37th ANNUAL CONVENTION AUG 12-14

VI A FI RST FLIGHT I

SIXTH ANN~~-L-~ONV~ENTION ~~ AMERIC.At.L .,.., '

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Volume 31 Number 10 JULY, 1960 All New Issues Free and Cash Besides

It sounds unbelievable, but the LA VA N°EW ISSU·E SERVICE actually offers it. Here is how it works: Your purcha'3e> of airmail entires this year may amount to $68.75, likely to be the highest purchase. You therefore will receive the BARBADOS ERROR. of which ONLY ONE COPY is known. Estimated value is $100.00, which is extremely modest compared to values of similar errors. Thus you will have 1 ) All Your 1960 New! Issues Free 2) A -Cash Prize of $31.25 Besides Here is what you do Send me a wantlist of all the airmail entires you are m1ssmg. THEY MAY CO'ST YOU NOTHING. If you are the top purchaser, you also are the lucky winner of the BARBADOS ERROR. Thi5 unique offer, one of the many features ·of this service, has ·never been made before. ONLY ONE SERVICE. THE LAVA N°EW ISSUE SER­ VICE, CAN DO IT. While there is still time; it is slowly running aut. Deadline is December 15, 1960. Send your want list to-day LAVA BOX 186 NEW YORK 59

THE AIRPOST JOURNAL A Non-Profit Corporation Incorporated 1944 Organized 1923 Under the Laws -tk~IBPOST . of Ohio PRESIDENT fi.rs..7011BNAL Robert W. Murch 9560 Litzinger Road St. Louis 24, Mo. Official Publication of the SECRETARY A~IERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY Ruth T. Smith 102 Arbor Road VOL. 31 No. 10 ISSUE NO. 362 Riverton, New Jersey TREASURER Contents For July, 1960 John J. Smith 102 Arbor Road Articles Riverton, New Jersey President's Le:tier ...... 274 VICE-PRESIDENTS Joseph L. Eisendrath, Jr. 37ih Anual Convention Schedule .. 275 Louise S. Hoffman Convention Side Ligh:t 276 Florence L. Kleinert Dr. Southgate Leigh, Jr. What Happened at Washington Conventions 278 EDITOR - Other Publications L. B. Gatchell Firs:t Day Covers of 7c Airmail ...... 281 Three Leading Air Lines at Interpex 283 ATTORNEY Did a New Zealand Avi-aior Fly Before George D. Kingdom :the Wrights? ...... 286 DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN RELATIONS Foreign Pioneer Airposis ...... 290 Dr. Max Kronstein Catalogue of Air Mail Post Cards ...... 294 Balloon Post of ihe Siege of Paris ...... 297 AUCTION MANAGER Samuel S. Goldsticker, Jr. One Cover-A Complete C.A.M. Route 304 DIRECTORS Regular Features Alton J. Blank Herbert Brandner Tips by Julius ...... 284 George S. Chapman Cities On the Airmail Routes ...... 287 Samuel s. Goldsticker, Jr. Lester S. Manning The Philatelic Story of Flight ...... 299 Emmett Peter, Jr. Dr. Tomas Terry Airs of :the Mon:th 300 Earl H. Wellman Official Section . 301 ADVANCE BULLETIN SERVICE Herbert Brandner 4038 Forest Ave. EDITOR Brookfield, Ill. Joseph L. Eisendrath, Jr. 350 No. Deere Park Drive, Hi~hland Park, Ill. SALES MANAGER Herman Kleinert ASSISTANT EDITORS 2-13 Virginia Ave. Robert W. Murch Fullerton, Pa. Ernest A. Kehr L. B. Gatchell DEPARTMENT AND ASSOCIATE EDITORS MEMBERSHIP DUES R. Lee Black, N. Pelletier, Florence L. Klein­ $4.00 PER YEAR ert, Dr. Max Kronstein, Thomas J. O'Sullivan, Richard L. Singley, William R. Ware, Sol Whit­ Dues include subscription to man, 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-pl1ilately. 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 JULY, 1960 PAGE 273 President's Convention Letter

