcs bor. of mail from Atlanta postmarked 10:30 AM and 1266 pcs from Atlanta AMF AM ROUTE #107 - ADDITION OF postmarked at 11 AM. Official cachets AUSTIN AND ALBERT LEA, MINN.: were applied; purple at Atlanta and Effective Jan. 4, 1960, Austin and Albert black at Atlanta AMF. Lea, Minn., were added to the Minne­ apolis - Mason City segment of Route Being served by a different flight, # 107 which is flown by Ozark Airlines, Jacksonville made inaugural Southbound Inc. Both cities are served by the Austin dispatch to this route via Flight # 185 Municipal airport. with Capt. August H. Miller. 530 pcs of mail were flown from Jacksonville and Capt. Lawrence E. Brase flew the in­ 817 pcs from Jacksonville AMF, post­ augural trip in each direction, these ... marked 10:30 AM and 9 PM respectively. cities being served by Flight #112 The inaugural Northbound flight from Northbound and Flight #82 Southbound. Jacksonville was made by Capt. James Austin dispatched 2203 pcs of philatelic K. Wherry, Flight #180. 601 pcs of mail postmarked at 10 AM Northbound mail went from Jacksonville and 345 and 147 pcs postmarked 1:30 PM South­ from the AMF. This mail was post­ .bound. Albert Lea dispatched North marked at 9 AM at Jacksonville and 10 1418 pcs postmarked 10 AM and South AM at the AMF. Official cachet applied 158 pcs postmarked same time. Official in magenta at the city office and blue cachets were applied in, magenta at Al­ at the AMF. bert Lea and purple at Austin. AM ROUTE #86 - ADDITION OF FAIRMONT, MINN.: Effective Dec. l, SCOTT TO BRING OUT AIR POST 1959, Fairmont, Minn., was served on ALBUM the Minneapolis - Huron segment of tliis route flown by North Central Airlines. Scott Publications, Inc., plans to bring . The inaugural Northbound flight from out the Air Post Album complete with Fairmont was made via Flight #754 Supplement updated through the 1961 with Capt. Wallace R. Partlow, Jr., in Catalogue in the first half of 1961. charge. He carried 2299 pcs of philatelic Preliminary work shows that it will be mail postmarked at 7 AM. The inaug­ ural Southbound flight was made via a very large book, perhaps housed in Flight #755 with Capt. Robt. W. Hicks. four large binders. Scott assures us that 388 philatelic pcs was postmarked at 10 this book will be produced. AM. Official cachet in blue. AM ROUTE #86 - ADDITION OF ST. JOSEPH AND BENTON HARBOR, MICH.: These cities jointly use the same airport ( Ross Field) and were added to this route on Jan. l, 1960. They are serv­ ed on the Chicago - Grand Rapids seg­ ment. PAGE 50 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL 7~ '3flat S"e tJ.e ~~ ~af4ttl ~ ?id "It (34le ife ~°"

THE BARBADOS ERROR Is given away FREE to the top purchaser in 1960. You will miss out if you do not send !for lists NOW. This is YOUR opportufnity to .obtain an outstanding rarity GRATIS & FOR NOTHING.

The Deadline 1s December 15 & This 1s the LAST CALL Additional LAVA Exulnsives

United Nations Emergency Force Indian Contingent in Egypt, special airletter Great Britain The octagon Sd aerogramme, Sanabria No. 14 Force.s airleUers imprinted with new die

BEST WAY TO MISS OUT ON THESE I IS TO IGNORE THIS ADVERTISEMENT

THE AIRMAIL ENTIRE TRUTH makes its appearance in January 1961, a newsletter devoted to collectors of airmail entires. It contains new issue reports, short stories & information not found elsewhere. It appears in irregular intervals & is sent free of charge to subscribers & friends of the LAVA NEW ISSUE SERVICE. Kindly send as many 8;c stamped & addressed large envelopes for as many copies as you wish to receive. LAVA BOX 186 NEW YORK 59

NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 51 Mexico City Jet Flights by Ernes:I: A. Kehr

The office of Ea tern Airlines were • Through the cooperation of Postal of­ turned into a philatelic center, which had ficial , the tamps were delivered to East­ its staff - from manager to reservation ~rn' office in Mexico City shortly after clerks - preparing more covers tl1an any midnight. From then until 9:45 PM ev­ of them had ever seen before. It all hap­ ery available person busily placed the pened on Sept. 15, when Mexico issued tamps on the covers. a set of six stamps to commemorate the Taken to the postoffice, the station­ 150th anniversary of its independence. wagon full of boxes literally staggered the po tmasteh. Never before had he seen Long interested in stamps and airmail so much philatelic mail. As only two rub­ covers, Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker decid­ ber "first day of issue" handstamps were ed that the occasion of the esqui-centen­ available, and because the inscription nial and the release of the new tamps was indistinct, it was decided to run would be an appropriate opportunity to them through the mechanical cancella­ remember "friends of Eastern". tion machines, getting the time stamp For weeks in advance Eastern's staff ( 22 or 10 PM) prepared for the occasion. Special envel­ By just before midnight the last of opes were prepared and cacheted with a them was postmarked, sacked and sent design expressly designed by the ame to the airport, where they were put man who created the joint U.S. - Mexico aboard Eastern's flights to the United stamp, L. Helguera. States (New Orleans and New York) , for \ The covers came from Eastern's of­ dispatch to addressees. Since they arriv­ fices in New York, Miami, New Orleans ed on the date that the U.S. stamp was and Mexico City. The cachets were ap­ released, one of these stamps was affixed plied in advance, but as the stamps were o that Eastern s covers now have both placed on sale only on Sept. 15, they the_ Mexkan and the United States could not be affixed in advance of that tamps, in addition to a distinctive ca­ date. chet.

