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C G. -1. September, 1962 Volume 34 Number 1 The American Air Mail Society A Non-Profit Corporation Incorporated 1944 Organized 1923 Under the Laws of Ohio

PRESIDENT Official Publication of the Dr. James J. Matejka. Jr. AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY LaSalle Hotel, Chicago, Illinois SECRETARY VOL. 34, No. 1 Whole Number 389 . Ruth T. Smith 102 Arbor Road . Riverton, N. J. TREASURER Contents for October, 1962 John J. Smith 102 Arbor Road Riverton, N. J. Pioneer Flight No. 35 1 VICE-PRESIDENTS The First Hovercraft Mail .... 5 Joseph L. Eisendrath Foreign Pioneer Airpost Flights Samuel S. Goldsticker, Jr. Herman Kleinert 1909-1914 7 Lester S. Manning Cb.apter News ...... 13 EDITORS - Other Publications Aerogrammes ...... 15 L. B. Gatchell Geo. D. Kingdom Charles A. Lindbergh ...... 18 ATTORNEY World's Shortest Airline ...... 22 George D. Kingdom Official Section ...... 2·4 DIRECTOR OF First Airmail Service Between Europe FOREIGN RELATIONS and Northern Africa 1919-22 ...... 25 Dr. Max Kronstein Boy Wonder Flyer Sees Jet Airport AUCTION MANAGER Open ...... 27 Samuel S. Goldsticker, Jr. Catalogue Editor Receives High Post ADVANCE BULLETIN SERVICE Office Honor ...... 31 Paul Bugg 3724 Old York Rd. American Air Mail Catalogue Supple- Baltimore 18, Md. ment (Separa;te Section) .... 37 TRANSLATION SERVICE Roland Kohl Augusta-Victoria Str. 4 EDITOR Wiesbaden, West Germany Joseph L. Eisendrath AUDITOR 350 No. Deere Park Drive, Highland Park, III. Stuart J. Malkin ASSISTANT EDITORS DIRECTORS Robert W. Murch Alton J. Blank, Herbert Brand­ Ernest A. Kehr L. B. Gatchell ner, Paul Bugg, Robert E. Har­ ing, Dr. Max Kronstein, George DEPARTMENT AND ASSOCIATE EDITORS L. Lee, Narcisse Pelletier, Horace R. Lee Black, N. Pelletier, Florence L. Kleinert. D. Westbrooks. Dr. Max Kronstein, Richard L. Singley, William MEMBERSHIP DUES - $4.00 R. Ware, James Wotherspoon, John Watson, William T. Wynn, Frank Blumenthal, Samuel per year S. Goldsticker, Jr., J. S. Langabeer. Include subscription to The Published monthly at Albion, Erie Co., Pa., U.S.A. AIRPOST JOURNAL. Appli­ cants must furnish two refer­ Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office ences, philatelic preferred. At at Albion, Pa., February 10, 1932, under least one must reside in Appli­ the Act of March 3, 1879. cant's home town. Applicants The AIRPOST JOURNAL is not conducted for under 21 years must be guar­ profit. The Editor and all others serve without teed by Parent or Guardian. compensation. Receipts from advertising, sub­ Membership may be terminated scriptions and contributions are applied to the by the Society in accordance betterment of the magazine and the promotion with its By-Laws. of aero-philately. · Correspondence concerning sub­ 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 js made to in~ure correctness of Treasurer. All general com­ all articles. munications and advertising Subscription Rates: $4.00 per year, 35c per copy. should be sent to the Editor. Advertising Rate Card available from the Editor. South Amboy - Perth Amboy July 4, 1912 Pioneer No. 32 By T. J. O'Sullivan The Amboys in New Jersey are lo- • had been an aviation enthusiast. He cated in the eastern part of the State. had gone so far into this hobby that he owned his own plane and had his own Perth Amboy, the larger, lies on the left private pilot. The plane, a Burgess­ bank of the Raritan Hiver, and in 1912 Wright biplane was housed in his hangar had a population of over 25,000. South at Seidler's Beach. It had a forty-horse­ Amboy, on the right bank, had over power engine which ran two propellers 6,000 people at that time. On July 4, by means of chain drives. The pilot and 1912, after an enormous amount of pre­ passenger sat in the open on two seats paration, Oliver G. Simmons flew a bag on the forward edge of the lower wing, of mail across the river from South Am­ with the passenger on the pilot's right. boy to Perth Amboy, and thus our Pio­ The plane was equipped with pontoons neer No. 85 came into being. which replaced its original wheels. The idea for such a flight was the Although his residence was at Wicha­ brainchild of Edwin C. Roddy, who was tunk, some ten miles back in the coun­ then assistant postmaster at South Am­ try, by means of his plane Mr. Collier boy. He got the backing of the Busi­ often commuted to his office in New ness Men's Association of which he was York City by flying over Raritan Bay, up secretary. Postmaster General Frank H. the lower Bay and through the Narrows Hitchcock w~s asked for and gave his to New York. When he had been ap­ approval in an authorization dated June proached by the committee, he gave hiS 25, 1912, directed to Postmaster Haines support and guidance and for the flight and which read in part as follows: offered his plane and his personal pilot, "The postmaster at South Amboy, Oliver G. Simmons. This was to be Sim­ N. J. is hereby authorized to dispatch mons' first and only appearance as a mails from South Amboy to Perth Pioneer air mail pilot. However it was Amboy on July 4, 1912, one trip one not the first hydroplane mail flight. Pre­ way by aeroplane service, provided viously such flights 'had been mad':' at such mails be carried by a sworn car­ St. Louis (No. 4), down the Mississippi rier and without expense to the de­ River (No. 5), and from Newport Beach partment." to Catalina Island (No. 20A). The route was numbered - as were all Meantime th~ preparations proceeded such air mail routes at the time, and was apace. The city off:ic>als of both South the first such official route to be num­ Amboy and Perth got behind the project bered in New Jersey. Hence it was given - as did the local newspaper and suit­ number 609,001. Other official New able publicity was given the flight. A Jersey routes followed t h i s number luncheon was planned to take place chronologically and consecutively - thus afterwards, and speeches were prepared Hoboken (Pioneer No. 42) was 609,002; and memorials obtained. The flight was Ocean City (Pioneer No. 48) was 609,- to supplement the traditional fou~h of 008; Plainfield (Pioneer No. 47) was July festivities in the !Postmarks reporters present was a pas~enger. have been noted with time stamps of 10:30 A.M., 11:20 A.M., and 12 N in After this, the committee and the in­ the South Amboy postmark. Others do vited guests appeared at the Packer not have a time stamp, and some of the House in Perth Amboy for a luncheon. pieces did not receive the special cachet. There Simmons received· a diamond Some .. postcards also included a special studded scarf pin. Not to be outdone, printecf inscription reading "VIA AERO­ South Amboy gave him a large silver PLANE MAIL SERVICE, - FROM SO. loving cup mounted on an ebony base AMBOY, N. J." The mail was placed in inscribed "Presented To Oliver G. Sim­ a sack and taken to the waterfront to mons By The Business Men's Association the plane, where the crowds had gath­ of South Amboy In Commemoration Of ered along the shore. This point was in The First Aerial Mail Service In the the Bay near the residence of Thomas State of New Jersey." Scully, congressman from New Jersey. As a memorial of the flight, there is A slight wind gave Pilot Simmons a few a plaque on the wall of the South Am­ minutes of anxiety but it proved not .boy post office building, which was un­ strong enough to cause postponement.. veiled by Ruth Nichols, famous trans­ Fred Garretson had been selected to go oceanic flyer. It reads "By Authority of on the trip as a passenger and to hold The Postmaster General Washington, the mail bag. Mayor of Perth Amboy, he D.C., From this South Amboy Post Of- had been an aviation enthusiast since fice the first United States Air Mail in he and others in the area had seen Charles K. Hamilton, because of engine New Jersey was dispatched on July 4th trouble, landed briefly at Perth Amboy 1912 via Wright Brothers Biplane, B. E. on June 13, 1910 on the return leg of Haines, Postmaster, Oliver G. Simmons, his record-breaking round trip flight Pilot." between New York and Philadelphia. Mayor Garretson had noJver flown be- The most recent memorial of the 2 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 flight was the authorization of the Post and was .backstamped P e r th Amboy Office Department to use, both at the July 4, 1962 11 A.M. As such, having South Amboy and the Perth Amboy post been handled in the mails, it is an official offices, a special cancellation boxed die U. S. Government Flight and should be reading "First N. J. Air Mail - South so catalogued. Amboy To - Perth Amboy 7-4-12". This has been in use since July I and will be used into this fall. This came about as the result of the work of an energetic com­ THE FIRST mittee established to commorate and re­ enact Simmons' historical flight on its "Hovercraft" Service 50th anniversary. On July 4, 1962, par­ In the World ades were held in both P.erth Amboy and South Amboy, a skydiving and para­ On July 20th, 1962, the first Hover­ craft Mail was flown between Wallasey chute jumping program was put on in and Rhyl, in England. South Amboy, and John Anderson, Lieu­ The total first day mail received a tenant J.G., U.S. Navy, Helicopter large special cancellation portraying Squadron 2, Naval Air Station, Lake­ the Hovercraft with special wording "Inauguration of Rhyl - Wallasey Ho­ hurst, N. J., piloted a helicopter from vercr aft Service Rhyl (reverse flight Babe Ruth Field in South Amboy to Wallasey ) 20th July, 1962." Sadowski Parkway in Perth Amboy, car- Special cover, one each way, flown on above First Flight and Guaranteed rying mail. To complete the re-enact­ Flown (not all mail received was flown). Price, while they last, the ment of the 1912 activities, a luncheon pair, $3.00. was held at the site of the original WHA T "WANTS" HAVE YOU IN AIR l~m cheon in the Lido Gardens (Packer MAILS? WHY NOT LET ME KNOW? House) in Pertih Amboy, and Mrs. Oli­ ver Simmons, now a widow, was pre­ R. E. R. DALWICK sented with a memorial. The mail car­ (Pioneer Air Mail Specialist) ried on this 1962 flight was postmarked Dixholme Chur:I: South Amboy July 4, 1962 9 A.M., was Surrey cacheted "Via Helicopter - South Am­ England boy To Perth Amboy - July 4, 1962" THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 3 EARLY BIRDS WORKING ON EARLY BIRD STORY AIR MAIL ENTIRES Mabel Rodgers Wiggin and Charles "Wiggie" Wiggin have been busy on a envelopes new project since early last spring. Con­ postal cards vention-goers will remember this spry leitersheeis young couple as old timers connected Finest Stock In the World with early days of aviation. Mabel, in 1911, was Mrs. Cal Rodgers, wife of the THE NEW ISSUE SERVICE PLUS famous aviator who was the first man to fly across the United States. "Wiggie," the outstanding specials that the kid mechanic on that famous cross characterize this service country saga, married Mrs. Rodgers after ATTRACTIVE PAGES Rodgers was killed in a California crash FOR MOUNTING only two months after completing his trip into fame. THE AIRMAIL ENTIRE TRUTH newsletter. Send as many 8c They have tried to contact all the liv­ stamped & addressed No. 10 en­ ing "Early Birds," an organization of pi­ oneer airmen. Of about 750 people who velopes for as many copies as you qualified for the E. B. organization wish to receive. (which still carries on) 400 have died. AUTHORIZED AGENT FOR THE Of the rest, the Wiggins have heard GODINAS CATALOGUE from over 250. Each has been asked to write a brief biography of his or her life. LAVA The Distributor of the Barbados Error Many have sent the authors pictures, let­ Box l, Fort George station ters, old ribs of planes, broken struts, New York 40, N. Y. tail pieces, fabric, seat belts, and what have you. The work will contain infor­ mation, too, about those pioneers who didn't live to tell their tale. "Wiggie" We are philatelic auctioneers says ALL the E. B.s were a strange breed-and this, he claims, is borne out and specialize by some of the letters he has so far re­ ceived. in providing The Wiggins put out an unusual book a competitive market last year which was a picture story of the flight of the "Vin Fiz," the plane used by for stamp collections Cal Rodgers. There are few copies left and other philatelic properties unsold; if readers are interested in ac­ quiring this book, please contact the edi­ tor of the Airpost Journal for informa­ Qver 35 years' experience tion. They are modestly priced. assures the maximum The new work on .the pioneers (up to about the end of 1915) should be off the in results presses early this fall. Your inquiry is welcomed IRWIN HEIMAN, Inc. Serving American Philately Since 1926 2 West 46th Street New York, N.Y. Telephone: JUdson 2-2393 Suite 708