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY AND AERO­ PHILATELISTS EVERYWHERE: I wish to invite your attention to the very interesting and attractive arrange­ ments that have been made by your Society for our 37th Annual Convention to be convened Friday, August 12, 1960 at the Marriott Key Bridge Motor Hotel, Lee Highway, Washington, D. C. The United States Post Office Department has favored the American Air Mail Society Convention with a first day of issue for the new 7 c red airmail stamp being issued on Friday, August 12. A special first day ceremony and luncheon will be held at the Marriott Key Bridge Hotel and the special AAMS Convention Post Office is expected to do a brisk business in the new airmail stamps. August 12, 1960 alse marks the forty-second anniversary of the memorable August 12, 1918 date when Post Office Department pilots and mail planes took over the first regular air mail route, Washington-Philadelphia-New York, from U. S. Army planes that inaugurated the aerial service on May 15, 1918. A special exhibit of these early 1918 covers and mementos has been arranged through the courtesy of Captain Ben Lipsner, first superintendent of air mail for the Post Office Department and other collectors loan­ ing air mail covers and stamps to help commemorate the anniversary. Following the "first day" luncheon with our Post Office Department guests, special busses will take us to a tour of the new Postal History Museum at the Phila­ telic Agency. Friday evening will witness a social get-together in the Exhibit Roem of the Key Bridge Hotel for all collectors and guests. Saturday morning is an open business meeting, followed by a one hour charter bus trip to Annapolis, Maryland, home of the United States Naval Academy and rich in colonial landmarks and traditions. We will see Greenbury Point 'On Chesapeake Bay, birthplace of naval aviation in 1911, the crypt of John Paul Jones, Memorial Hall in Bancroft Hall, where hangs the battle flag "Don't Give Up the Ship", the Naval Museum, and several of the outstanding colonial homes and government buildings of 1776. Luncheon will be with several members of the Annapolis Stamp Club, and time will permit swimming and sunning at our Key Bridge Hotel pool before the Saturday evening banquet. Your committee has picked an outstanding hotel for your vacation weekend, and if you have never attended an AAMS Convention before, this is the oppor­ tunity to enjoy "something different"' in interesting surroundings and with con­ genial collectors. See the hour-by-hour convention schedule in this issue, reserve a room at Marriott Key Bridge Hotel for the August 12th weekend - and drop me a note saying you will be there so I can have your place card at the table when you check in. For fellowship and philately, it's August 12-14 in the Washington area-see you soon. Sincerely, BOB MURCH, President, American Air Mail Society 9560 Litzinger Road St. Louis (24), Mo. PAGE 274 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL 37~ /llUUUIJ ~ //.//. ?1t.S. MARRIOTT KEY BRIDGE MOTOR HOTEL LEE HIGHWAY - U. S. #29 WASHINGTON (7). D. C. Schedule of Events FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 10:00 A.M. Registration and opening of AAMS Convention Post Office at Marriott Key Bridge Motor Hotel. Special exhibit of 1918 U.S. air mail covers and air mail stamps honoring transfer of first regular U.S. air mail route, Wash­ ington-Philadelphia-New York service, from U.S. Army planes to Post Office Department Flying Service, August 12, 1918, 42 years ago this date. 12:15 P.M. AAMS First Day Luncheon and Ceremony observing:.First Day Sale of new seven cent air mail stamp. Honored guests include L. Rohe Walter and Franklin Bruns, Jr., Division of Philately, U.S. Post Office Department and Postmaster, Arlington, Virginia. (Luncheon held in private dining room, Marriott Key Bridge Hotel). 2:15 P.M. Special bus transportation to new Postal History Museum, Philatelic Agency, U.S. Post Office Department Building, Washington, D. C. 5:15 P.M. "Swimming Pool Conference" for all convention guests at Marriott Key Bridge Hotel. 8:0P P.M. Reception and "Open House" Party, Air Post Auction and Fellowship, AAMS Exhibit Room, Key Bridge Hotel. SATURDAY. AUGUST 13 9:30 A.M. AAMS Business Meeting. 10:15 A.M. Special bus transportation to Colonial Annapolis and tour of U.S. Naval Academy, birthplace of Naval Aviation. 1:00 P.M. Luncheon with members of Annapolis Stamp Club in Annapolis, Maryland. 4:30 P.M. Return to Key Bridge Hotel for swimming and siesta. 7:00 P.M. Fellowship Hour and AAMS Convention Banquet, Private Dining Room, Key Bridge Hotel. Special guests, Washington area collectors, Post Office Department officials, and featuring George T. Turner, past president American Philatelic Congress as guest speaker. SUNDAY. AUGUST 14 liO:OO A.M. - 1:00 P.M. Exhibit Room and Convention Post Office open. Optional sightseeing. Smithsonian Institution open and National Stamp Collection on display. Special events to be announced. NOTE: All persons desiring to attend AAMS Convention should make direct room reservations with Marriott Key Bridge Hotel, Lee Highway, Washington (7), D. C. and mention AAMS Convention. Rooms are limited. Also please advise AAMS President Robert W. Murch, 9560 Litzinger Rd., St. Louis ( 24), Mo. if you are planning to attend to facilitate advance arrangements for your visit to the Washington, D. C. area. JULY, 1960 PAGE 275 CONV·ENTION SIDELIGHT- The Navy Air Over Annapplis 1911 - 1960 On September 7, 1911, the first naval air activity was built on Greenbury Point at Annapolis, Maryland. This makeshift affair, consisting of a few tents for hangar space, three pilots and three aircraft, was the result of Navy Department interest in aviation stemming from the Wright Brothers' demonstrations at Wash­ ington, D. C., in September 1908. Further interest in naval utilization of aircraft was stimulated by Eugene Ely, a civilian pilot, who took his Curtiss aircraft off a temporary, fifty-seven foot platform constructed on the deck of the U.S.S. Birming­ ham. This first successful shipboard launching prompted the Navy Department to assign Lt. T. G. Ellyson to Glen Curtiss, who had offered to teach him, free of charge, the fundamentals of aircraft control. With Ellyson as naval aviator number one, and an appropriation of $25,000 for aircraft procurement, the stage was set for the "Air Camp" at Annapolis. A contract for two training planes was given to Curtis and the Wrights, with the Wrights agreeing to train naval aviator number two, Lt. John Rodgers. The two trainers were delivered on September 3rd, and the Navy was on its own. The mission of the new Greenbury Point group was both the training of addi­ tional pilots and research and development. Since there was no aviation organiza­ tion as exists today, the two pilots had been trained by Curtiss and the Wrights to overhaul, repair, and experiment with their bamboo and bailing wire contraptions. The aircraft lacked the power to carry two men, so the system of instruction was a careful briefing, a final prayer, and a series of bouncing hops across the field with­ out actually becoming airborne. While endangering their precious two aircraft to the hands of enthusiastic beginners, Ellyson and Rodgers began a series of daring exploits , to prove to their superiors that naval aviation was here to stay. Lt. Rodgers made a sensational cross country flight, making stops at Washington, College Park, Md., Havre de Grace, and returning to Annapolis-total flight time, six hours and thirty-five min­ utes. Lt. Ellyson using a float plane, made a record breaking climb to 2,850 feet, requirfog only 23 minutes and 2.5 seconds, a time he probably could have bettered walking up a hill. At this same time naval aviator number three, Lt. John H. Tow­ ers, smashed the world's endurance record by remaining in the air six hours, ten minutes and 35 seconds. Having ·acquired a few new aircraft, patched the precious two, and made a few modifications, the Annapolis group felt ready to take part in the January 1913 fleet operations at Guantanamo, Cuba. They proved to even the most skeptical that the aircraft was invaluable for locating submarines and mines, for reporting "enemy" movements and even for successfully attacking "enemy" units with dummy bombs. Their success was so encouraging that the Navy Department decided to reactivate the Pensacola Navy Yard for the express purpose of training pilots and developing naval aviation. This caused the tents of Greenbury Point to be removed and the present site of the Naval Air Facility to be established. In the following years little or no profound aviation activity took place at Annapolis, since the training and research scene had shifted to Pensacola. There were planes on hand with limited activity: however, Greenbury Point had sen>ed its purpose of being the birthplace of the present attack, fighter, patrol and anti-sub­ marin squadrons of today. (Continued on page 293) PAGE 276 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Patronize the Society Auction August 12th UCTIO MANAGER Sam Goldsticker has a embled an enticina number of auction lots, to be sold on August 12th at the annual con ention at the A Marriott Key Bridge Motel. This auction -ale, an annual fund-raising ac­ tivity of the Society, has always been very well patronized. All material to be sold has been contributed by members. Generally funds so realized go a Jona way to pay for convention expens s, and they help to keep our Society on a firm financial ba is. You have an opportunity to bid on some very choice lots by mail-and we hope you 'vill take advantaae of a chance to enhance your collection. Sam will be very pleased to send you a li t of the lots to be sold. Address him at 70-D Fremont St., Bloomfield, N. J. He will accept mail bids up to Auaust 4th. Among our generous contributors are listed George Angers, Albert Brown, Herbert Brandner, the late Sidney Barrett, George Chapman, E. Fast, Samuel Gold­ ticker, L. B. Gatchell, Harry Gordon, Walter Guthrie, John Harley, M. Held, C. Herzog, Florence Kleinert, Gerhard Kaufman, Gus Lancaster, Robert Murch, George Kingdom, Perham Nahl, Rafael Oriel, Basil Rowe, and the late Louis Charlet. We noticed some exceptionally fin e material ( the ale is all covers). One lot has 2 scarce Army Emergency covers of 1934; an October, 1928 flight of the Graf Zeppelin in another. There is a Maurice Graham crash cover of 1930; an unlisted '{ariety from Jackson to Kal amazoo, Mich., first Diesel-powered cover. In the Trans­ oceanics are included the survey flights Honolulu to Guam ( 1935), a round trip Dick Merrill Coronation cover ( 1937), a pre-trial PAA round th e world cover. The C.A.M. section includes the complete Dallas - Chicago point-to-point set of May, 1926, complete sets of Route 18 during 1944 and 1945, the inaugural 1926 flights complete Minneapolis - Chicago on CAM 9 (including the tragic era h cover) and a complete set of Route 48 inaugural and several other lots. FAi\ Is ai:e represented by Route 14 Pacific first flights complete, FAM 19, ditto, a lot of 2 NYBRA covers, and 14 other groupings. Foreign flights, and foreign pioneers fill up a page of the listings. 2 lots include scarce South Pole and the recent Sargo North Pole covers. One lot has 25 airmail items, another 35 covers. Like pigeongrams? One lot, No. 72, will give you a chance to add to your collection one from India. And there are plenty more! Please bid-bid generously-bid on many lots-you help yourself and you help the Society!

One of the Marriott Buildings JULY, 1960 PAGE 277 What Hap pen ed At the Was !bin gt on, D. C. Con ven ti on s •••