P AGE 52 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL TIPS BY JULIUS By JULIUS WEISS 502 E. 185th St., Cleveland 19, Ohio Please note our new address above. Al- • ever, short runs posted in 1960, items so please always enclose a stamped, ad- posted on date of take-off are of little dressed envelope if a reply is desired. or no significance to this writer. This will make for a prompt reply. It is expected that some time in No- British European Airways went from vember, Braniff will operate a route be­ London to Zurich on March 31 with a tween San Antonio, Texas, and Mexico return first on May 14. On May 1st, City. The United States gave authority they flew from London to Copenhagen to Braniff to operate such a route back with the return on the same date. June in 1946 but its implementation required first saw a trip from London to Oslo and a bilateral agreement and the line is ne­ Stockholm with return dispatches the gotiating at this time. same date. June 5 it was from London to Colombia has been making philatelic Malta with another first from Malta on history this year. However, a recent 12 June 5. value set of stamps, to honor the 150th The B.E.A. cancelled out the contem- anniversary of Colombian Independence plated first of June 1 to go to Dussel- from Spain has appeared. Eight airmails dorf from London. This flight will come are included in this set with a 3-peso, some time next year. Aug. 1st was a trip Extra-Rapido souvenir sheet as part of from London to Frankfurt with a return the set. first on the same date. Two airmails of the Olympic set of The Vanguard flight scheduled to go Haiti have been overprinted with a sur­ to Paris from London will take place tax. These on cover may be true gems some time in November. This will be a for of late there is a large demand for good one as the Vanguard is a gem of material from Haiti. the heavens. A friend in India sent us the latest Air Some readers of the APJ have contact- India flight items. The April 19 flight ed us regarding rocket flights of Europe. from Bombay to London is very fine, as We are not a dealer nor will we tell it is done in gold - orange - black and dealers what or what not to sell. The with the violet cancel this number IO dealers who sell items which are not envelope makes a most interesting item. flown by rocket will have to reconcile The Aug. 14, 1958 item (mentioned the items with their customers. Dealers recently in this column) is also a gem on should be careful as to their merchandise the New Delhi to Moscow Inaugural for many publications of our hobby do Service of Air-India. We think this line, not check the facts. Many so-called Jet which now has offices in U S A and hits and rocket covers are not flown. Postal the States at New York (as of May 14, officials of several countries are clamping 1960) will be one of the major lines of down on the culprits. the world. Keep your eyes on Air-India Missiles today go thousands of miles. which now uses the Boeing 707. As mcket flights have taken place since Several APJ readers have asked us to 1937, any wise collector would know a give further data on JAL (Japanese Air missile going .7 of a mile or less after a Lines). We mention the flights of this span of some 23 years of experimental line from time to time. JAL has the research could have little value from a best multi - colored cachet possible for historical standpoint. Note your flight each' 'first" flight. They flew a first from covers of 1918 by aircraft and move up Seattle to Tokyo on June 28, 1959 .. This some 23 years and note the trans-Atlan- cachet is a multi-colored item. The tic gems, the trans-Pacific gems, etc. In Japanese Dispatch on June 27, 1959 is other words, fellow collectors, this could also quite artistic. be the Tip of the Month. Go for rocket One of the finest flight items re­ mail, carried on rockets thousands of ceived is the Japan Air Lines first from miles, or items which probe space; how- Taipei to Tokyo on Aug. 1, 1959 - the NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 53 large stamps of Free China, plus a fine ector finds this out only when he tries printed cachet of the Lines make this to dispose of his holdings; more on this a beautiful cover. later. As far back as Feb. 2, 1954 when the We have seen the first English print­ line first went to San Francisco they ed semi-philatelic journal to come from used a fine printed envelope. Also, on Nepal. It is a 16-page publication that Feb. 5, 1954 at Naha, Ryukyu Islands a contains