4 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 The First Hovercraft Mail Compiled from Official F'acts and Figures

The opening of ·the world's first sched- • United Airways Ltd. Vickers VA-8 'Ho- uled passenger Hovercraft service across vercoach"'. For cards carried from Rhyl­ the Dee estuary between Rhyl in North Wallasey the vignette is in brown with Wales and W allasey in Cheshire, aroused lettering in green, these colors being world-wide interest. The date was July transposed for the return flight, Wallasey- 20th and the G.P.O. had earlier announc- Rhyl. The design "ties in" with the can­ ed that a special hand-stamp would be cellation used. The total printing of the used on July 20th only, on mail posted cards was 2,000 for each direction. Of in special boxes at each terminal (or sent these only a maximum of 1,400 in either to the Head Postmasters of Rhyl or Liv- direction, can be classed as bearing can­ erpool) from whieh mail was to be car- cellations average to good. ried during the first .days' crossings. So far as we are informed, the balance On July 17th the Post Office issued a of the mail carried was in the form of further press notice which said: plain envelopes sent by the general pub- A "first" which may one day be as lie and some hundreds sent by individual historic an occasion in postal history members of the stamp trade. To be added as the first carriage of mail by aero- to this general posting is a possible mail­ plane in 1911 will take place on July ing of 228 special colored tear-off post- 20th. cards which formed part of the passenger On that day a token quantity of mail ticket. The reverse side had the usual will be carried on the first flight of the space for address and also carried a hovercraft service which will run be- printed inscription: "Greetings from .... tween Rhyl and Wallasey, from July Passenger on the World's First Scheduled 20th to September 16th. Hovercoach Service.'' The figure if 228 Two special hand-stamps will be is the maximum from the 24 passengers used on July 20th only to mark the in- carried on each of the si-1:: journeys that auguration of the Hovercraft service. day ( i. e. one postcard for each passen­ The special date stamps will be in use ger ticket). Most df these, if used, would at Rhyl and Wallasey respectively on obviously be self-addressed. all mail posted in temporary posting For publicity purposes a well-kown boxes provided at each terminal. firm of brewers dispatched in plain en- It was the word "token" in the press velopes 2,500 letters to their various dis- notice of July 17th which worried some tributors throughout the world. people. Did it mean that a handful of The Daily Mail printed a special edi­ letters would be carried in each direction tion of 7,000 of that day's paper and pre­ and that the balance of the mail would pared 2,800 specially printed commem­ be cancelled with the special hand-stamp orative wrappers. This latter effort was at the place of posting ( Rhyl or Walla- publicized in the ordinary northern edi­ sey), but would not be carried by the tion of the Daily Mail on the morning of Hovercraft? Whatever it meant, the re- the flight. This should prove to be a sult was a smaller mail than might other- scarce philatelic item for few will survive, wise have been, but all the mail did ac- mainly because the Daily Mail staff sell­ tually travel on the Hovercraft. ing the papers with great difficulty (be- One firm of Liverpool stamp dealers cause of a high wind) endeavored to prepared a pktorial postcard with the wrap the special edition in a roll in the approval of British United Airways, Ltd., open air and fasten the wrapper down who were making the "flights". On the with paste, the result not being too satis­ left of the cards is a vignette showing the factory from the collectors' viewpoint! Hovercraft and map of the route. Above A far-seeing collector did purchase a is "World's First Hover·craft Service- few papers and wrapped them most care- 20th July 1962" and below, "By British fully for mailing. These resulted in a THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 5 nicely finished philatelic piece, clean, BOOK REVIEW- flat, and not crumpled. Actually the Daily Mail ran short of Conquest of Outer Space, compiled the special wrappers and later, plain and edited by Herbert Rosen, H.-R. Pro­ wrappers were used. The Liverpool Echo ductions Inc., 17 E. 45th St., New York, printed a souvenir edition hearing a spe­ 17, N. Y., 40 (unnumbered) pages, 1962, cial seal commemorating bhe delivery,, $1.50, offset print, enameled cover. but no wrappers were used. This 81h x 11 publication is an un­ An on-the-spot report states that the usual effort. It gives the history of space­ mail carried on the first flight from Rhyl conquering attempts by subjects, and amounted to 8,000 items (all that were illustrates a stamp or stamps related to on hand when the Hovercraft took off), that particular subject. Stamp illustra­ and that 450 wrapped copies of the tions are in accurate size, in pleasing Daily Mail were also carried. The ffrst balck and white. When filled with the flight :from Leasowe, at the Wallasey approximately 200 stamps, the publica­ end, carried 2,600 pieces of mail and 800 tion would give a very comprehensive copies of the Daily Mail. One estimate pi'cture of the topical subject of space. of poor strikes of the cancellation places the percentage as high as 40 percent. Appearing just before the latest Rus­ Figures for mail carried on flights sub­ sian double satellite achievement, the sequent to the first in each direction were work is thus not up-to-date, and inclu­ not available at the time of going to sion of blank pages for additions (and press, but it is known that at t:he end of the Russians will most surely have their the day the two cancellers were with­ newest stamps out soon) would have drawn ·and returned to the G.P.O. in ad~ed to its usefulness. Blank pages, London for the Pos-t Office archive . however, are available, if one wishes -From Stamp Collecting, London, is­ to convert to a loose leaf setup. sue of August 3, 1962. Identification of the stamps by coun­ try and catalogue number would have made it easier for the collector to tell Transoceanic Airplane his dealer what stam_ps he would need. Mail Flown - Attempted Omission of varieties, special sheets, and Intended Flights imperforate stamps was deliberate. Bought - Sold - Exchanged This could be used as a very good KRINSKY start for one who is interested in setting 250 .E. 96th St. Brooklyn 12, N.Y. up a visual philatelic presentation on the space theme.

6 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 Foreign Pioneer Airpost Flights 1909-1914 C. Special Postial Cancellations of the Pioneer Period V. THE MANNHE]M-SPEYER AIRPOST AND THE 1914 PRINZ HEINRICH MR COMPETITION IN THE WESTERN AREA OF GERMANY By Dr. Max Kronstein

From the early days of aeroplane flights• in France and in Europe the region around the Upper Rhine south of Basie had ·been the area of annual air competitions, first known as the Flights on the Upper Rhine, later as the annual Prince Henry Air Competitions. vVith the increasing flight range of the airplane it was necessary to extend flight di tances in these competitions. In 1914, the last competition before the World War I covered the whole length of western Germany, starting in the center, flying up the Rhine to the Strassburg Region and back again to Frankfurt, following the course of the Rhine down to Cologne, crossing Europe to the north to Hamburg, circling over all of north western Germany and returning on an extend­ ed route to Cologne, where additional races were held to close this great competition. Advance regulations provided that up to 20 private or civilian aviators could enter as well as up to 20 army flight officers, providing separate trophies and money prizes for the civilians and other trophies for the officers. We know now from our knowledge of later events- perhaps typical for that period of the development of European aviation- that in this case the military participants were far more suc­ cessful than the civilians. Although these were special conditions for each group, th·e best the civilians could da was to earn sixth place in the overall events.

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 7 To review the various postal cancellations and airposts it might be useful to follow the course of the races. The takeoff was at Darmstadt, the state capital of Hessen. There a special stationery card was issued, showing a hill above the city with one monoplane and two biplanes in the air. The inscription is "Prinz Heinrich Flug 1914 - Haupt Etappe - Darmstadt - Verein fur Luftfahrt, E. V." On the address side was the inscription "Offizielle Festpostkarte - des Vereins fur Luftfahrt Darmstadt E. V." "Diese Karte erhalt den Poststempel 'Prinz Heinrich Flug,' wenn sie an den Flug­ tagen in einen Briefkasten des Flugplatzes eingeworfen wird," which, translated means "This card received the cancellation 'Prince Henry Flight,' if posted on one of the flight days in one of the mailboxes of the airfield." This postal cancellation reads "Darmstadt - Prinz Heinrich Flug 1914 (date) - (time)". The start was on May 17, 1914. The flight route was divided in different parts: First Part: To be flown from May 17 to May 19. Distance 800 kilometers ( 500 miles). Two Stages: First: Darmstadt, (Hessen) - Mannheim - Pforzheim (Baden - Strassburg (Al­ sace) - Speyer (Palatinate) - Worms - Frankfurt ( Main). Second: Frankfurt - Wiesbaden - Cdblenz (Rhine) - Cologne - and back to Frankfurt. Second part: To be flown between May 20 and May 22: over about 1000 kilo­ meters ( 625 miles). Again two stages: First: Frankfurt - Mavburg - Kassel - Braunschweig - Hamburg ( 440 km - 270 miles) and then Hamburg - Hanover - Minden - Bielefeld - Munster - Osnabrock - Bremen and back to Harnburg ( 565 km - 350 miles). These flights were to be followed by a military strategical flight from Hamburg to Munster and Cologne on May 23. ( 400 km - 250 miles) and a "tactical patrol flight" near Cologne on May 25. To permit a longer time for the flight on the first day, the first· start was made on May 17, at 4 AM.. One of the participants, Lt. von Beaulieu, actually started at 4:00 A.M. Prince Henry of Prussia and the Grand Duke of Hessen were at the field at this early hour. Von Beaulieu was the first to arrive at Frankfurt, but his name does not appear on the list of the final winners of the whole competition. In the area of the first part there was a special aviation week at Mannheim on the first stage of the competition. Special vignettes were issued with aviation designs inscribed "Prinz Heinrich Flug 1914 - Mannheimer Schalfluge - Rennwiesen 17 Mai. 1914." A few days earlier at another local festivity, the "May Festival Week" cards were attached to small balloons and posted afterwards. The cards had a circular cachet "Balloon Post-Mannheim 1914 - Mai-Fest-Woche." The main philatelic event of the Mannheim area was the actual carrying of mail from Mannheim, a stop of the first stage, to Speyer, when the planes were returning from Strassburg enroute to Frankfurt. This airpost was officially allowed. The flown cards received a circular postal cancellation "Flugpost - MANNHE,IM - SPEYiER - 17 /5/14 - (time)." Special cards of the Prinz Heinrich Flug were used, showing the official poster design of the competition, as illustrated. Regular cards were inscribed "Prinz Hein­ rich Flug 1914 - Darmstadt - Frankfurt - Hamburg - Coln - 17. bis 25. Mai." For the flight there was an additional imprint "Kontrollstation Mannheim - Luftpost Mannheim - Speyer." 3900 cards were flown by this airmail. Since Speyer was also the home base