By George W. Angers The Convention was held at the Lafayette Hotel, Augu "t 15-17, 19.35. Loui Heath, President of the Washington Air Mail Society welcomed the members. (Note: Our cover illustrates special cancellations used for these event , and J. It was our pleasure to vi it the A.P.S. Stamp Exhibition at the N'ew National _ Iu­ the group picture above is the 1931 convention visiting President Herbert Hoover s um. Also in the museum next to it is housed the Government's stamp collection at the White House. vVho can identify all tho e present? ) a \vell as the Lindbergh plane, "Spirit of St. Louis" .... and several other his­ 1931 torical planes and gliders. It was the Second Annual Convention of the American Air Mail Society . .. it Visit to the Bureau of Printing and Engraving and other sight eeing trip were took place Thur day, F riday and Saturday, Augu t 27-29. enjoyed by the members. We were happy to have a large representative group of The speaker at the opening session were: m mbers at the Convention, our Sixth annual ... and incidently, the twelfth anni­ 1. fark Lansburgh, President of the !v1erchants and Manufacturers Associa- versary of the Society. tion, who gave a cordial welcome to the delegate upop behalf of the City Let us not forget the ocial activities enjoyed by those in attendance .... which of Washington and the District of Columbia. included a delightful moonliO"ht ride on the Potomac. 2. Earl B. Wadsworth, Superintendent of Air Mail Service, U. S. Post Office Dept., who stated that the Department was keenly alive to the interest The annual banquet was held on Saturday and our genial Lou is J. H eath ·was shewn by aerophilatelic collectors in the development of the air mail ser­ toastmaster. The gue ts of honor included Alvin W . Hall, Director of the Bureau vice and who further ath·ibuted a large measure of the success of the of Engi-aving and Printing; Roy M. iorth (now Postmaster of vVashi1wton, D. C. ), earlier routes to th e interest and support shown by collectors. Deputy Third Assistant Po tmaster General; Chas. P. Graddick, Superintendent of Air Mail Service; our mo t congenial friend of all time , Robert E. Fellers, then 3. vVilliam A. John on, Pre ident 'Vashington Philatelic Society, who brought the Superintendent of the Division of Stamp" and another friend of the AA~f , the greetings of his organization to the Convention. Herbert S. Chamberlain, Philatelic AO"ent. 4. President Herbert H. Griffin, who briefly reviewed the progress and trend It was fortunate that the four past President· were present at this Convention: in aerophilately-and who predicted it would in the near future be one of Me rs . Harry A. Truby of ew Kensington, Pa., George \IV. Anger , Springfield, the popular sidelines of philately. Mass., Herbert H. Griffin of Cleveland and Lloyd B. Gatchell of Bromsille r. Y. 5. Lieutenant Walter Hinton, Pilot of the NC-4, fo:st pilot to fly the Atlantic, 1947 who made an unscheduled address. Even though Cipex wa. held in New York in May of thi year and everal AA_ IS Officers and members attended this most out tandina Philatelic Exhibition, 1935 the annual Convention was held in vVa hington for the third time but at the Raleiah The coming of the members of the American Air Mail Society to the Capitol Hotel, August 29-31. City for the 1935 Convention was e pecially plea ing to the many members of the Washington Air Mail Society, Chapter of the AA 1S ... their very active member Again the Po t Office Department siO"nally honored th e American Air fail was the President of the American Air Mail Society, Francis B. Leech . . . . and ciety by cheduling the relea e of the attractive 10 cent black air mail tamp much progress was made under his leadership. which was primarily inten ded to be used on air mail to South and Central American PAGE 278 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL JULY, 1960 PAGE 279 countries where the lOc rate was in effect. No formal sessions were scheduled for Friday, August 29-but at the last moment the Convention committee decided to provide a 20 frame non-competitive Exhibition. George W. Angers, Ellery Denison, Sol Glass and John P. V. Hein­ muller were among those contributing material, some unique and of great value. The Special American Air Mail Society Convention Station of the Washington Post Office was established in the main Lobby of the Raleigh Hotel. It was the center of interest for the entire three days. Also on Friday was a visit to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Our mem­ bers were greeted by Jack M. Smith, Superintendent of the Stamp Printing Division of the Bureau who personally escorted the group through the various floors. On Saturday, punctually at 10 A.M. came the first day sale ceremonies which included music by the United States Army band and talks by Hon. Vincent Burke, Postmaster of Washington, D. C., Hon. Jesse M. Donaldson, the Acting Postmaster General, Hon. Manger, Acting Director of the Pan American Union, Glenn L. Mar­ tin, aviation pioneer whose Martin 2-0-2 plane appears on the stamp issued, and M. 0. (Doc) Warns, President of the American Air Mail Society. The only business session was held Saturday afternoon with a large attendance. The highlights were the agreement that officers' terms should be extended from one to two years for the sake of economy in the cost of holding elections and for greater efficiency. The dues were raised to $3.00 per year because of ever increasing costs. Of foremost interest to members was the unanimous decision of the Convention to accept the invitation of the Club Filatelico de Ia Republica de Cuba, Chapter #19, to hold the 1948 Convention of the Society in Havana, Cuba. The banquet was a typically successful social event: Emceed by Sol Glass, the speeches were kept to a minimum. In addition to the distribution of awards the AAMS was itself a recipient of silver model of a Douglas DC-4 as a token of appre- ciation for its services "advancing the progress of aviation." Presentation was made by George Gelly, of Douglas Aircraft. The principal speakers were John J. Gillen, Acting Second Assistant P.M.G., Alvin W. Hall, Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing; Robert S. Burgess, Deputy Second Assistant Postmaster General, Air Postal Transport. During the banquet the Walter J. Conrath Memorial Award Certificate was presented to Ernest A. Kehr, the 1946 winner, and also gold meritorious service medalions announced at Cipex. These latter went to Grace Conrath, Claude vV. Degler, George D. Kingdom and Glen vV. Naves. Most surprised member at the banquet was Editor L. B. Gatchell who was presented with a handsome leather attache case by associates among the officers and others of his well-wishers. The Washington arrangements were under the direction of William M. Stuart and Ellery Denison, assisted by other local Washingtonians. And so this year of 1960, we go back to the nation's capital. But how times have changed! PAGE 280 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL First Day Covers of the 7c Airn1ails • To help identify Air Mail letters, 7-cent airmail stamps will soon be printed in a distinct shade of red. This color will not be utilized for other stamps. This will become effective as soon as existing stocks of the 7-cent blue airmail stamp are exhausted. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing will commence pro­ duction of the current 7-cent airmail design in a "fire red" shade. An order has also been placed with the International Envelope Corporation in Dayton, Ohio, for the 7-cent embossed airmail envelope in the same color. The 7-cent airmail stamp in sheet form ( 100 subjects), will be placed on sale at Arlington, Virginia, on August 12, 1960, in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Air Mail Society, at the Marriott Motel in Arlington, August 12-14. Collectors desiring first day covers of the 7-cent air mail stamp (sheet form) should send addressed envelopes to the Postmaster, Arlington 1, Virginia, in the regular manner. The envelope to the Postmaster should be endorsed "First Day Covers 7c Air Mail Stamp." The 7-cent embossed air mail envelope in fire red' will be placed on sale Au­ gust 18, 1960, at Portland, Oregon, in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Philatelic Society. Collectors desiring first day cancellations of the 7-cent Air Mail embossed en­ velope, standard 6 3/4 size only, may submit orders to the Postmaster, Portland 8, Oregon, for a reasonable number of envelopes, indicating full name and address, with remittance to ~over the cost, which is Be each. Gummed address labels may be sent. The envelope to the Postmaster should be marked "First Day 7c Envelope". The 7-cent fire red Air Mail in booklet form will have its first day sale at Saint Louis, Missouri, on August 19, 1960, in conjunction with the convention of the Society of Philatelic Americans, August 18 to 21. Collectors desiring first day cancellations of the 7-cent air mail booklet panes may send addressed envelopes to the Postmaster, Saint Louis 55, Missouri. Covers will be serviced only with full panes of six stamps, thus requiring a remittance of 42c for ea.ch cover submitted. The booklet panes will measure approximately 3 3/4 inches by 1 3/4 inches with the panes arranged horizontally ( 3 stamps wide, 2 deep). A space conform­ ing with these dimensions should be left in the upper right corner of each envelope to affix the pane. The outside envelope to the Postmaster should be endorsed "First Day Covers 7c Air Mail Booklet Panes." The 7-cent Air Mail in coil form will be first placed on sale October 22, 1960, at Atlantic City, New Jersey, in conjunction with the annual convention of Aero Philatelists, Inc., October 21-23. Collectors desiring first day covers of the new 7-cent Air Mail Coil stamp, hori­ zontally perforated, may send addressed envelopes to the Postmaster at Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the usual manner. It is recommended that no more than two stamps be requested for each cover as it will be impossible to attractively cancel a longer strip. The outside envelope to the Postmaster should be endorsed "First Day Covers 7c Coil Stamp." In sending envelopes to the Postmasters at Arlington, Saint Louis, and Atlantic City, use a close-fitting enclosure of postal card thickness in each envelope with the flap either turned in or sealed. (Continued on Page 301) JULY, 1960 PAGE 281 PAGE 282 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL THREE LEADING AIRLINES Warning to Convention-goers! AT INTERPEX There are two Marriott Motels in The mo t attractive and out tanding vVa hington. Ours is the Marriott Key di play at the I TERPEX Exllibition re­ c ntly held in New York City was, un­ Bridge Motor Hotel at the foot of the doubtedly, the Quantas exhibit which Key Bridge, overlooking Georgetown, in featured a widely-admired authentic Rosslyn, Va. (although Washington 7 is Au tralian Bu h Scene, complete with its mailing addres ) . Don't go to the stuffed replica of the duck-billed platy­ other Marriott, which i · near the Penta­ pus, kangaroo, kookaburra, koala, aug­ mented with a colorful di play of Aus­ gon, at the end of the Twin Bridge. We tralian wild flower . A jet plane over­ mistakenly described the wrong one in head lent an added touch of contempor­ the June issue. This one is modem, ary realism to this unique exhibit, de­ new, attractive, and very comfortable·. signed and created by Qantas' New York Public Relations Director, Joyce Chivers. A special section has been reserved for In addition, mail bags from Qantas' first the A.A .M.S. and we urge you do not flight around the world were on display, delay in making your reservations. (Use a.s well as a collection of special flight the coupon on page 277 for conYen­ cover . ience. ) The most striki nrr feature of the Air . Ladies! Specially good news- France display wa their collection of 12 frames of first flight covers, from mail We've been told there's an ironing flown by balloons to mail flown by Cara­ board in each room! And what's an velle and Boeing jet planes, brought over A.A.M.S. convention without an abund­ pecially frod1 France by Joseph Houl­ ance of ironing boards? teau, President of the Cercle Aerophila­ telique Francais in Paris. In addition, Air France exhibite9. historical photos and co ers showi1w how air mail has MINT AIRMAIL SETS been handled since the early acres of WANT LISTS welcomed for Mint only for South and Central America, Mex­ commercial a iation in France. ico, Canada- AIR MAILS, POSTAGE, Over 30,000 postcards, which were to etc. Complete sets our Specialty; be mailed from 21 different countries, singles also furnished. were posted at the Pan American booth Woodmere Stamp Company during th e INTERPEX Exhibition by P. 0. Box 145 Woodmere, N. Y. vi :tors to this show.