names of many collectors resid­ most interesting cachet was in use. ing in various parts of the globe. We shall try to give the full JAL Many readers of The Airpost Journal story soon (should readers be interested.) seldom see covers posted on various re­ Merely drop us a line; if enough re­ mote airlines of the globe. In fact, some sponse comes our way we shall do the of the airlines of areas of the globe are article. unknown to many American collectors, We wish to thank Joe Eisendrath for but we have seen items from such lines a copy of the AAMS folder in con­ as Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong), junction with the new 7 c fire red air­ Royal Air Cambodge (Cambodia), Thai mail stamp. This is indeed a gem and Airways Co., Ltd. (Thailand), and Ko­ readers who did not obtain one of these rean National Airlines (Korea). folders should by all means try to ob­ The iournal from Nepal lists collectors tain this historical document. (Editor's in Burma. We find that many collectors note - some may still be, available reside in Rangoon and, of course, a col­ through secretary Ruth Smith. ) lector in that area could well obtain Several readers of APJ have asked us some of the remote flights into South whether we travel or go to various shows. East Asia. Also, other countries such as As of this date we stay in Ohio (near Cyprus, Egypt, Fiji, India, Kuwait, are Cleveland) and attend some of the shows mentioned in the publication. nearby. Should you plan to visit Cleve­ Members of AAMS who send us a land, drop us a note and perhaps we can stamped self-addressed envelope will re­ meet and rehash some of the stamp stor­ ceive the name and address of the publi­ ies. Cleveland will soon have a new cation. Lakefront Airport and there should be a Nepal was also mentioned in the fine 'batch of new firsts from here. September - October issue of The Inter­ Here are some news bits -. The USA national Ryukyu Stamp & Coin Club Auto-stamp that appeared Oct. 15 can Bulletin. This issue contained a wealth also be a tribute to the airs, for remem­ of information pertaiµing to the airmail ber the old Ford Tri-Motor which was so situation of Asia. One article showed famous years ago? Several dealers have some of the commemorative flight can­ asked us what is good and what is bad cels used at Taihoku, Taiwan ten years in rocket mail; these dealers should wake before the World War II (the period of up to the times. Read this column more 1931-1936). often. However, what caught our eye was an We expect some of the Refugee years advertisement clip from The Royal Ne­ "airs" to move up-and-up in price, as pal Airline Corporation at Kathmandu they are in great demand. Sometimes (the Capital of Nepal). It says the line on shortwave radio the latest flight routes has two routes: the Golden Valley Route, may be heard as many Eastern European from Kathmandu to Patna and back on countries mention these flights from Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. time to time. (Tune between 9 and IO The second is the Gaurishanker & The Megs, anytime after 9 p.m. (EST) ) Everest Route which goes from Kath­ News on the "Prettiest Stamp In The mandu to Calcutta and back. The days World" will come soon; keep watching of these flights are not known. We do this column. First day covers of airmail not know whether covers are carried on stamps are now moving up fast as this is these routes, nor do we know the first a most popular field. The imperfs and flight situation in this remote land, but souvenir sheets of several countries are we have seen many airletter sheets from not worth the paper they are printed on; this land, high in the mountains. The many of these are airmails, and the coll- full name is the Royal Nepal Airline PAGE 54 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Corporation ( "Akash Bhairab"). Read­ ers seeking data on the Issacs Bulletin may send us a stamped envelope; the ad­ 6TH MAIL SALE dress. will be sent. The publication tells (in preparaHon) about the philatelic scene of Asia and touches on the flight scene from time to time. A large selection of . . . Member John Boesman (The Hague Air Ma 1il Covers Balloon Club) tells us a bit about the including a famous . . . activities during 1960. One event this year was the dedication of the first bal­ Zeppelin Collection of loonport in Holland (the first in 50 years). When John took off from the Over 100 Lots "private little Idlewild" he had on board (many scarce items) mail from the Lord Mayor, Past Director General of PTT and many other authori­ Also U. S. and Foreign on and ties. As in. all flights some of the mail off cover; large selection of was to go to the officials at the destina­ tion city. This is sort of a letter of in­ Vatican, etc. troduction. John landed at 10 p.m. and was ready Request our free catalogue. to take the messages of good will plus a few gifts to the mayor. The crew, BROOKS STAMP CO. plus some 15 passengers and journalists found the mayor was not very pleased. 