8 THE AIRPOST .JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 of an airplane construction company, the Pfalz-Flugzeugwerke c.m.b. H. Speyer, photocards of the planes of this type were offered at the Speyer airfield with a two­ line blue cachet "Pfalz. Luftfahrtverein, Speyer E. V."

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 9 Some of the cards with this blue cachet were mailed for a return airpost flight from Speyer to Mannheim. Since Speyer belonged to the Bavarian Palatinate, Ba­ varian postage stamps were required on these return flight cards. They received a postal official 12 cornered cancellation "FLUGPOST - 17.5.14 SPEYER - MANN­ HEIM." Only about 700 cards were flown on this flight to Mannheim. These belong to the rarest German pioneer items. See illustration. There was another local aviation day, at Frankfurt at the end of the first and the takeoff point of the second stage. ·well known aviators like Fokker, Hanuschke, and Robert Sommer participated in these flights, as the Zeppelin airship Viktoria Luise made a flight over Frankfurt. This collector has never seen any special cards or cachets of these Frankfurt events and none has been listed in catalogues. There was another point on the route where a special postal cancellation was used, even though it had no reference to the Prinz Heinrich Flug. The airfield at Hamburg was situated in the nearby town of Fuhlsbuttel. Once before an airfield postoffice had used a special cancellation there in connection with the landings of the Zeppelin Airships in 1912. This same cancellation "FUHLSBUTTEL - FLUG­ PLATZ - (date)" was used again at this time. It is found on the same type special cards as illustrated, but without the imprint for the Mannheim-Speyer airpost. Surprising were the results of the air competition. The shortest flying time was reported by Lieutenant von Thuna with 17 hours 16.9 min. He won the Trophy of the Emperor. The next two (Lt. v. Beaulieu and Lt. v. Buttlar) required less than 18 hours. All used the L.V.G. biplanes. The fourth arrival, Lt. Bonde, in Albatros biplane, required slightly less than 22 hours; the fifth one, Lt. Geyer, in an Aviatic biplane, required 22112 hours. The sixth place was won by Krumsieck, a civilian, with a Hansa Gotha Taube monoplane. He needed 231.A hours. In spite of his relatively slow .flight he won the highest civilian award, the Prinz Henry Trophy. An indication of the severe competition among the military participants is shown in the fact that four officers crashed to death at this meet. Among well known aviators who were not able to complete the flights and who a bandoned enroute, were Lt. von Hiddessen, the pilot of ·the Gelber Hund (yellow dog), the airmail plane of 1912, and the civilian pilot Schlegel, the pilot of the Gotha airpo t flights of 1912. On both earlier occasions, special airstamps had been used.

10 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 MINNEAPOLIS FIRM SENDS of date in the mmnnum amount of GLENN, GAGARIN MEDALS space, including: date of launch, desig­ TO KRUSHCREV nation of satellite, whether satellite or­ bited, estimated lifetime of satellite, A Minneapolis, Minn., medal manu­ agency which directed project, place facturer has revealed the details of an­ from which launched and major ob­ other space-related Russian "first". jectives and/ or results of the satellite. The 80-year-old company, Wendell­ Sources of the data are the "Official Northwestern, Inc., makers of special Space Activity Summary Charts" pre­ coins, badges and commemorative items, pared and distributed by the National recently struck a space-age medal hon­ Aeronautics and Space Administration, oring John Glenn's flight into space. Washington, D. C. As a result, for the first time in its his­ tory, the company received an order from • a Soviet citizen (Victor Aleshin, P. 0. Air Express Mirrors Progress Box 735, Moscow Centre, Russia), who sent American stamps in payment for the Of Aviation Glenn medal. Air express, bustling jet-age division "What puzzles us," said William Bry­ of REA Express, was 35 years old last ant, company vice president, "is that month. several months ago we issued a medal commemorating Yuri Gagarin's historic Its progress in that space of time­ space flight. At that time, we didn't and its acceptance-gives an excellent get a single response from the Russians." chronicle of how U. S. aviation has Guessing that perhaps the Soviets sim­ grown up. On Sept. l, 1927, when the first ex­ ply did not know about the Gagarin m~­ al, the company acted to amend the sit­ press cargoes were lifted gingerly into the uation. Complimentary issues of both air by a fleet of open cockpit planes, the Gagarin and Glenn medals were sent Charles Lindbergh was back from Paris to Russian Premier Nikita Krushchev. just a few months. People were still wondering if flying The mementos, made of nickel sil­ was here to stay. ver, are primarily for collectors. The It was. Air Express, which handled Glenn issue was the third in a series hon­ 17,006 shipments in 1928, last year ship­ oring American space achievements. Pre­ ped 6,765,523 items and collected $50,- vious commemorated Explorer I's orbital 000,000 in gross revenues. flirrht and Alan Shephard's sub-orbital The first air shipments traveled be­ Mercury flight. Pr~ject tween 26 cities, many of which had just The medals sell for $1.25 in nickel silver, and $3.75 in sterling silver. built their airports. Shipping time coast-to-coast was about • 32 hours-quite an accomplishment for CHECK LIST airplanes flying uot much more than 125 miles an hour. We have received a check-list of Four airlines-with combined routes to- U. S. satellite launchings from 1957 taling 4,506 air miles-carried the first through June 1962 - as well as all Air Express shipments. They were Co­ known Soviet satellite launchings, which lonial Air Transport (Boston to New is being offered to space cover collectors York), National Air Transport (New at no charge by Astrostamps, P. 0. Box York to Chicago), Boeing Air Transport 271, Decatur, Ga. (Chicago to the West Coast), and West- Space cover collectors desiring the em Air Express (Salt Lake City to Los Astrostamps satellite check-list may ob- Angeles). tain their free copy by sending a stamp- Today Air Express has service stretch­ ed, self-addressed envelope to Astra- ing over 140,084 air miles and uses 37 stamps. Eight cents postage should be U. S. and foreign airlines. placed on the return envelope. There are more than 10,000 daily de- The list contains the maximum amount partures. THE AIRPOST .JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 11

A.A.M.S. Chapter News By FLORENCE KLEINERT 213 Virginia Avenue, Fullerton. Pa.