0 The swimming pool at Marriott Key Bridge Moiel JULY, 1960 PAGE 283 TIPS BY JULIUS By JULIUS WEISS 3417 E. 147th St.. Cleveland, Ohio

We have recently been in contact with • the year Swissair plans to go to Rotter­ the editors of various philatelic journals, dam and Warsaw, where full philatelic some rocket experts and collectors of treatment will be given. flight material. The result is that we A northbound speed record of only 8 believe there must be some type of con­ hours and 49 minutes between Buenos tra! as to the many rocket flight covers as Aires, Argentina, and the USA via the well as the fancy jet covers making the West Coast of South America was estab­ rounds. We have said that we shall NOT lished May 1 by a Boeing 707-227 El announce any rocket flight, special jet Dorado Super Jet of Braniff International flight unless news is supplemented by a Airways. They inaugurated jet service newspaper (non-philatelic) or magazine on this route on April 1. Braniff also has (non-philatelic) news item, for we feel Super Jet schedules from Miami Gate­ that any newsworthy flight is of interest way and Brazil via Panama and Peru. to philatelists. Togo issued its first postal stationery, We do not wish to imply that all jet two airletter sheets. One is a 25 franc flights, all rocket flights are in doubt; for and the other a 40 franc sheet showing a the jet "firsts" of the major lines are all map of Togo. The sheets are green, yel­ in good order . We speak of the "fantas­ low, red, brown and white. Togo's latest tic" type rocket and jet covers which adhesives containing airmails represent some collectors "rig" to make the fast the airmail fee to France and to other dollar. Show us news stories of these countries. Although Togo recently got its flights! Look for better material when independence, it remains in the French action is taken by some of the national Postal Union and has a special air mail magazines. They have alerted their ad­ rate for France with different rates for vertising staffs to be on the lookout for other destinations. such advertisements which may not be The April 16 flight (JET) of KLM re­ within the dictates of good philatelic ceived a black circular KLM cachet. taste. There were covers from all over Europe Swissair Club had special covers for on this flight. their Zurich to Helsinki flight by Finnair Remember to send stamped envelopes Caravelle jet. 1000 covers were carried for these flights to various points on the on the Zurich to Helsinki dispatch ( Aoril continent. The destination of the flight 23); 700 covers were picked up at Va­ should be marked in the upper left cor­ duz (Liechtenstein) for dispatch to Hel­ ner. Covers must be franked in postage sinki (April 23). The flight from Hel­ of the country of origin. These should sinki to Zurich carried 346 covers (April go to the city picking up the mail for the 24). first flight. Durin,g 19.59 Swissair went with firsts Sabena flew a first from Brussels to to the following points: From Zurich to Moscow on April 7 with 137 KG of mail. Bahrain ( 2558 covers carried); Zurich to The next dav, April 8, the return flight Kuwait ( 2850 covers); Zurich to Ankara carried 787 KG of mail. (2930), and Zurich to Teheran (2923 April 1, Sabena flew from Brussels to pieces). Each flight had a disnatch from Montreal with 99 KG of mail. The re­ Vaduz, Liechtenstein. In 1959, 331 of­ turn "first" from Montreal (April 2) car­ ficial covers were carried from Zurich to ried a mere 9 KG. This dispatch received Beirut via BOAC when it used the Comet a large violet cachet reading "Premiere 4 from Switzerland. Liaison Par Avion A Reaction-Montreal­ This year Swissair started via jet to Bruxelles - Sabena - 1-4-1960". April 2 USA ( Mav 31), and to London (May a Sabena craft took off for Bengazi with 21). Early in July Austrian Airlines 10 KG of mail, with the usual black Sa­ plans to go to Geneva and special covers bena circular cachet. We do not know are expected for these flights. Later in of the return dispatch. This flight went PAGE 284 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL by way of Geneva, Tripoli and on into Amity and Commerce. Many first-day Bengazi. covers were flown. The same dav Sabena went from Brus­ Several members of AAMS who reside sels to Elizabethville and Johannesburg. in foreign countries write to us. We are ( 236 KG Bruxelles to Elizabethville). A always glad to hear from members in special black cancel was used. On April various parts of the globe. Tell us about 3, 13 KG was carried from Elizabethville your airlines, what you collect, how you to Rome. An unknown amount was car­ collect, what you like, what you do not ried from Elizabethville to Johannes­ like in the airmail world and we shall be burg. A special square cancel was used glad to share your philatelic activities on the African dispatches with a blue with our readers. circular cancel for the Elizabethvillestad to Rome dispatch. Our "tip" for the month is a series of On April 6 Sabena flew a first "inau­ folders put out by Sabena designed for gural Jet Through Flight" from New women travelers.. They fit into a first York to Moscow, using special covers. Sa­ flight collection as well as into a travel­ bena does not sell special covers nor do er's passport. The folders are free and they have any for the general collector. tell quite a bit. To obtain these "notes" They announce flights in advance and contact any of Sabena's 27 sales offices readers can mail items on these flights throughout North America. Tell the line as there is ample time. ( In this instance you desire a folder, which to date covers we did not have news of this "through" Germany, France, Belgium, England, flight until too late.) We do not know Italy, and Africa. Each country has a the number of covers carried. separate folder. There is interest now in Russian Please use World Refugee stamps on stamps. We :i;ead about Astro-philatelic first flight covers, as it will enhance the groups which collect adhesives contain­ covers and you will aid a good cause. ing pictures of rockets, missiles, and sput­ Most covers we receive from Europe niks. Many collect the issues of Russia have WR Year stamps on them for for of late many stamps have been issued. franking-please do likewise. Many of their first flight items are color­ ful. Stockholm dispatches of the First Reg­ THANKS FOR COVERS RECEIVED ular Jet Flight ( DC-8) from Stockholm Pan American-Grace Airways, Inc.-for to New York received a circular cancel first jet flight Buenos Aires to Miami; G. by the Swedish PO. SAS flew on May Lindman, for S.A.S. jet cover, Stockholm 1, 1960. - New York; Joachim Dill, Lufthansa jet We have been gathering material on covers, Frankfurt - Chicago and San the Ryukyu Islands, including pictures, Francisco; Harry Gordon, 1st jet airmail art plus historical notes of the postal ser­ between Atlanta and New York; P. J. vices and airlines. If you would like to Drossos, 1st jet Athens, Greece to New see a series on Ryukyu and its airmails, York; Milton P. Klein ,1st turboprop Tai­ write us a note or write Editor Joe Eisen­ pei, Formosa to Hong Kong; I'Agence drath. Should the response be great Philatelique Haitienne, first day cover, enough we shall do the articles which Haiti Red Cross stamps overprinted. will be full of mystery, art and aviation. Japanese Airlines flew a first on April C35 FOUND IMPERF VERTICALLY 2, 1960 from Osaka to Hong Kong. A brown type cachet was used with an John A. Fox, llO W. 42nd St., New Osaka PO special cancel reading "Osaka York 36, N.Y., reports a new find. This - Hong Kong First Flight" plus the word­ is U.S. Airmail, Scott's No. C35, 15c de­ ing in Japanese. nomination. It consists of a block of 20 Many flown covers have reached the ( 2 by 10) imperforate vertically. It is USA since May 17 when Japan issued offered for sale as is, or possibly may be two stamps to commemorate the centen­ broken into pairs or blocks of four. Write nial of Japanese - American Treaty of to him, if interested. JULY, 1960 PAGE 285 Did a New Zea·land Aviator Fly Before the Wright Brothers? by James S. Langabeer • There has been some excitement here is the plane's propeller. in New Zealand on the possibility that i\fr. Bolt has just spent part of a a local man go t into the air in April, holiday in Timaru carrying out further 1903, eight months before the Wright research into the Pearse flight. He ap­ brothers in the United States. Here is a pointed two interested local men, one tory from an Auckland paper recently, of them part-owner of an aircraft re­ on this point. · pair shop, as his agents in Timaru. They are interviewing eye-witnesses who Mr. Bolt has been unable to contact and are thumbing through old news­ paper files trying to find an account of the flight. He hopes this latter task will be com­ pleted within a few weeks and will pro­ duce final proof that the flight wa the world's first. Acceptable Proof "I think th e proof would then be ac­ cepted overseas" Mr. Bolt said recently. He ha interviewed eye - witne ·e · who are sure the flight was in April 1903. The flight of Orville and Wilbur Wricrht at Kittv Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, is credi­ ted with being the first powered flight in the world. Mr. Bolt aid some ,eye-witnesses re­ The old engine above is the one which called that when they heard of the Tasman Empire Airways' chief engineer Wright fli ght their reaction was: "But Mr. G. B. Bolt (pictured with it) says what about the 'Pearse' boy? He's al­ powered the world's first aeroplane flight ready flown." in the Waitohi Valley, inland from Te­ Mr. Bolt ·has a cyclostyled copy of muka, in April 1903. paten t paper dated July 19, 1906, and Mr. Bolt salvaged the engine from a headed 'An improved aeri al or flying dry riverbed into which it had been machine.' dumped by peopl e taking over part of The paper begin: "I, Richard vVilliam the family farm of Mr. Richard William Pear e, of Upper vVa itohi, Temuka, in Pearse, who built the plane. th e colony of New Zealand, do hereby The taJl object to the left of Mr. Bolt declare the nature of my invention for