2323 Ave. X Brooklyn 35. N.Y. He asl:ed the group to wait in the dark and after he read a message from the mayor of the balloonport town, he said, "Yes, it seems that I'll have to do some­ thing for you. The mayor of your bal­ loonport requests me to give you a fine RARE AIRS reception, a dinner, and all help. But it By Auction is already 11 o'clock and since yesterday evening I'm no longer mayor of this Dece~ber 2nd place, but nevertheless there is no mayor at this moment, come in." · The stamps include the very rare H oruluras 1925 "AEREO COR­ This was an odd reception for John REO" provisional.s catalogued and his group, for in most instances peo­ over $9000, New Zealand pig­ ple think the flight in the open basket is eongrams, Switzerland, Syria very cold; they think flying a balloon is and other rarities. dangerous activity that deserves a hero's Covers include rare Italy (Lib­ welcome with many warm drinks (hot ya 1919), "Norge" Polar Flight water) on landing. 1926, Japan, Switzerland, etc. This year John made about 16 flights. Illustrated Catalogue $1 inclUd­ Several were races. All subscriptions are ing second class airmail postage. 100 percent for the Dutch Air Museum. There are only 83 complete sets of the Bournemouth 1960 flights and includes the race at Stamp Auctions Belgium and the official German balloon flight cancel. Readers can contact John ( A branch of Robson Lowe Ltd.) by writing him as follows: John Boes­ Granville Chambers, Richmond Hill man, Rusthoestraat 21, Scheveningen, Bournemouth, England Holland (John is AAMS life member Cables: "Stamps, Bournemouth" #92) NOVEMBER, 1960 PAGE 55 More About the Unlisted War Time Rocket-Grams of India in 1944 AIR POST NEW ISSUES By Dr. Max Kronstein On page 182 of the April, 1959 issue of the Airpost Journal an article "Addi­ ·OF THE ENTIRE tional Indian Rocketgrams of 1944" re­ ported a number of previously unlisted war time rocket experiments of our late WORLD member Stephen H. Smith. We stated that there must have been a gas pro­ pelled projectile G.P.P. No. 1 late in 1944 (before the Oct. 25, 1944 start of PAMPHLET UPON REQUEST No. 2). We now have seen a rocketgram which refers to what might he the expected GPP No. l", but actually is a "GP No. l". This means it refers not to a Gas Nicolas Sanabria Co. Inc. Projected Prajectfle No. l", but to a Gas A. MEDAWAR. PRESIDENT Propelled Rocket No. 1. But it is quite 521 Fifth Ave., New York 17, N. Y. possible that Mr. Smith did not add the word Projectile until the second gas pro­ pelled start. Thus, this could be the missing item, for which the earlier report reserved a listing number ( 0). It can be described Jets as follows: • " ( 0) A first Gas Propelled Rocket GP • Sputniks No. 1 was started at Calcutta on Sept. 11 20, 1944 with 13 rocketgram sheets. "I. G. Y. These sheets had the circular cachet • "Stephen Smith G.P. No. 1 - Rocket" Arctic and the five-line cachet "Carried by - • Gas Propelled - Rocket No. 1 -Septem­ Antarctic ber 2th 1944 - Calcutta, India". On the • reverse side appeared a handwritten Expeditions number x/13, whereby X is the number • of any one of the 13 copies. The same Rockets .number was attached as a label %" by • l" on the address side. Instead of a U. N. - N. Y. rocket stamp the 1934 Zucker "Golightly" • vignette (Cat. page 30 No. IV) was used Ghana with a two lined overprint: "For the • blood thirsty Jappy - to make him very - BEAUTIFUL COVERS - happy". The items are autographed by ASK FOR A SELECTION TODAY Stephen H. Smith and D. M. Koband (?). WALTER R. GUTHRIE If there was another test between the G.P. 1 and the reported G.P.P. 2, then P. 0. BOX 390 A we would have to place it between Sep­ TUCSON, .ARIZONA tliia. tember 2 and October 25, 1944. PAGE 56 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL AAMS EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT APJ ADS BUY SELL - WANT LISTS RATES: WANTED: Mint Air-Mails of France, FOUR CENTS PER WORD per insertion. Japan, Swi~zerland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Minimum charge one dollar. Remittance Netherlands. S2nd list with prices wanted must accompany order and copy. The to Louis Michitsch, 66-16 60 Street Brook­ AIRPOST JOURNAL. 