Stamp shows, banquets, new officers • treasurer is Theodore Light, Chicago. and regional meetings feature current For further information on "Flite chapter activities. News", a monthly "C.A.M. Newsletter", Metropolitan Air Mail Cover Club. write to Michael P. Codd, 35 Lander Gus Lancaster Chapter, #31 Ave., Staten Island 14, N. Y. New officers were installed at .the Sep­ Allentown Philatelic Society, #29 tember 14th meeting at the Hotel Pica­ Harold Flores, President, reports the dilly, New York City. Officers are Rob­ June 19th '~Clothesline Exhibit" was a ert E. Haring, president, Miss Anne Brit­ big success with 30 exhibitors and a fine ney, corresponding secretary, 322 - 77th attendance by the public. Door prizes St., North Bergen, N. J., Harry Levine, were awarded and special souvenir cov­ financial secretary, and Michael P. Codd, ers were given to the guests. treasurer. This chapter's first fall meeting was The members, their families and held on September 4th. friends, enjoyed a club picnic on August On September 18th, Ralph Franz, Jr., 12th. showed a special program using A.P.S. Sam Goldsticker announced that the color stamp slides on "United States". next Gus Lancaster Memorial Dinner is George Baumer will give a talk on to be held on.Saturday, Octdber 13th. "His Precancel Collection" and "Visit to Motor City Air Mail Society, #11 the Precancel Convention" in Olympia, John B. Jackson, Secretary, writes of Washington at the October 16th meet­ their first exhibition at Knights of Co­ ing at the Y. M. C. A. lurnbus Hall, Detroit, Michigan. There Suburban Collectors Club, #30 were 150 frames of stamps and covers This chapter will be host to The Il­ and a 20-dealer ·bourse on May 27th. linois Federation of Stamp Clubs, "13th The Ladies' Day Dinner was on June Annual Stamp Show and Bourse" at the 19th at the Wilshire Hotel with games Hinsdale Community House, Hinsdale, and movies. Illinois on November 17-18, 1962. This chapter was well represented at There will :be 200 frames of stamps the Royal Canadian Exhibit and Bourse and a 15-dealer bourse. There will be at Windsor, Canada with 1000 frames on federation meetings, symposium, a postal. display. station and Lincoln cachets, according to Bronze awards were won by members Mrs. Gordon Bormann, Secretary, 5220 William Winterer, for "Zeppelin Ccvers". Benton Ave., Downers Grove, Illinois. Orian Green for "Canadian Semi-Official Jack Knight Air Mail Society, #23 Air Mail Flights" and John B. Jackson, In the August, 1962, issue of "The "Malta Postal History, 1832-1855". Jack Knight Air Log", Earl Wellman, First Flight Federation, Unit # l Editor, Box 145, Brookfield, Illinois, an­ At their biennial election, the 1962-63 nounces their 1962-63 schedule of meet­ officers were installed. They include: ings. Dr. James Matejka, president of Michael P. Codd, President, Staten Is­ the American Air Mail Society, was to land, N. Y., Vice Presidents Paul Bugg, show films of A.A.M.S. convention in Baltimore, Md., H. C. Hauptmann, West­ Miami Beach, Fla., and his vacation trip chester, N. Y., and Edward Marsh, Mil­ to Hawaii at the Hotel La Salle, Chicago. waukee, Wisconsin. Directors are Daniel "Auction Night" will be held on Oc­ Armstrong, Louisville, Ralph Cole, tober 26th at the Hotel La Salle for mem­ Washington, D. C., Lloyd Flickinger, bers and guests. Hawaii and Michael Thompson, Kenosha, Earl H. Wellman, Home Secretary and Wisconsin. The secretary is Herbert F. the Jack Knight representative to "FlSA" Bradner, Brookfield, Illinois, and the in Berlin will report on his European THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 13 trip and visits to stamp shows. Ladies such as United Nations, NATO, Space, and guests are invited to see his films Sports and Religion, are up over last at the Hotel La Salle on November 23rd. vear as demand continues. The Annual Meeting will be held at , In the United States section one-col­ the home of Theodore Light, 5033 N. or-omitted varieties of two air letter Bernard Ave., Chicago, Illinois on Janu­ sheets have been listed ( UC32c, UC35a) ary 27, 1963. All officers, committee without prices. chairman and department managers will Air mail changes, we noted, were ra­ bring or send their yearly reports. The ther extensive. For example, in the Latin ladies are invited for a •buffet luncheon American section about 90 minor varie­ and the meeting. ties have been added. These include for A regional meeting of the American Bolivia an inverted center, No. C5a., Air Mail Society took place during "NO­ priced at $700. JEX" in Newark, N. J. on September 21- Brazil: No. C5la, double impression, 23, at the Robert Treat Hotel. At that used, $50. show was a 250-frame exhibit, a 20- Chile: No. Cl8a, double overprint, dealer bourse, a donation auction and one inverted, $125. No. Cl07a, imperf. banquet. pair, $40. The American Air Mail Society and Honduras: No. 35a, "55 cts." on 50c, the Springfield Air Mail Society have instead of "25 cts." $200. Also Nos., suffered a great loss in the death of 312c, C24a and C38b. George Angers, founder of the A.A.M.S., Several varieties of airmails of Mexico, and Springfield's president. I should Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Salvador like to add my own ptrsonal sympathy and Uruguay are newly listed. Regroup­ to his wife and family. It wa~ a great ings in regular issues of Argentina and privilege to have had George Angers as Uruguay have caused some renurnber­ my friend. ings. Scott's new Vol. I is priced at $6. Vol. II, covering Europe, Africa and Asia, was NEW SCOTT CATALOGUE, VOL. l scheduled to be published Oct. l, priced at $8. The Combined edition, with Vols. Volume I of Scott's 1963 Standard I and II in one binding, .is due for re­ Catalogue carries 21,744 price changes, lease Nov. l, with a price of $12.50. more than 400 new listings of various Scott's U. S. Specialized Catalogue will minor varieties, a complete revision of be issued Oct. 15 and will sell for $5. South Africa and South-West Africa, and many other changes. It also has added an accumulation of 812 newly issued stamps. Did You Get Your 1962 Scott Publications published this first CONVENTION COVERS ? part of the 119th edition of the world's Set of 3 cacheted covers cancelle

A general purpose U. N. E. F. aero- • GERMANY gramme has ·been in use for the past few A set of six, 15pf. air mail cards have months. Blue overlay; blue parallel- been issued, commemorating "50 Years German Airmail, 1912 - 1962". ograms; no imprinted stamp. Inscript- ions in English and French. PORTUGAL A number of "FREE", Military aero­ GREAT BRITAIN grammers has made its appearance. Sd. violet, flat, rectangular die. Spe­ They may he flown from or to Military cial printing on "Forces Air Letter" form. Personnel in all parts of the empire. The Two different printings of basic air let­ author has seen them postmarked at the ter form: "Heavy" and "Thin". following places: Lisbon, Mozambique, Angola and Portugese Guinee. They 6d. violet, flat, rectangular die. Spec­ occur on green paper, yellow paper, and ial printing on the following forms: the Christmas Issue on white and oyster "Aspley" 71995/IY. P. M. G. 71995/50E. papers. P. M. G. No. 99. K & J Ltd. 71995/50E. JAPAN Special printings of 9d., green and 50 yen red, on blue paper, with red 1/ - brown KGVI airmail envelopes have parallelograms. Picturing an allegori­ made their appearance. Two sizes: cal figure. 90mm. x 152mm. and 118mm. x 135mm. TRINIDAD Blue paper, with imprinted "Par AVION" 15c red orange, with likeness of Queen label. Eliz. II, and picturing wood cut of har­ CHINA (FORMOSA) bor at Port of Spain. $2.00 value. Red imprinted stamp on REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA blue paper picturing JET plane in flight. 5c blue paper; no overlay. Frame "FOR MAILING TO HONG KONG & line of imprinted stamp composed of MACAO ONLY". "dots". Slightly different paper. My correspondent tells me that they have $6.00 value. Red imprinted stamp on at last found a paper and type of print­ blue paper. Picturing JET plane in flight. ing that satisfies everyone. For International use. NORWAY PAKISTAN 90ore. New variety. "To Open Cut 40 paisa green imprinted stamp, green at Bottom", now 5mm. from top paral­ overlay. "Hour Glass" type. lelograms. 50 paisa blue imprinted stamp, overlay. SOMALIA Oblong stamp, measuring 40mm. x A new aerogramme has been reported, 25mm., picturing JET plane flying over but not seen. Said to picture a butterfly. mountain range. NETHERLANDS ANTILLES 20c red. Same as previous, but in­ PAKISTAN scriptions on back reversed. 50 paisa blue imprinted stamp, blue SIERRA LEONE overlay. Oblong stamp, measuring Sd. blue on gray paper. No overlay. 40mm. x 25mm., picturing JET plane For inland use. Likeness of Queen Eliz. flying over mountain range. II, and picturing "Rice Harvesting". ICELAND LIBERIA Basic 175 aur aerogramme, plus the lOc imprinted stamp. Blue "Apsley" following provisional meters: 225 aur, form, with red and blue parallelograms. 230 aur, 250 aur. -Walter R. Guthrie THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 15 LONG ON SERVICE At Your Service Delp at Auction

Regardless of whether you are buying or Each month you may acquire fine phila­

selling, you will likely find The Depart­ telic properties in our Mail Auction Sales. ment Store of Philately able and willing The current sale includes numerous air- to help you. mail stamps as well as covers which may Your inquiries coupled with your A.A.M.S. be of interest to you. membership number will be welcomed. A large and varied stock of stamps, seals If you receive catalogs regularly, be sure and covers will he found as close to you as to scan the offers and mail your bid sheet your mailbox. A complete line of albums, today! If you do not have the current catalogs and supplements is maintained in catalog, ask for your Free Auction Catalog the Elbe, Scott, Minkus and White Ace and look it over! line. You may send your orders for prompt attention: all orders of $2.00 or more sent Postfree anywhere in The U.S.A. All bidding is done hy mail and you have Interesting covers are always available on equal opportunity to obtain these stamps, approval. As you know, you can't buy covers and collections! covers from a price list! You'll find un­

usual and even unique covers in Long's We have held more than 350 monthly stock, available to you on approval on sales over the past thirty years. Let me request. Write today! know how I can be of help to YOU!

Life Member: 22 NOR'lfllll 2ND S'lf o~ AAMS EILMIER Ro IL(())~ G APS llllA\RRHSimlURG, IP A\o SPA

16 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 THE AlRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 17 A Biographical and Philatelic Study - Charles A. Lindbergh By Walter Curley, Librarian-Cardinal Spellman Philatelic Museum, Inc.

Lindbergh's Homecoming • to France to transport Lindbergh back On June 1, 1927, in anticipation of to the United States. The Memphis was Lindbergh's homecoming, the Post Office the flagship of Vice Admiral Guy H. Department issued the following release: Burrage with Captain Henry Ellis Lackey The American public today was ex­ in command. Lindbergh boarded the tended an invitation to send air mail cruiser at CheDbourg on June 4, 1927, greetings to Captain Charles A. Lind­ and sailed for Washington. The cruiser bergh in care of Postmaster General arrived in Washington on June 11, 1927, New at Washington, D. C. These where he received a welcome unequaled messages will receive special hand­ in the city's history. He received a 21- ling on the part of postal officials and gun salute, an honor reserved thereto­ will be delivered to Captain Lindbergh fore for presidents and heads of foreign when he reaches the National Capital states. At the Washington Monument, on Saturday, June 11. President Coolidge presented the young As a result of this invitation, letters hero with the first Distinguished Flying poured into Washington from all over Cross ever awarded. the world. Figure 4 shows a Lindbergh Covers also associated with Lind­ "Welcome Home" cover. ·bergh' s homecoming are those canceled

Figure· 4 For his return !rip to America, Lind­ aboard the USS Memphis on June 11, bergh considered flying eastward through 1927. (See Figure 5.) Asia and around the world, or perhaps The Lindbergh Air Mail Stamp flying westward across the Atlantic again Of 1927-28 to New York. The thought of dismant­ On June 4, 1927, a Post Office De­ ling the Spirit of St. Louis and packing it parb11ent release announced the issuance in crates for shipment home was repul­ of a stamp to commemorate Lindbergh's sive to him. But it remained for the Pre­ history-making flight: sident of the United States to make the The Post Office Department has decision of how Lindbergh was to retum neither awards or medals nor author­ home. ity for bestowing decorations with At the command of President Coolidge, which to mark the appreciation and the cruiser USS Memphis was dispatched respect we hold for our air mail pilot 18 THE Am.POST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 Figure 5 who made such a notable contribution erican continent with Europe on the right to the science of aviation. The only side. A dotted line shows the course of appropriate thing we can do is to is­ the flight, beginning with the word "New sue a stamp in his honor. York" and ending with the word "Paris." The stamps were printed from 200-sub­ Tihe Post Office Department waived ject plates and cut into four panes of 50 . its usual policy of never issuing speci':tl each. Sixteen plates were prepared but stamps to honor living persons. Lind­ only 12 used: 18997-9, 19000-8. The bergh's picture does not, of course, ap­ unused plates were 19013-6. The stamps pear on the stamp but his name does. were first placed on sale on June 18, The central design shows a representa­ 1927; first day cities were Washington, tion of the Spirit of St. Louis. Across the D. C., St. Louis, Detroit, and Little top of the stamp in white Roman letters Falls, Minnesota, the home town of Lind­ are the words "United States Postage" bergh. (See Figure 6.) The stamp is a and with the words "Lindbergh-Air lOc dark blue (Scott ClO). Mail" directly below. At the left of the plane, is the coastline of the North Am- On the day of his arrival in Washing-