VEllTICAL $TAM.11P ~5 fl,AT09 wnM

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UAT ~IDES FWO OR 8ACIC TO ALTlll C ~ PAGE 286 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL 'a~ !mpr?,ved areial or flying ma­ recO''nized this citv's position in the clune ... schei~1e of our natio;'s growth. One was "Very Secre:tive" General Nash of Revolution fame. Others, Mr. Bolt believes Mr. Pearse didn't were John Donelson and Richard Hen­ bother to take out a patent until he re­ clenon while they were surveying the alized that aircraft overseas still didn't Dan 'el Boone Wilderness Trail in 1779. have control services that he had. For The colonists who followed and stayed instance, he was the first to have aile­ stopped here on the bluff overlooking rons. the Cumberland River and built Fort "Pearse was a very secretive sort of l\ashborough. History records Danel­ bloke. Only people who lived alongside :.on's daughter, Rachel, as the wife of him or who knew him knew about the Pres:dent Andrew Jackson. Their home, flight at the time. The outside world the renowned "Hermitage", is located on didn't hear about it, though we hope the outskirts of the city proper and the some mention of it was made in one of basis of the first official cachet to be the local papers," said Mr. Bolt. applied to airmail flown from Nashville. The city reached maturity in the Cities on the Airmail Routes realm of airmail when the first of our by James A. McNally present-day carriers - Eas.tern Air Lines - came in bv air on October 15, 1940 NASHVILLE, T0ENN. over A.M. #47, when service was ex­ One of the earlier cities that entered tended from St. Louis, Mo. Eastern the field of airmail was Nashville, Tenn. moved north into Nashville, over A.M. It was first visited by air on April 18, #44, the next day - this time from 1925, when a U. S. Government Ex­ Florence, Ala. The city had now be­ perimental Flight from New Orleans, La., come an air wheel with routes C.A.M. stopped at the airport to pick up a #20 and #30, together with A.M. #23, pouch of special mail for Chicago, Ill., #44, and #47 acting as spokes where some of it was to be resorted and again pouched for flight east or Nashville, is called "The Athens of the west on the then regular transcontinen­ South", because of the classic design of total run. It was five years later, on May its governmental buildings. It is the 13, 1930, before it was considered im­ home of Vanderbilt University and other portant enough to be listed as an airmail fine schools with approximately 7000 station. This happened when Continen­ non-resident students who help build up tal Air Lines (not the present operator the air mail load. Over 500 industrial of A.M. #29) was certified to extend establishments add their share to keep C.A.M. #16 from Louisville, Ky., to airmail flowing in and out of rhis great this office. Nashville moved into the age of metropolis. Historically, Andrew Jack­ adolescence on June 15, 1931, when it son once considered it as the site of the became an intermediate transfer station capitol of our country. on C.A.M. #20 flown by Colonial Wes­ tern Airways from Albany, N. Y. to Today it is served, transcontinentally Fort Worth, Tex. In the interim, C.A.M. by American Airlines, and north and #16 and Continental Air Lines both lost south, by such trunk carriers as Eastern, their identity in an aviation merger that Braniff and T.W.A. Until recently, when later caused such a scandal that it Southern Airway made Nashville one forced the president of the United States to cancel every airmail contract of its northern terminals, Ozark Air Lines. then existing. was the only local feeder serving this Nashville's location in the web of our station. then budding transportation system made· it a focal point for the movement of air­ Nashville and the surrounding area has mail in all directions. However, long be­ much to offer anyone who visits it, for fore airmail came into being, others a day, week, month, or forever. JULY, 1960 PAGE 287 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. for more than thirty years, and keenly interested in all fields of -r•ely ("'pecially ae•ophHately) dming that time.