350 No. Deere Park lyn 27, N. Y. *338 Drive, Highia:nd Park, Ill. WANTED: Members to attend NYC Chap­ BETTER GRADE Airmails of the world ter meetings 2nd Friday of every month. for sale. Write for free price list. Lud­ Information from Harold J. Frankel, Pres., wig Weinberger, P.O. Box 571, Ansonia E201 B:i.y Parkway, Brooklyn 4, N. Y. Station, New York 23, N. Y. *366 NEED: low and medium priced stamps for WANTED to Buy: For cover collection; my Canada collection. Offer Jets, FAM's, Balbo and Byrd Flights, Zeppelins, Rock­ CAM's, foreigns, air letter sheets. All mail ets, Pioneers, Balloons. Schoendorf, 7832- ~nswered. Richard Parke, North Conway, Blst Street, Glendale, 27, · L. I:, N. -Y. *368 N.H. 6 3/4 AIRMAIL ENVELOPES, Barbor $25 SCOTT used airs, my choice, different Pole design, 24 lb Parchment Stock, 100% from yours for equal value and Be postage. · Rag Content. Prices and Samples Ten .Joseph Figuccio, 8705 19th Ave., Brooklyn Cents. Milton Ehrlich, 34-15A 31st Ave., 14, N. Y. *367 Long Island City 6, N. Y. *366 ROCKET DISPATCHES, Story and Price List for 4c. Capt. Wm. H. Peters, Ret., In­ These Airplane Companies terlachen, Florida. *368 Do Grow Big CAPE CANAVERAL Covers as premiums (not for sale) with orders for UN, US With the merger of Cap:tal Air Lines plates, Ghana, Brussels, Human Rights, into United Air Lines, one notes with, UNESCO and IGY Satellites (at lowest prices anywhere!) ..C-B Stamps, Box 981, interest the scope of their activities. For. Cocoa Beach, Florida. *366 instance, United, the nation's oldest sche­ AIRMAIL topics on maximum cards. Will duled carrier, serves 82 cities over a 14,- send on approval. They add beauty to a 000-mile system extending from the At­ collection. Reginald Koehn, Exeter, Nebr. *367 lantic to the Pacific, the length of the West Coast from Vancouver to San Di­ AAMS EXCHANGE ADS ego, and overseas from California to Ha­ waii. The company has 23,31 employees. GREECE, Curacao and Suriname are my United's current fleet consists of 34 specialities, also aeronautical caricatures. Buy or trade. Drs. J. Boesman, Rusthoek­ pure jet and 173 piston-engine aircraft. str 21, The Hague, Holland. *367 The jets include 26 DC-8s and 8 Boeing WANTED: Vols. I and II, American Air 720s. The piston-engine aircraft include Mail Catalogs. Leslie Zirkelbach, 374 43 DC-7s, 4 DC-6Bs, 42 DC-6s, 35 Con­ Watchung Ave., Bloomfield, N. J. vair 340s, 7 DC-6A Cargoliners and 6 DC WANTED: Airpost of Czechoslovakia, in­ -7 A Cargo liners. cluding first flight covers, essays, proofs and specialized material. Dr. Matejka, 216 United's jet orders total $427,000,000, Hotel LaSalle, Chicago, Ill. covering 40 DC-8s, 29 Boeing 720s (in­ WILL EXCHANGE: few Lancaster, Calif. cluding a forthcoming order for 11 more) (ll-l'l-59) A.D.s for the following 59's: and 20 Caravelles. Seguin, Eagle Pass, Lanett, Forest Park. Memphis, Fitzgerald. David Callaway, 5420 Ranoy Ave., Bakersfield, Calif. Capital serves 60 cities over a system of 6,516 route miles extending the length FIRST FLIGHTS EUROPE/OVERSEAS of the Eastern part of the country east of (.let, Helicopter, Rocket, IGJ). We can deliver by subscription all new flight is­ the Mississippi. As of the end of May, sues of Europe. We ask a Subscription the company employed 7,840. deposit of $10. We will "on approval" (with references) send a choice selection Its fleet of 104 aircraft consists of 56 of these covers. Librairie-Papeterie, R. De­ Gulne, 30, rue Fransman, Bruxelles 2 Bel­ turbo-prop Viscounts, plus piston planes gium. as follows: 10 L-049 Constellations, 11 DC-6BTs (leased from Pan American), I HAVE a few hundred rocket covers, in ·exchange for other rocket covers I need 10 DC-4s and 17 DC-3s. Capital does in my collection. Anton Hobling, 1725 Put­ not have any additional turbo-prop or nam Ave., Brooklyn 27, N. Y., U.S.A. *369 pure jet aircraft on order. THE AIRPOST JOURNAL NOVEMBER, 1960 THOMAS A. MAT'fHE\VS Collection of Airmail Stan1ps

SECOND AUCTION - NOVEMBER 29th , & 30th , 1960 Europe Colonies of European Nations

( Except France and Colonies)

NOTE: If you already have requested :i c:iblogue of Part 1 of the Matthews Sale (Oct. 25th), you will automatically receive all subsequent catalogues.

F. W. K E S S L E R 500 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK 36, N. Y.