Figure 6

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 19 ton, D. C., June 11, 1927, Colonel Lind­ scheduled areas because of the many re­ bergh was presented with two of these quests from the inhabitants to see the stamps by Postmaster General Harry S. Spirit of St. Louis fly overhead. The tour New who informed the flyer that never ended on October 23, 1927, in New before had a man been so honored by York; it consumed 260 hours and 45 min­ the Post Office. The occasion was at the utes of flying time and covered 22,000 meeting of the National Press Club in miles. Lindbergh had indeed demon­ Washington, D. C., in the city's largest strated the feasibility of commercial air auditorium, attended by 6,000 people. travel. From the newspapers' point of As the postmaster presented the Colonel view, his flights were ahnost monoton­ with the stamps, he said: "It is as a pilot ously without incident. in the Air Mail that I greet you'' . . . "It Sometime after the tour was concluded is my great pleasure to be privileged to the Post Office Department released the present to you, and to !!he mother who following figures: In April, 1927, the air gave you to the service, the first two mail carried less than 97,000 pounds. It copies of this issue as the best evidence carried more than 99,000 pounds in May, of the endudng regard of the Post Office nearly 119,000 in June, more than 140,- of the United States." 000 in July, 145,000 in August, and more Nearly a year later, on May 26, 1928, than 146,000 in September. In the opin­ the stamps were issued in booklet form, ion of Postmaster General New, Lind­ ananged in two sheets of three stamps bergh was responsible for the increase. each and interleaved with paraffin pa­ Lindbergh did not carry any mail on per. (Scott C lOa). This was the first this tour. Philatelic items connected with air mail stamp of the United States to be this tour consist of covers canceled in issued in booklets. each of the cities Lindbergh visited on The stamps were printed from 180- the day of his visit. Many attractive ca­ subject plates and cut into 60 panes of chets were made, the most sought after three subjects each. Four plates were being the one from Boston. This cachet used: 19414, 19425-7. They were first bears the Lindbergh quotation: "I am placed on sale at Washington, D. C.; and proud to have done it for America. My at the Midwestern Philatelic Exhiibtion reward will be your continued use of at Cleveland, Ohio. the Air Mail Service -Col. Chas. Lind­ bergh." (see Figure 7.) · Good-Will Tour - U. S. A. After Lindbergh's return from France, The Goodwill Tour-Central America, the whole country clamored for a chance South America and the West Indies to see the young hero. To satisfy the In 1927, political tension was high be­ wishes of the millions of Americans who tween the United States and Mexico. The wished to greet him, ,Lindbergh began a U. S. Ambassador to Mexico, Dwight W. goodwill tour of the United States. The Morrow (later Lindbergh's father-in-law), tour was jointly sponsored by the Gug- was certain that a Lindbergh goodwill genheim Fund and the U.S. Department tour to Mexico would do much to alle­ of Commerce. These two agencies hoped viate the strained feelings between the that the tour would stimulate interest in two countries. He, therefore, asked Lind­ aviation and demonstrate the safety and bergh to undertake the tour in his Spirit reliability of professional flying. Starting of St. Louis. Apparently, Morrow per­ on July 20, 1927, Lindbergh took off suaded President Plutarco Elias Calles from Mitchell Field, Long Island, N. Y., of Mexico to cooperate in this expression on the first leg of his tour which brought of U. S. goodwill for, in referring to this him to every state in the Union at least tour, Lindbergh remarks: once and he visited over 80 cities. He . · . also, I was particularly interest- also visited Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on ed in the feasibility of Pan American July 2, 1927, in response to an invitation airlines; consequently, when I received extended by Premier ,V. L. MacKenzie an invitation from the President of King. He arrived behind schedule only Mexico to visit his country, it required once, at Portland, Maine, because of fog. less than a week to complete my prep- In addition, he took time to fly over un- arations for the flight. 20 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER. 1962 Figure 7 In any case, Lindbergh agreed to Mor­ government issued a stamp to commem­ row's proposal and accepted President orate the occasion (Scott 147). There Calles' invitation. was not enough time to print a special On December 13, 1927, at 12:45 p.m., stamp, so an already existing stamp - he took off from Bolling Field in Wash­ Scl24-wa · surcharged. The surcharge is ington, D. C., and flew non-stop 2100 black and includes an airplane resem­ miles to Mexico. He landed at Valbuena bling the Spirit of St. Louis and the in­ Field in Mexico City the next day at scription "UNDBE1RGH ENERO 1928." 3 : 40 p.m., the flight taking 27 hours and The new value of the stamp was lOc. 15 minutes . He was met at the airport To commemorate Lindbergh's visit, by a crowd of over 150,000 people, in­ Panama issued a ,set of two stamps on cluding Ambassador Morrow and Presi­ January 9, 1928, the day of Lindbergh's dent Calles. He remained in Mexico un­ arrival in Panama City (Sc 256-7). The til December 28, during which time he low value is a 2c dark red and black on was treated royally by the Mexican peo­ salmon. The second stamp is a 5c dark ple and government officials. blue on green. Both designs include the It soon became apparent that Lind­ inscription, "Homenaje a Lindbergh." berg's trip had served its purpose. Im­ However. this inscription was not read­ mediately after the visit, relations be­ able on the 2c value, so the inscription tween the United States and Mexico be­ wa surcharged in black. The stamps came less strained. were printed on colored safety papers After his stay in Mexico City, Lind­ which are normally used for printing bergh began a tour of Central and South bank checks and other negotiable papers. America, visiting 14 countries. As in the The stamps were ungummed due to lack tour of the United States, philatelic items of facilities . The d esign of the 2c shows consisted of covers which were canceled the Spirit of St. Louis descending at the in the cities he visited on the exact dav Matias Hernandez air fi eld. The Cath­ of his visit. However, the tour was phif­ edral at Antigua is shown in the back­ atelically more significant than the ground. The design of the 5c shows the American tour for two reasons: ( 1) Spirit of St. Louis superimposed on a the tour produced four stamps and four map of Panama. Two types of special special cancellations (or overprints) hon­ cancellations were used with these oring Lindbergh and ( 2) official mail stamps: the first type in black reads: was carried in the :Spirit of St. Louis for "Los Correos N acionales en honor a the first time. Lindbergh." The second type in red: The stamps and cancellations issued "Llegada d e Lindbergh a Panama." to commemorate Lindbergh's tour of the On January 29, 1928, Lindbergh land­ Southern countries are described in the ed at Maracay, Venezuela, his last stop following paragraphs. on the South Americal'.l continent. From On the day Lindbergh landed in San Maracay he was driven ·by automobile Jose, January 7, 1928, the Costa Rican (Continued on page 32) THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 21 World's Shortest Airline and Its Flying Fords

This is the busy season for Island Airlines,• which operates out of Port Clinton, Ohio, and calls itself the shortest airline in the world. With most of the nation's airline business in financial trou!ble (the industry as a whole lost $30,000,000 last year), Island Ar lines keeps right on flying. But Island Airlines is no ordinary carrier. Its entire route of less than 30 miles can be flown in 45 minutes at a cruising speed of 80 to 85 miles an hour, and the pride of its fleet is a pair of 1928 Ford tri-motor planes. Begun in 1930, the airline hauls 35,000 passengers, 300,000 pounds of cargo, and 135,000 pounds of mail each year. It links mainland Port Clinton (population, 6,870) with four of the Bass Islands in Lake Erie. ,Since the Bass Islands are vacation spots, the airline is busiest-and most profitable-in summer. Vacationists, wintertime ice fishermen, and pheasant hunters account for three­ quarters of the line's passengers. Another 3,000 or so are sightseers or old airplane buffs. Some are fathers, bringing their sons out to make the circuit and saying, "This is the kind of airplane I took my first ride in." And from late fall to early spring, the venerable Fords are the sole outer-world contact for ·the islands' 800 permanent in­ habitants-mainly resort operators, commercial fisherman, farmers, and orchardists. Be:tween Cleveland •and Toledo The Bass chain includes about a dozen atolls clustered around the tip of Catawba Peninsula, halfway 'between Cleveland and Toledo. The airline serves only four of these on regular schedule, some of the others on special charters. Located from 4 to 17 miles from the mainland, the islands vary greatly in size. On the one hand there are tiny, uninha;bited reefs sprouting only a few trees; on the other there's Kelley's Island, half as big as an average Ohio county. Looking down on these wooded isles from Island Airlines' low flying Fords one feels he's off Cape Cod, winging over Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard. A white Coast Guard lighthouse, straight from the Massachusetts coast, guards the tip of the peninsula. The white sails of a hundred boats dance across the waters in a spanking breeze. The island perimeters are steep and rocky, indented with coves, reminiscent of Maine. Island Airlines' morning mail flight, touching four islands, leaves Port Clinton just before 9 o'clock. Fifteen passengers-all the plane can accommodate-are strapped in their seats. The cabin is jammed with tanks of welding gas for Middle Bass, groceries for Rattlesnake, newspapers for Put-In-Bay, mail for all. Harold Hauck, a slim and graying pilot with more than 10,000 hours' flying time on the Fords­ more, perhaps, than any other flier anywhere-checks the oil gauges, glances at the simple instruments on the panel before him, pushes the ·throttle forward, and starts to roll. There is no co-pilot, no stewardess. Mr. Hauck is the entire crew. Less thaR 500 feet down the runway, he eases back on the wooden wheel, lifts the old "Tin Goose" easily into the crisp, bright sky. Seven minutes and nine miles later, the nose is slanted down to the narrow lane of grass, cut between the trees, that is the runway on South Bass. Only a few hundred feet-less than was required for takeoff-are needed to stop. Beside a battered, open-fronted corrugated tin hangar, a red station wagon waits for the mail. Ten passengers deplane; another six clirnb aboard, paying Mr. Hauck in cash as ·they step inside. The fare is only $3.50 for the entire route. The airline was founded by Mi ton Hersperger, a barnstorming pilot who used