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 a.s 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 r handling in one of these varied monthly Auctions. Your Co:r­ ,f spondence is invited. When buying or selling anything philatelic, remember:

"The Department Store of Philately"

Life Member: 11112 MA\IRIK.JET STOC) AAMS APS IELMER Ro IL~ G HDA\RRllSimIDR.G, IPA\o SPA

. PAGE 288 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL JULY, 1960 AGE 289 ·Foreign Pioneer Airposts A. THE PIONEER AIRSTAMPS OF THE WORLD (1909-1914) F R A N C E: THE FIRST FRENCH AIRSTAMPS 1910 AND 1912 by Dr. Max Krons:tein It is half a century this year since the first French airstamp was used; it is a:n appropriate occasion to review this issue, used during the Aviation Days at Nantes August 14 to 21, 1910. France was the earliest base of aviation in Europe. It had been the home of the earliest balloonists, and had been the location of the first airpost services (the Paris Balloon Posts of 1870-71). It was the first country in Europe where not only foreign airplanes made the first starts on European soil, but was also the home of the earliest European airplane builders and aviators. Since 1909 a great number of regional aviation weeks were held in many parts of France with the most suc­ cessful airplane builders and pilots participating in these extensive competitions. Since the Rheims Aviation Weeks of August 7 to 29, 1909 the French Post Office on many occasions used special postal cancellations at the airfields. Although the cards and covers with these postal aviation cancellations are not flown items, they are high­ ly interesting historical documents of early aviation history. They are very rare today and collectors, who have paid attention to the field of these pioneer postal aviation cancellations, have found a very interesting field. Today it has become a very dif­ ficult field to complete, as sometimes months have passed before one of these items appears in an auction catalogue. The author hopes to discuss these cancellations later on in this series. At this time the current part of the series is concerned pri­ marily with the early air stamps which were issued in this period of early aviation. Here France had two such early pioneer air stamp issues: the air stamp of Nantes in 1910 and the air stamp of Nancy 1912. I. THE AIR STAMP OF NANTES 1910 The Aviation Week of Nantes was one of the largest French events of the period: with a total of 80,000 Francs prize money at stake and a special prize for long dis­ tance flights between Nantes and Blain ( 80 km or 5 miles), 11 aviators participated in the competitions between August 14 and 21, 1910. These 11 included M. Thomas (in an Antoinette Monoplane), Messieurs .Cheurot, Van den Born and Martinet. All three flew in Henri Farman Biplanes (.same planes which won M. Van den Born the I. and M. Cheurot the third prize in the competitions of the passenger flights). M. Renaux in a Maurice Farman biplane won the prize of "regularity" and for the greatest added duration of flights ( 3 hrs 18 min. 40 sec.) The third prize in speed competition and second among the passenger flights were also won by Renaux. M. Morane and M. Simon flew Bleriot monoplanes and Mr. Morane took first first high altitude, first for speed, and won the long distance flight Nantes - Blain - Nantes. Mr. Simon won second awards for speed as well as for high altitude. Of the two pilots using Sommer biplanes (M. Chrochon and M. Pailette), M. Pailette won second for added flight duration ( 2 hrs 5 min. 27 ·sec.). Mr. Bathiat flew a Han­ riot plane and M. Niel a Nieuport plane. So it was an all-around successful aviation event. But it might well be for­ gotten today, if it were not for the first French air stamp and the stamps on flown cards and covers. The idea for this stamp issue came from M. G. de Passario-Peyssard, who in his youth had been interested in classical stamps and who remembered one of the PAGE 290 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL early Swiss Classics, the famous "Dove of Bale ( Basle)" is ·ue. It had been cus­ tomary at other French Aviation Meetings to issue commemorative vignettes, which are still a very popular field of French aerophilately. Such vignettes had not offered a promise of air transportation. What was new in Nantes was that besides the com­ memorative vignettes a special small size airstamp was issued at 10 centimes per stamp with the promise that items posted at the airfield with this stamp would be flown in some competing airplane. M. Thomas with his Antoinette Monoplane is usually credited to have been the first airpost pilot on this occasion. In the design of this 10 centimes air stamp the general pattern of the Basle Dove stamp was followed quite closely. The Basle coat of arms was replaced by a cross and the "Stadt Post Basel" text was replaced by the word "Nantes Aviation Aout 1910." In place of the Basle Dove a monoplane, similar to fr. Thomas' Antoinette was used in the center of the stamp. The two lower corners have the inscription "10 cts". The stamp is perforated 11 1/ 2. An i ·sue of 19,200 was printed by the local printing house Guit'hau-Dugas and Company. Each sheet had 16 x 12 stamps. From these stamps 9,800 only were sold to the public and the others had to be destroyed. TI1e manner of printinu of these stamp · was discovered a few years ago when color proofs of the stamps were found at a New York auction. They are illustrated here. The two colors were then imprinted into a black frame with the inscription of the stamp.

The stamp was a local issue and no French postal issue but its use was required for items which were to be carried in the air (a prendre l'avion") . The post office issued and used at the airfield a circular postal cancellation "Nantes-Aviation" (with date), but this aviation cancellation was not supposed to be applied to the local air stamp. (There exist neverthele s items where the air stamp shows at least parts of the Nantes Aviation cancellation.) How many cards and covers actually took to the air, has not been published (at least to the knowledge of this author). But the fact that generally the mint stamp is listed in catalogues \vith about 115 to 1/ 10 of the value of the stamp on card or cover, indicates that only a fraction of the 9800 is ·ued stamps were used on cards and covers for air transportation. JULY, 1960 PAGE 291 II. THE AIR STAMP OF NANCY 1912 T'he first air stamp for an airpost transportation from one city to another was issued in 1912 upon authorization by the Under-Secretary of State in Charge of the Postal Services and was announced as follows: "ASSOCIATION OF THE FRIENDS OF AVIATION IN NANCY. M. CHAUMET, Under-Secretary of State in Charge of Postal and Telegraph Services, has authorized the Association of Friends of Aviation, to undertake on the occasion of the festivities in honor of Monsieur Poincare, the President of the Coun­ cil, and of Monsieur Lebrun, the Minister of the Colonies, an experimental Airpost Service under the following terms: "The cards and covers are to be deposited at a postoffice during July 27th and July 28th, 1912 and a special stamp is to be applied. These items will be trans­ ported to the Central Post Office of Nancy and will receive there the cancellation of the day. Afterwards they will be confined to an airplane and will be flown to another point of the country and will be delivered to another post office there. This postoffice will distribute t.1-iem after applying another dated cancellation, which with the first one will establish the route covered by air. "An issue of 50,000 stamps has been prepared, which in no case can be in­ creased. This new kind of event will give to the philatelists an unique opportunity to augment their collections." For the President The Secretary General (signed) ANTOINE The text of this announcement established the differences between the earlier Nantes issue and this Nancy issue: The airstamp of Nantes had been issued by the Nantes Aviation Committee and the air transportation had been carried out for this committee using the 10 centimes air stamp without the postoffice actively participat­ ing and cancelling the air stamp. The postoffice had added the official Nantes Aviation cancellation, but on the regular postage stamp only. In Nancy the postoffice undertook the collection of the mail f~r air transporta­ tion. They required the 25 centimes air stamp for covers, as well as the regular postage. The postoffice in Nan_cy added another cancellation on the day of t11e flight, although not always was it cancelled the same date as the cancellation of the regular stamp. For instance, the card shown here was posted and cancelled on Jnly 28, 1912. The cachet of the day of the actual air transportation was added on July 31, 1912. Again another postal cachet gives the name of the postoffice where the flight ended and where the re-distribution began: Luneville on July 31, 1912. The annoqncement mentioned the requirement of a special air stamp and re­ ported that the allowed maximum of air stamps was an issue of 50,000. This (per­ forated 12) showed a monoplane in flight and the text "Poste Par Avion - Nancy - 27.28. Juillet 1912 - 25c". These dates indicated that the flight had been sched­ uled for these earlier dates although it did not take place before July 31, 1912. The interest of the collector was not as great as had been anticipated. In Nantes, from 19,200 available airstamps, only 9,800 had been sold and the rest had to be de­ stroyed: The public purchased from the issue of 50,000 Nancy airstamps only 14,700 and again the rest had to be destroyed. The air stamp designed by Emile Friant of the Academy of Lorraine, was litho­ graphed in slate. A special card has been issued, but was not required in these despatches. Some cards show a cachet "NANCY 1912/Premier essai de Poste offi­ cielle/par Avion". This cachet was of a private nature. PAGE 292 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL The actual number of flown items is not known, but since the stamp exists in mint condition, the total of the flovvn items must have been less than the 14,700 sold.

The air po t wa flown from Nancy by Lt. t icaucl in a Farrnau Biplane. Sev-: eral members of the French Cabinet participated at the ceremonie at the departure. The mail was fJown from Nancy to Luneville in 17 minutes. In Luneville the local po t office took charge of the mail and applied the local dated cancellation a sihown in om illustration.

The stamp a · w - II a flown items of the 1912 flight can be fo und with over­ p1·int of a red cross and a surcharge. These o,·erprint. were not made at the time of the flight, but early in the F irst World W ar, in September 1914 and were sold for the benefit of the Red Cros .