22 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 to fly charter trips to the islands from nearby Sandusky. Gradually he built up the regular route from the Port Clinton area, which now includes eight scheduled flights daily plus innumerable special trips. (The airline averages a landing or take-off every six minutes, year 'round.) In 1953, Mr. Hersperger sold the airline to a group headed by Ralph Dietrick, who was operating regular flights to Pelley and Kelley's Islands from Sandusky. Mr. Dietrick conducted both the Port Clinton and Sandusky operations until he sold the latter early this year-although he still flies a mail run and occasional charter trips to Kelley's. Now his fleet includes, in addition to the Fords, a 14-passenger Boeing twin­ engine 247 buillt in the 1930s and several more modern single-engine Cesnas with capacity for three or four passengers each. The fleet flies principally to the four islands served by the regular route, with South Bass the principal stop. Made Famous by Perry Though South Bass is its official title, the island is generally known as Put-In­ Bay. The name dates back to an afternoon in 1813 when Capt. Oliver Hazard Perry-later elevated to commodore-broke through the British line, routed the de­ fenders, then put into the bay of this island to bury his dead and send the announce­ ment, "We have met the enemy and they are ours." Marking this event is Perry's Victory and International Peace Monument, whose 352 feet make it the nation's second highest national monument, next to the Wash­ ington. The monument also serves as a navigation beacon for Island Airlines' pilots. "It's our private weather bureau," reports Mr. Dietrick. "If we can see the monu­ ment we've got the visrbility to operate." Actually, the line operates under Government minimums calling for one-mile visibility and a 500-foot ceiling, and it gets regular United 'States Weather Bureau reports. It boasts a perfect 32-year safety record and a near-perfect on-time one. In the past seven years the Fords have failed to fly on schedule on only six days, when they were grounded by ice storms. Winding roads lead a'bout South Bass, through fields of grapes and peach trees. The 32-acre South Bass State Park offers camping sites. Two caves-one of lime­ stone formations, the other of strontium sulfate crystals-are open to the public. Regattas and sports car races are held each summer. Restaurants, hotels, tourist homes, and summer cottages dot the island's 835 acres. On Johnson's Island, three miles out in the bay, some 15,000 Confederate prison­ ers were interned during the Civil War. Prime Vacation Spots While not as large as South Bass, the airline's other islands also are prime va­ cation spots. Rattlesnake Island, named for its shape, is the smallest of the four and includes a private resort lodge. Both North and Middle Bass boast vacation hotels and for-rent cottages. Middle Bass also includes a winery, whose cellars are open to visitors. Its caves have been used since the middle of the last century, and the local muscatels, cham­ pagnes, white ports, and tokays are of surprising quality. But the venerable Fords remain the islands' biggest tourist attraction. To the natives, however, the planes are more than a novelty. For these people depend on the carriers for all sorts of cargo. Wine, livestock, feed, barbed wire, fish and fuel oil are among the items flown in and out. Island Airlines' Fords also serve as flying school buses, carrying young students from Rattlesnake and Middle Bass to schools at Put-In-Bay and on the mainland. On Sundays, a priest is flown from island to island. The planes frequently are used

THE AIRPOST .JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 23 to fly sick or injured islanders and expectant mothers to mainland hospitals, to help eloping couples, to hunt lost boats, and to spot ice conditions for ships. Only eight other Ford tri-motors are known to be in existence. Three of them are used to fight forest fires in the West; two are rusting in hangars in Memphis and Houston; one is used for movie work in California; one is flying supplies to a moun­ tain mine in Mexico, and another is in the Ford Museum at Dearborn. -James H. Winchester. Reproduced with permission from The National Observer, August 13, 1962.

OFFICIAL S~CTION AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY

MONTHLY REPORT From the Secretary Ru:th T. Smi:th, 102 Arbor Road, Riverton, New Jersey October, 1962 NEW MEMBERS 4931 Pearl, Martin, 32 Cottage St., Monticello, New York 4932 Petersen, Harold J., 11 Liberty Ave., Burlington, Mass. 4933 Sasano, Joseph R., Jr., (Dr.), % Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minn. 4934 Mcilvain, Anne B., (Mrs.), 226 Trevethan Ave., Santa Cruz, Calif. 4935 Noble, Gifford B., 8905 Griffon Ave., Niagara Falls, N. Y. 4936 Hamilton, Daniel A., Jr., PO Box 492, Knoxville, Tenn. 4937 Friedman, Sheldon J., 6250 N. Talman Ave., Chicago 45, Ill. 4938 Martin, W. H., PO Box 338, Venice, Florida. 4939 Pierce, Gerard L., (Capt.), US Army Hosp., Frankfurt, APO 757, N.Y., N.Y. 4940 Herst, Herman, Jr., Shrub Oak, N. Y. 4941 Kanney, James L., 1808 Pacific Ave., Manhattan Beach, Calif. 4942 Blum, Joseph G., Jr., Box 40A, RD No. 4, Kingston, N.Y. NEW APPLICATIONS Bolle, William, 34 Grove St., Brooklyn 21, N. Y. Age: 41 AM AU PC FF GF CAM FAM OF X By: R. T. Smith NYC Tr. Auth. Malcolm, D. McK., (Dr.), 63 Bath Rd., Glenwood, Durban, South Africa. Age: 77 By: M.F. Stern Lecturer Tours, Elliott C., (Major), 1015 Camellia Dr., Alameda, Calif. Age: 36 AM AU JF HC GF X By: R.W. Murch U.S.A.F. Toro, Arturo, Jr., 5a Avenida 11-70 Z.l, Guatemala City, Guatemala Age: 43 AM AS SC U20 UC X By: R. Leve-Castillo Exectutive Kriska, Jerome S., 900 West End Ave., New York 25, N. y, Age: 47 JF HF PC HC FF CAM FAM OF X By: R. T. Smith Journalist RE-INSTATEMENTS 3562 Kosel, Adolf, Hebragasse 9, Vienna IX/71, Austria 4451 McAdams, John C., PO Box 1306, Jonesboro, Ark. NEW LIFE MEMBER #110 Haring, Robert E., Demarest, N. J. #111 Hester, Keith, (Dr.), Newport News, Va. CHANGE OF ADDRESS LM93 Culverwll, S. A., Bon Aire Hotel, 150 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, Fla. 4853 Westfall, John E., 8110 Quentin St., Hyattsville, Md. 3395 Bauer, Fred, 552 Ellsworth Ave .• Bronx 65, N. Y. 4660 Hoysradt, George F., 1410 Powderhorn Dr., Phoenixville, Pa. LMl04 Ware, W.R., PO Box 375, Malden, Mo. 3820 Thomen, Luis F., (Dr.), Calle Rosa Duarte 17, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 4540 Wiggin, Mabel R., 1150-71st St., Miami Beach, Fla. 2695 Smith, Joseph A., Chief, Schemes & Routing Br., Rm. 1109, Main P.O., Chicago 100, Ill. 3609 James, Francis H., 130 Elliott St., Woodland, Cal. RESIGNATIONS 4781 Harris, Paula, New Orleans, La. 4669 Speer, Marvin, University Heights, Ohio. 4309 Szekely, Rudolph, Santa Barbara, Calif. 3643 Keller, C. R., Hilton, N. Y. 24 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 The First Airmail Service Between Europe and Northern Africa, 1919-1922 Dr. Max Kronsfefo. At the present, when Nor·tltern Africa • airplane with M. Daurat as pilot, arrived has become a group of free states, it is at Toulouse on Sept. 4. There are no of interest to review the events which special cachets reported from this irraug­ produced the first regular airmail services ural flight. . between France and - at tltat time - In regular operation the mail from French areas of Northern Africa, Paris was forwarded to Toulouse by night On March 12, 1919, Monsieur Pierre express, arriving there a:t 9 A.M. The Latecoere with Lt. Lamaitre as co-pilot, plane was waiting, ready to start for the left Casablanca, Morocco, on a Breguet first stop at Barcelona ( 240 miles), then 14 T on an exploratory flight to Rabat, to Alicante, (Spain) ( 300 miles) to Mal­ Arbaoua, and Malaga and again from aga and after a flight across the Strait of there the next day to Alivante and Bar- Gibraltar to Rabat in Morocco. On Dec­ celona, Spain. In view of the bad weath- ember 1, 1919, the service was further er, they made an unscheduled landing extended to Casablanca. at Canet near Perpiguan in France, not During 1919, 241 trips were made, far from their actual goal at Toulouse, averaging per trip only 0.1 passenger. where they arrived on March 14. On all flights of 1919, there was a total Since M. Latecoere intended to make of only tltree passengers, although the this flight as an exploratory trip to study plane had space for the pilot with two the possibility of estaJblishing a regular air passengers. service, the plane carried a sma:ll number The mail was loaded in special com­ of covers marked with a special rectangu- partments under the lower wing on either lar cachet "Premier Courier Par Avian _ side of the body. However, only a total Casablanca - Toulouse - Mon. G. Late- average of eight pounds of mail and ex­ coere", in violet-red. The stamps were press packages per trip was carried in cancelled at Casablanca on March 12, 1919. 1919 at 7 a.m. The covers show a It is not surprising that its not easy postal cachet of Toulouse, March 14, to locate flown covers of that first year where the plane arrived, despite the un- of service. To mark covers for despatch scheduled landing, three hours ahead of by this services the covers were marked the regular mail. From there the covers by a red label with red inscription "Par immediately were redespatohed to Paris, Avion" on a special slightly transparent where they were backstamped at the paper, the so-called "Solferino paper". postoffice on the Boulevard Haussmann During the service, the company issued on March 15. special covers with red boarder inscribed Besides various addressed covers, there for the air services "France-Maroc" in­ are 20-25 souvenir covers with the same scribed on the reverse side the details cachet and the same cancellations, which about this service. show no addresses. In 1920, the second year, as many as As this trial flight was successful, the thirty Breguet 14 planes were used with Compagnie Generale d'Entreprises Aero- Renault 300 HP motors. The total num­ nautiques ( Lignes aeriennes Latecoere) be of passengers increased during 1920 decided to establish a regular service on to 126 or to 1.4 persons per trip. The this route. Service was inaugurated from ell'press and mail load increased to 34 Toulouse on Sept. 1, 1919, with mail be- pounds per trip. ing accepted from Paris. The first re- In 1921-1922 the government subsid­ turn flight took place on Sept. 3, from ized at the rate of 50 frames per one Raba:t-Malaga-Alicante (overnight stop) kilo ( 2.2 lbs) of mail. In certain months, Barcelona- Toulouse. The Breguet XIV such as November, 1921, 3150 kilos of THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 25 mail and express loads were flown, drop­ of the company's losses . ping in January, 1922 to 460 kilos. The Collectors should therefore not ibe sur­ annual total amounted that year to prised when they find it quite difficult 22,000 kilos with income of 1,100,000 to locate flown covers from these ser­ francs for flying one airplane a day be­ vices in these early years. tween the two terminals. In 1922 the Laitecoere services were These mail totals include mail forward­ ex-tended 'from Casaiblanoa to Oran and ed from foreign postal administrations on May 3, 1923 to Dakar, which in sub­ especially for this air despatch. Great sequent years became the base point for Britain accepted such mail beginning the forwarding of the airmail by speedy July 11, 1920, at a rate of 1 shilling per boats to South America. lh oz. The mail had to .be endorsed "Par Avi on de Toulouse a Ra:bat". This rate was reduced on March 3, 1921 to 5 pence per 1/ 2 oz., \vhen at the same time mail for Casablanca was also ac­ cepted. The Swiss Postal Administration AIR POST NEW ISSUES accepted airmail for despatch by air from Toulouse to Rabat and t-0 Casablanca be­ ginning September 19, 1920. The cur­ OF THE ENTIRE rent Swiss first issue of the 30 cts and 50 cts airmail stamp was valid for these. In view of these small mail loads on WORLD this particular route, it is of interest to review other services of that period. In most cases, it was the same situation. The Belgian airlines in December 1921 had an average of 0.24 passenger per PAMPHLET UPON REQUEST flight and an average total of 28 lbs mail and express per flight. 'fihe Rotterdam­ Hamburg air services, jointly operated by Dutch and German services, made in 1921-1922 a total of 250 flights, aver­ Nicolas Sanabria Co. Inc. aging one passenger and 20 lbs mail and express per flight, in spite of the fact A. MEDAWAR. PRESIDENT that there was only one forced landing thait year. The Dutch KLM airlines 521 Fifth Ave., New York 17, N. Y. survived because the Government paid during 1920 and 1923 as much as 2/ 3 26 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 Boy Wonder Flyer of Past Sees Airport Open

When Oakland, dedicated its new jet- • land Aviation Grounds." The bag was age airport in September, a quiet-spoken handed to Fish at the race track. man was among the honored guests. He He was to fly over the Emeryville line was Farnum Fish, who was taught to fly and drop the bag to a waiting truck on 51 years ago by Orville Wright .•At the San Pa:blo Ave., which was to rush it to a{!e of 16 he was the youngest licensed the Oakland Post Office, then at 17th pilot in the United States. St. and Broadway. By Al Reck But Fish, who was unfamiliar with A scrawny youth of 15 approached Or- Oakland, mi~sed the tru~k and the mail ville Wright back in 1911. He wanted bag !anded m St. Marys Cemetery. It to learn to fly. wasn t found for two days and Schafer The cost of instruction was $500 for recalled years later that Oakland's first four hours. airmail was called "dead letter" mail by "Son," Wright told him, "if you can't those who knew of the mix-up. learn to fly in four hours, you'll never be Fish redeemed himself the next day a flver." on a second flight and dropped the bag The 'boy .from California could and expertly to the truck on San Pablo Ave. did. It was delivered' to the post office eight A year later, Farnum T. Fish, now minutes after Schafer had sealed the bag living in semi-retirement in San Pablo, at the race track. was amazing and exciting earthbound From then on "the youngest licensed mortals 'bv his daring feats in the air. aviator in the world" continued to amaze In 1912, the newspapers were pro- airfield crowds from coast to coast with claiming his flight from San Diego to aerial stunts. Los Angeles, a distance of 135 miles in Fish later flew for Pancho Villa on two hours and 25 minutes. scouting missions in Mexico. He was As one Los Angeles paper described wounded while flying over the battle of it: Leon. "The most sensational flight ever made During World War I, he was a test on the Pacific Coast and one of the most pilot for the U. S. Army Signal Corps in daring ever attempted anywhere brought France. ~ youth, Farnum T. Fish, of Los Angeles, After the first war, Fish did more fly­ mto the foremost ranks of aviators and ing as a member of the reserves but the made him the latest hero of the air. days of profitable exhibition and stunt "The 16-year-old aviator yesterday flights were over. morning mounted in an airplane from When World War II broke out, he was the aviation field at North Island at San called back to duty as a captain and Diego ... to the dizzy height of 7,000 maintenance officer for the Army Air feet. The youth headed his machine Force. Since then he has done very little northbound. flying. "Two hours later, benumbed by cold, Fish got his start in aviation because but steady as a veteran, he startled spec- of his frail physique. His father, Dr. tators at Dominguez by dropping in a Charles W. Fish, a Los Angeles physi­ thrilling spiral through the clouds and cian, told him he should get more out- landing at their feet." doors exercise. Also in 1912, Fish flew the first air- "All right," the boy replied, "I'll be an mail into Oakland. It was more of a airman. That's what I like and it cer­ stunt than for any practical purpose and tainly is an open air job." was made during an international air And it was "open air" in those days meet at the old Emeryville race track. with the old pusher type biplanes with Paul Schafer, then Oakland postmas- the pilot sitting out in front with no pra­ ter, prepared the bag of mail of several tecting windshield. thousand letters and postcards stamped The doctor sent his son to Dayton, 0., with the official special postmark "Oak- and the Wright Brothers, who had made THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 27 history on the sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, ceeding issue of the Harris Catalog con­ N. C., only eight years previously. When tinues to set new records. Carefully Fish learned to fly in the prescribed itemized, throughout its profusely illus­ four hours of instruction, his father trated and fact-filled pages, there is a bought him a Wright biplane. wealth of information and hundreds of On Jan. 10, 1912, he became licensed up-to-the-minute price changes. This pilot No. 85 in the United States under catalog is one of the most reliable and authority of the Federation Aeronautique accurate barometers of the current mar­ Internationale, the governing body long ket; a standard guide and reference book before the federal government took over for all collectors. the job of licensing fliers. Included in the catalog are virtually Fish used to tow the Wright biplane all U. S. issues: postage, postage dues, behind autos or load it in freight cars to airmails, special delivery, revenues, en­ get to his barnstorming trips across coun­ velopes, postal cards, etc. try. Also covered in their entirety are "The most difficult job in those days United Nations issues. was taking off from the half-mile race Unusual foreign sets, issued in postal tracks," he recalls today. "They were tribute to the U.S.A., are listed in the surrounded by high fences and trees. special "Americana" section. Sometimes I would have to tilt the old Listings for Confederate States, U. S. biplane s~?eways to get airborne through Possessions, Canada, Newfoundland, the trees. British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova One of his closest escapes from serious Scotia and Prince Edward Island, make injury happened while Fish was flying this catalog an outstanding and compre­ with a passenger over Revere Beach at hensive US/BNA guide. Boston in 1916. "Specialties" represent still another in­ He attempted to spin the wheels over teresting feature and included in this the surface of the water but the biplane category are plate blocks, mint sheets and flipped over. first day covers ... plus the U. S. Stamp "The water was only four or five feet Identifier which permits collectors to dis­ deep," the one-time "boy wonder" flier tinguish between genuinely rare stamps said, "hut the swimmers tore the plane and the common "look-alike" varieties. to pieces for souvenirs." Comparing the new 1963 Edition with Fish lives with his wife, Isabell, at price listings of a year ago, the following 13704 San Pablo Ave., San Pablo. Now trends are noted: that he no longer flies, he has taken up UNITED STATES a profitable hobby-ceramics. Regular Issues and Commemoratives -From Oakland Tribune, June 24, 1962. As evidenced by price changes, stamps of the 19th Century and the 20th Cen­ Unit'ed States Stamps.• U. S. Posses- tury to the 1920's are attracting the most sions. British North America. First attention. This is a continuation of the 1963 ·Edition. pp. 160, available at trend which has existed for the past sev­ 35c from H. E. Harris &: Co., Caf>a­ eral years. The present picture, however, log Dept., Boston 17, Mass. is that the majority of increases occur in \;\/e have received the new 1963 edi­ the higher priced varieties. tion of this authoritative US/BNA Cata­ In issues from 1926 to date, price log. Besides containing a special "Am­ changes are scattered and are found. ericana" section, United Nations com­ mostly in the first issue and the Zeppe­ plete and the valuable U. S. Stamp Iden­ lins. tifier, it offers 160 pages and nearly 2000 Airmails illustrations. Modestly priced at only 35c Cl3-15, 65c to $2.60 1930 Zeppelins, postage-free to any point in the United unused, previously $170.00; now $184.50. States and Canada, this volume is avail­ Cl3-15, 65c to $2.60 Zeppelins, used; able from H. E. Harris & Co., Catalog previously $133.50; now $148.00. Dept., Boston 17, Mass. Cl8, 50c 1933 Zeppelin, plate block of We are told that demand for each suc- 4; previously $68.75; now $79.50. 28 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 HARRIS U.S.A. CATALOG * * * HUNDREDS OF VERY LATEST PRICE CHANGES!

160 PAGES · NEARLY 2000 ILLUSTRATIONS New U.S. & B.N.A. Catalog - containing hundreds of important price changes - is a must for every collector. Compiled by experts of the world's largest stamp firm, this new H arris FIRST 1963 Edition contains 160 large pages with nearly 2000 clear illustrations. You'll find all major U.S. Postage and Air Mail issues fully illustrated and priced . .. plus Special Delivery, Parcel Post, E nvelope Squares, Postal Cards, Savings Stamps, Officials, Revenues, Postage Dues . . . AND a big specialty section featuring plate number blocks, first day covers, Americana, and others. Also illustrates and prices United Nations, British North America, and U.S. Possessions. EXTRA ... Complete U .S. Stamp Identifier - a valuable section that quickly indicates the difference between rare and common look-alike stamps. ALL this and more in one BIG catalog for only 35c! Mail handy order coupon below for your copy of the famous HARRIS U.S. Catalog - FIRST 1963 **************** Edition. It's your best reference book, and HARRIS FIRST 1963 EDITION - u. s . & B.N.A. most reliable source of supply for desirable Catalog contains hundre ds of price changes and issues at money-saving prices! includes:

• All major U . S. Postage and Airmail issues FIRST 119631 EDITION ... 35¢ . .. PLUS Special Delivery, Parcel Post, Envelope Squares, Postal Cards, Savings Stamps, Officials. Revenues, Postage Dues. • Popular specialties such as m int position blocks, plate number blocks, mint sheets, per­ forated coils, booklet panes, first day covers, and r------1 H. E. HARRIS & CO. other items. I Catalog Dept. Boston 17, Mass. • Complete il lust rated listings of U. S. Posses­ I Please RUSH me , postfree , the all-new First sions, Confederate States, U nited Nations and I 1963 Editio n of your 160 page catalog, British North America. UNITED STATES STAMPS, U.S. POSSESSIONS I & BRITISH NORTH AMERICA, incl uding the • Big " Amer icana" section - postal tributes I U.S. Stamp Identifier, etc. I am en closing 35c. to the United States, on foreign stamps. I • U. S. Stamp Identifier - fully illustrated I Name ------booklet. Use it to check your own collection for Address------valuable hidden stamp treasures! 1 1 City & ·1 State ------AMERICA 'S MOST WIDELY-USED U. S. CATALOG ~------