THE NAVY OVER ANNAPOLIS (Continued f:-om page 27S)

At present, the mission of t he Naval Air Facility i · primarilv t indoctrinate midshipmen of the U.S . Naval Academy in the fu ndamen tals of Taval Aviation. T his mission takes the form of a laboratory p eriod in which the in ·h·uctor proves t the student that the aircraft is inherently afe that the ability to control it re­ quires no special talents; however that th ere are certain sensations and illusions not completely consistent with everyday life. The primary pmpose is not to instruct but to familiarize and to encourage. Those who wi h to become aviators may do so by enrolling in either the Navy or Air Force flight trainincr procr ram.

This is the 49th Anniversary of the :\ a , -~l] Air Facilib·; y t it till maintains some of its creative sense. Once it was the origin of naval aviation. T oday it is the origin of the naval aviation of tofft orrow. Here the young man i cr iven the opportunity to actually observe and decide whether or not he should choose aviation a his career. If we are to have the type of progressi\·e leadership that naval avia-· tion has consistently di played, then the l\" aval Air Facility till ha it mi ion and a purpose. JULY, 1960 PAGE 293 Catalogue of Airn1ail Postal Cards by August Wery

Part II • Buff card, size 141 mm. x 94 mm. Postal Cards issued for private per­ ,5 2.5 mk. brown + 40 mk. green sons, philatelic, or other associations or (Workers). charitable organizations bearing a stamp a. - without particular indication. of regular usage imprinted on the card. b. - with black inscription "29 NOTE: When the stamp on the card Deutscher Philatelistentag, (29th is an airmail stamp, the card is listed German Philatelists Day), Dresden even though the face value of the stamp 26 - 27 July, 1923. is insufficient for airmail transportation. 1924 - Airmail stamp alone. This is especially true on cards of Ger­ Buff card, size 141 mm x 90 mm. many having a value less than 15 pf. 6 15 pf. olive. When the stamp on the card is a stamp a. - German Air Flight Union - of ordinary usage the card is cata­ (black design on back, man en­ logued if it bears an imprinted indica­ chained. tion relative to its use as an airmail post­ b. - Flier's Memorial Day, Aug. 31, card. 1924. (black design on back - eag­ The following list is certainly not com­ le). plete; we hope it can be completed with c. - German Rhone Glider flight the aid and collaboration of our readers. competition. Germany. Rhon - Rossiter Company. A - Stamp, Germania Type 7 20 pf blue. 1 5 pf. green. Cerman Air Flight Union. a - 1910 - Zeppelin post card, offi­ c. - Airmail stamp, Eagle in a rect­ cial post card of the German Zeppe­ angle. lin Co. (Delag). (View on back in 1926 - Airmail stamp alone. colors). 8 15 pf. violet. b. - 1912 - Zeppelin post card com­ The catalogue, German Entries, memorating the flight of the mem­ 1850 - 1930 lists 88 different cards bers of the Reichstag over Bodeusee. of this type with reproductions from (View on back in colors). the Kunstler galleries. c. - 1914 - Card with view of the 1926 - Airmail stamp at left and or­ Schiller monument on back, sur­ dinary stamp at right. charged "Flugpostkart zur Beford­ Pale cream card, size 148 mm x erung auf elem Luftwegs am 10 und 104 mm. 11 mai 1914 Zugelassen" (Airmail post card for despatch over the air­ 9 10 pf red + 3 pf. brown (stylized eagle). ways, May 10 and 11, 1914). a. - Berlin Entire Collectors Society. 2 5 pf green, with private 50 pf. vig­ April 26, 1926. nette imprinted at left. 1912, Airmail b. - German Philatelist's Day. post card (Zeppelin at left). Dortmund, August, 1926. 3 5 pf green with private 1 mk. vig­ nette imprinted at left. 10 1Gp5. red + 5 green (Stylized Eag­ 1912 - Airmail post card ( h'plane at le), like 9 b. left). 1927 - Yellowish card, size 146 mm B - Airmail Stamp - Dove Type x l(;.5 n1m. 1923 - Airmail stamp at left and or­ 11 10 pf. rose + 5 pf. deep green dinary stamp at right. (Beethoven) II German Flyers Re­ Buff card, size 144 mm. x 89 mm. union Days, October 8 - 10, 1927 4 25 mk. brown + 20 mk. lilac. in Brunswick. (Workers). (Portrait of Hindenburg in black on a. - without particular inscription. back). h. - with one line inscription for air­ 1927 - 2 Airmail stamps - 20 pf. at mail post, ( 9 different settings). left, 15 pf. at right. PAGE 294 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Various cards, size 148 mm. x 105 Airmail stamp to the right or to the mm. left and postage stamp of Hinden­ 12 20 pf. blue + 15 pf. violet. burg. a. - First flight, Koenigsberg to Mos­ 19 5 pf. green + 1 pf. black ( Hinden­ cow over Riga, July 15, 1927. burg). b. - Opening of the line, Stettin - a. - 1936, June, 6 - 7; 42nd. German Copenhagen - Gothenburg - Oslo, Philatelists Day. (View in green at July 18, 1927. left). 1931 - Airmail stamp at left, and or­ b. - 1937, January IO, Aschaffen­ dinary stamp at right. burg on Main. Yellow card, size 149 mm x 105 mm. c. - April 16 - 18. Berlin National 13 IO pf. red + 3 pf. brown (Ebert), Exposition. Mophila Hamburg, 1931 (View in d. - Solitude Races. 'black on back, Airplane catapulted e. - 1939, July 1, IOOth Anniversary, from Steamship Europa). Witten Castrop. 14 IO pf. red + 8 pf. deep green 20 5 pf. green + 3 pf. brown ( Hinden­ (Ebert). burg). d. - Airmail stamp, Eagle in front of 21 5 pf. green + 5 pf. green ( Hinden­ a globe and scaled cross. burg). 1935. Different colored cards, size 1936, June 6 - 7. 42nd. German 150 mm. x I05 mm. Philatelists Day. 15 5 pf. yellow green. (View in blue at left). a. - "Collector's holiday eve'', Ber­ 22 5 pf. green + 10 pf. brown (Hin­ lin Exposition, Sept. 3 - 5, 1937. denburg). (Sale price 20 pf.). 1936, June 6 - 7, (Similar to No. 21, b. - Reichstag opening 1938. but view in black, brown). "Strength, through Joy, Hamburg". 23 5 pf. green + IO' pf. red plus 1 pf. (Sale price 20 pf.) black ( Hindenburg) c. - "Signs out of Hard Times" 1936, June 6 - 7, ('Similar to No. 21, Kassel Exhibition, June 2-5, 1939. view in red brown). Sale price 20 pf.) 24 IO pf. red + 3 pf. brown ( Hinden­ d. - With text, and, or view relating burg). to a philatelic demonstration. 1936, June 20-22, Dusseldorf Rhein e. - without any inscription or lines Postage Stamp Exposition (humor­ for the address. ous design in black on back). f. - On card with inscriptions and 25 IO pf. red + 6 pf. green ( Hinden­ lines in black. ( Same text as on the burg). official cards) . 1935, Sept. 7 - 11, Munich Exposi­ g. - With text, and, or private de­ tion. "MUPA". (View in violet at sign left). -Mampe Berlin -The Church of our Lady. -Musicians -Hofgarten and Army Museum. -Political show on and after Nov- -Nymphenburg Castle. ember 8, 1937; "The Eternal -Wittelsbach Races. Jew". 26 15 pf. ultramarine + 1 pf. black. NOTE: The list of cards No. 15d. (Hindenburg). is too long to include here. 1936 - ~ov. 1, First Berlin Airport Competitiolil. 16 5 + 5 pf. yellow green. Similar to No. 14 b, but sale price 40 pf. 27 15 pf. untramariiie + 6 pf. green. 17 IO pf. red. ( Hindenburg) . 1937 ,October 2 - 4. Friedland Ex­ · E.Stamps, ordinary postal issues. position. 1952, White card, size 150 mm. x 18 15 pf. Ultramarine. 105 mm. 1938, July 8 - 12. Constance and 28 5 pf. olive (liberty bell). Bodeusee Exposition of Zeppelin 40th year, German airpost. Post. (Portrait of Count Zeppelin ( 2 different designs: in blue and in in colors on back ) . violet). JULY, 1960 PAGE 295 29 5 pf. olive + 10 pf. green (The HAPPY BIRTHDAY. LADIES! same). An idea that started on a three-month 40th year Munich Society, Collect­ trial basis shortly will be thirty years old. ors of Entires. In those three decades, as the airlines of 1952 - White card. Size 140 mm. x the world have grown and prospered, an 90mm. important new career for women has de­ 30 15 pf. violet. veloped. a. - 40th year, German Airpost. (De­ The stewardess (or hostess, as some sign in green: Zeppelin) . airlines call her) is now 14,000 strong, b. - The Tailor of Ulm Berblinger, and through the years uncounted thous­ ( Design in black. ) ands of young women have played an im­ 1953 - White card. Size 150 mm. x portant role in the story of aviation, and 105 mm. retired to be wives and mothers, or to make new careers in other fields after 31 15 pf. brown ( Tempelhof, Berlin). their flying days were over. a. - First at Dusseldorf on the Rhein. It was in February 1930 that a young 1913-1953. A reproduction of the nurse and flying enthusiast in San Fran­ original vignette, 10 pf. in blue at cisco, Ellen Church, unfolded her plan to left). Steve Stimpson, to have feminine attend­ b. - First direct flight, Frankfort on ants on airplane flights. the Main and Windhoek. (A draw­ Mr. Stimpson, then division passenger ing of the route in blue at the left). agent for Boeing Air Transport, a pred­ c. - Beverba 1953. (A reproduction ecessor company of United Air Lines, in violet on yellow, at left, of the wrote a memo to the manager of pas­ vignette issued in November 1913 senger traffic. On May 15, 1930, Miss on the occasion of the Zeppelin Church and seven other pioneer steward­ flight from Liegrietz to Katzbach). esses began their careers. The three-month experiment has now spanned three decades, and the Boeing BOA has given way to the mighty 707, DC-8, COMET IV, Caravelle and soon to come Convair 880, but the quality AIR POST NEW ISSUES brought to flying by the stewardess re­ mains unchanged. She's still good to look at, she's help­ ful and sympathetic, and life without her would not be as pleasant. OF THE ENTIRE We salute the two people who had the vision and firmness of purpose to open a new trail, and we're sure every passenger who has ever flown would join us. WORLD Miss Church, incidentally, is now ad­ ministrator of Union Hospital, Terre Haute, Ind., and Mr. Stimpson is in sales administration for United at Los An­ PAMPHLET UPON REQUEST geles. -From the Airport News, May 13, 1960.