THE .AIBPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 29 ~llllllll[llllllllllllltlllllllllllllilllllllllllllilllllllllllllClllllllllllllClllllllllllllClllllllllllllC l llllllllllllClllllllllllllilllllllllllllilllllllllllllClllllllllllllCJ,!! ~ ~ ~ STRIKING TOPICAL OFFER ~ ~ ~ I I ~ ~ ~ = ~ Sports Series of Liberia i ~ Football - Tennis -Boxing - Baseball - Swimming - Track ~ I I ~ ~ ~ ~~~~[~~~~i~i~~}~iI~;~:::~violo;.::~(above) ...... $ 2.50 = 5 * .. pair, .. i ::t4;e~~.F~~;~:II, Or~~~-e ~~~ ~l~~~.'.horiz~~t~l im~erii 2 50 ~ ;; 6 * #347-49, Postage; Color Variants, 3c Blue and Brown, fie § ~ Rose and Green, 25c Blue and R<0se, Set of 3 ...... $20.00 = ~ 7 * #C88-90 Airpost, Color Variants, We Violet and Yellow, 12c ~ ~ Vermillion and Light Green, 25c Black and Light Brown ~ i TM:ac;::~:~ To~i~A~~:;~;;:~ ~~"an

The American Air Mail Society was • of the Department from the Regional recently pleased to learn that one of the Office in Philadelphia. principal Editors of the American Air The citation reads in part: "This a­ Mail Catalogue has been signally hon­ ward is in recognition of your contri­ ored by the United States Post Office bution to the research and accumulation Department with its coveted "Certificate of authentic information on International of Superior Accomplishment." Air Mail Service ... . "The records with regard to the early Recipient of this rarely bestowed a­ days of the POD's foreign Air Mail ser­ ward was Richard L. Singley, a Past vice are incomplete through no fault of President of the Society, winner of the any individual hut rather because the Society's Walter J. Conrath Memorial importance of this information to future Award and Chairman of the Catalogue's philatelic activities was not realized at Section of F. A. M. Flights, which ap­ the time. Apparently many of the early peared in Volume II and III. Mr. records have been destroyed. Singley holds the position of Superin­ "In later years ... there has been a great tendent, Collection and Delivery, in the demand for authentic records of the Lancaster, Pa., Post Office. He is a early accomplishments. Postal veteran with 44 years of service "Realizing this need, you have for the to his credit. past thirty years been working on this The commendation not only includes project. You personally, and at your a certificate and lapel emblem, but a own expense, have contacted the com­ cash award as well. It was presented panies who carried the mail as well as before a specially convened group of the pilots who flew the inaugural trips, Mr. Singley' s fellow employees in the to obtain documented information re­ Lancaster Post Office 1by a representative garding the early air mail service, all

Left to right', Frank R. Hammond, Pastmaster, Lancaster, Pa., Ger•ald S. But­ ler, Senior Field Serv'ice Officer, Mrs. R. L. Singley, and Richard L. Singley. THE AIRPOST JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 31 of which has been included in the Amer­ LINDBERGH - ican Air Mail Catalogue, the standard reference work in the Air Mail field. (Continued from page 18) some 70 miles to Caracas, the capital of "You are considered the outstanding Venezuela. In commemoration of the authority on foreign Air Mail Service event, mail emanating from both Mara­ (under United States jurisdiction) and cay and Caracas was canceled in black: the Post Office Department has on many "Correo de Venezuela - Caracas - Bien­ occasions contacted you, or referred pa­ venida a Lindbergh." According to the trons to you for specific records which 1940 American Air Mail Catalogue: were not available in the Post Office "This honorary overprint was made by Department. Also, the Department re­ the Postmasters at Caracas and Maracay gularly makes use of the American Air and applied to the various stamps hap­ Mail Catalogue for reference purposes. pening to be on the mail on that day .. They are nowhere recognized as sur­ "Your pursuit of this area of the postal charged stamps but generally regarded service has been of inestimable value to only as complimentary cancellations." the service, patrons and recognized auth­ orities on the subjects." On February 6, 1928, the day of Lind­ bergh's visit to Haiti, that government re­ Singley also served on the Editorial leased the stamp on the left in Figure Board for the C. A. M. Section of the 13. Although printed in 1927, it was not Catalogue. He was Chairman of the issued until the day of Lindbergh'; visit Finance Committee for all three volumes. He began writing about C. A. M. and .(Sc 320). Of this stamp, the 1940 Am­ F. A. M. covers as early as 1928, first erican Air Mail Catalogue remarks: "The for the old "Air Mail Collector", and . . . stamp has good claims for being in­ later for "The Airpost Journal''. More cluded among Lindbergh stamps. It was recently he has been making an intensive study of Air Letter Sheets or Aero­ .first placed on sale at Port-au-Prince on gramme and conducts an informal dis­ February 6, 1928, in honor of Lind­ tribution service for new issues of those bergh's visit." items in which many members of the Society participate. On February 8, 1928, ·the day Lind­ bergh landed in Havana, Cuba, a stamp The A. A. M. S. is justly proud of this overprinted "Lindbergh - Febrero 1928" fine recognition for Dick, because every­ thing that he has done for aerophilately, was issued by the Cuban government has been done in the name of or for the (Sc C2). Society. (To Be Continued) -L. B. Gatchell • TEMPORARY CHANGE A·EROGRAMME PRICE LISTS Concerning Society Correspondence We have received two price lists from Secretary Ruth T. Smith and Treas­ Lava, Box l, Fort George Station, New urer John J.Smith will nor be able :to York 40, N. Y. covering aerogrammes. take care of their mail from October The first list includes 800 aerogrammes 11 through December 10th, and of the world, with numbers from Go­ therefore members should act accord· dinas, Sanabria and Kessler catalogues. ingly. Send 50c in postage, deductible from first $3.00 order. The second list, evi­ Ii is suggested tha:t any urgent dently free, also using the three sets of business requiring immediate atten­ catalogue numbers, is a list of Spanish aerogrammes. He offers a 20 % discount tion be diverfed to the Editor at :the against a $25.00 order before December address shown on the inside fron:t 1st on this latter. cover. 32 THE AIRPOST .JOURNAL, OCTOBER, 1962 AAMS EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT APJ ADS BUY SELL - WANT LISTS

RATES: WANTED: US First Flight regular sized FOUR CENTS PER WORD per insertion. envelopes, cacheted. Will give sixteen Minimum charge one doUnr. Remittnnce US used commemorative stamps for each must accompany order and copy. The sent. Minimum twenty. Duplicates accept­ AIRPOST JOURNAL. 350 No. Deere Park ed. Walter Brooke,. Boyertown, Pa. *390 Drive, Highland Park, Ill. Exchange: Air stamps, u·secl. World wide. Also pr. lot. Have Canary Islands, Scandi­ AUCTION SALES navia, Semi-officials etc. Orjan Luning, Odengatan 11, Stockholm 0, Sweden. AIR MAIL STAMPS and Covers are feat­ ured in our auction sales. Are you on our USED air mail stamps exchange wanted. mailing list? Herman Herst Jr., Shrub Oak, Scott basis. Have also mint new issues New York. service. Very se.rious. Sarni Kanafani P. 0. B. 701, Beirut, ·Lebanon; *392

PHILATELIC SUPPLIES PREPARED exchange South African air mail covers and world covers duplicate: AIRMAIL ENVELOPES: Finest Quality. for jet covers prior to 1960 and· early Am­ Distributed Thirty Years by Carl Becken. erican cove~s: Stern, Box 3654, Cape Town, Send ten cents for Samules. Cornelius Soouth Africa. *390 Stamp Co. 315 Kresge Bldg., Minneapolis, Minn. *396 WANTED: . Airmail covers, essays, proofs ~nd memor1bilia of Austria, Cze'choslovak- 1a, Newfoundland. Also flown rocket cov­ WANTED and EXCHANGE ers. Dr. Matejka, Hotel La Salle, Chicagd.

WANTED: Guam Guard Mail Covers, 1904 FOR SALE St. Louis Fair material. Early Balloon and Aeroplane :Postcards. Robert Mur~h. 9560 Litzinger, St .. Louis 24, Mo. *390 FOR SALE: AAMS Cat I and II $15., Thorp US Envelope Cat. $7. Jerry M; Rov­ ner, 283 North Bay Street, Manchester, AIRLETTERS, AEROGRAMMES: Have N. H. *4854 over 1000 different for exchange or sale. Both mint and used. What's your interest? Richard P. Heffner, 2012 Spring St., West Lawn, Pa. *391 The Largest WANTED: Zeppelin Cover Z-500a. Shenan­ doah drop over Gila Bend, Oct 10, 1924. And Most Compreherislve ·· Stock Postal History Museum; 949 E. Second Of . St., Tucson, Arizona *389

INFORMATION WANTED: about child­ Aero grammes ren's card attached balloon contests. Want sponsor's names, dates, addresses. Please write Arthur Shine #3654 - 15 Hiawatha In The World .. Blvd. Oakland, N. J, ----··------~· WANTED: Early flown US Rocket Covers, Missile Mail, Pioneer Air Covers, and Govt. Flights prior to 1925. Hugh Ducker, A NEW ISSUE SERVICE 128 Cadiz, San Clemente, California. SECOND TO NOME Ask For Detail8 Today WANTED: Volume one and two American Air Mail catalogue, also Exchange of First flight covers, Write first please. ~ C. K. Beecham, 58 Capstone Road, Brom­ ley Kent, England. Up-To-Da1te Check List WILL BUY or trade for Cuba Chess Free On Request stamps, FDC, proofs, Specimen overprinted and announcement-brochure. Chess can­ ~ cels all countries. Wm. K. Simon, .0-101 Midland Ave., Fair Lawn, N. J. WALTER R. GUTHRIE WILL PAY cash or swap airs for vol­ P. 0. BOX 390 ume #2 AAMS catalogue. Name your own price within reason. Paul G. A. Johnson TUSCON, ARIZONA 1263 Husted San Jose 25, Calif. INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE STAMP AUCTION HAMBURG November 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, & 17th, 1962 Collection Maurice Burrus

We received the following parts of this world-famous col­ lection for auction: SWEDEN , URUGUAY, IONIAN ISLANDS, SERBIA HUNGARY, GERMAN COLONIES, SAAR, ETHOPIA and PANAMA which will be offered in a special catalogue and sold on NOVEMBER 13th, 1962

November 14th, 15th*, 16th & 17th, 1962 112th INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE STAMPS AUCTION Rarities and Collections from the Whole World Both auction catalogues with* colored photos and more than 100 photo-plates are at your disposal against S2-for registered air mail forwarding, including ·following list of results. T his amount is refunded to buyers in the auction.

' Ve are open to accept deliveries of rarities and collections for our fo rthcoming WI:\TER AUCTION. *If desired, and valuable material is concerned, this can be taken over at the seller's place of residence.

Reserve Prices Are Fixed Under ~1utual Agreement Auction Commission 15 Percent

Reference: Comerzbank A. G., Hamburg ! / Germany. Edgar Mohrmann Licensed Auctioneer SPEERSORT 6, HAMBURG l I GERMANY CABLES: EDMORO LEADING POSTAGE STAMP AUCTION HOUSE ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT WITH WORLD 1\"IDE REPUTATION