Nicolas Sanabria Co. Inc. A. MEDAWAR, PRESIDENT

521 Fifth Ave., New York 17, N. Y.

PAGE 296 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Balloon Post Of The Siege Of Paris, 1870-71 By LOUIS A. CHAINTRlER Translated by DR. EVERETT .E. THOMPSON and GEORGE W. ANGERS CHAPTER 24-GIROND.E (continued)

"Gentlemen, "said Gallay, "I conduct • the tube that hangs over us. vVe attain you; we have ballast enough, a fine 2500 meters ( 8200 ft.) and the noise of machine, and if a breeze doesn't come, the Prussian drums and bugles is clomi­ we will look for it higher up; we have natecl bv the bells of Versailles that we time up to this evening and if necessary hear at, 10:30. At the same time a clog we can pass the night." barks continuously and the creaking of "Let us have patience," said Barry the wheels of a heavy cart distinctly Here we are against the Tracaclers, rises to us. At eleven o'clock the steady Passy, Autevil. At daybreak we are descending movement brings us to 1800 crossing the ramparts at Grenelle. Soon meters; we think we are advancing, and we pass along the side of the peninsula we keep at this height from 11:00 on. of Billancourt; we see looming up like a Soon it is noon, time to lay the table; finger the bridge of Sevres, the first arch we spread out some newspapers on our of which on the Paris side is broken, and cloaks and commence tMs meal under an further on the bridge of St. Cloud. Here African sun. Soon chicken bones take there are Prussians; a bullet whistles by, the place of regular ballast, together a second, a third - it is a fusillade. "Fire, with official journals, and the £irnt my friends - your bullets fall back on empty bottle is going to follow tlrnm. your noses." We release Official Journals Wait! a message to the Prussians as we and thev slowlv carrv down to them the tie a paper to the neck of the bottle and good w~rd of )ules 'Favre in answer to throw out this dispatch to them: "From their bullets. tl1e Gironde, 1: 45 at 1800 meters altitude Below is the redoubt of i\fontretout, plus a delicious repast, excellent Chateau the park, the ruins of the chatea~, and Giscours and a good appetite - signed the deserted town of St. Cloud; a little Gallay, aeronaut; Herbault, passenger; further on, in t11e fog, tlrn roofs and t11e Barry and Gambes, owners of the bal­ palace of Versailles. loon - all four travelers." We throw out more ballast and rise. \Vas this naive? Perhaps, but it was What a mist; we are in the clouds, the above the clouds! thermometer drops below zero and stops However we began to move forward, at 3 degrees. It is 9:35 a.m. Ten min­ the thermometer went down to·8 degrees. utes later a pale spot appears; it is the We reascended to 2100 meters and we sun. throw out a second bottle with another We come out of the clouds at a dispatch! height of 1200 meters. What a magnifi­ At this time Barry takes a nap arid cent sight! A resplendent sun, a clear keeps up his snoring for an hour; we skv, and below us a sea of clouds white again hear the dog and the cart so we are as· snow, to the east sparkling under the not vet verv far from Versailles. We rays of the sun, to the west bordered by are looking ·for a nice breeze. Up at a blue shadow of a sea that slowly blends 2.500 meters the thermometer registers with t11e azure of the skv. 12 degrees and the sun burns our heads. "Look, look!" cries B~rrv. It is the Gas escapes and perfumes us. We de­ shadow of the balloon on tbe clouds, a scend to 2000 meters: it is 2:45 p.m., the splendid phantasmagoria, entirely around breeze becomes colder; it is 9 degrees the halo of an immense rainbow. We and we are at 1800 meters. dwell long in ecstasy before this shadow Below us the clouds clear up a bit that follows us over a silver sea. The and between them we see tlie land fly temperature is 10 degrees. At 10 o'clock rapidly by, the highways carrying away we were at 2100 meters high, the ex­ the villages, the streams, and the mea­ panded gas escapes from the mouth of dows. See, we are advancing! and to- JULY, 1960 PAGE 297 ward the northwest. vVe shall go to of the big machine. "Come nearer! Ap­ Havre and if the Prussians have cut the proach!" Finally they hold us close to. railroads we shall finish our voyage We are down on the ground and the over the sea. balloon will not rise again. The crowd What is this black land strewn with runs up, surrounds the basket. One by yellow spots? Wait! it is a forest! Do one we climb down and we grasp each you see this network of roads that form others' hands. intersections like stars? Wouldn't one It is 3:40 p.m., we are 100 kilometers say that it is the outline of the forest ( 62 miles) away from the place of our of St. Germain? Luckily we are far a­ departure. Here is the mayor, the rector, way from it! Listen to that drum! Is it the commandant of the National Guard Prussian? No - you hear a bugle that bv horse across the wood. Questions sounds the French charge; it is a drill a~e exchanged; we reassure these good exercise. friends about Paris. We learned that Then Galley remarks, "it is 3 o'clock, the Prussians are not very far away, that shall we feel out the land? At 4 o'clock the levy en masse is being organized, we shall descend a little and if the Prus­ and a thousand good news items are sians are still there, we shall continue swapped. We had been seen approach­ our journey." ing for some time and from all direct­ "There is a plowman - some sheep - ions carriages arrive. a village, but this is not in occupied ter­ The landing had taken place at Gaud­ ritory; look at those fields, some more reville la Riviere et les Murets in an sheep - let us go down a little." We de­ open country bordering the Iton 7 kilo­ cide to descend to 200 meters, with less meters to the east of Conches, 14 kilo­ fear of finding Prussians. What a pity to meters west of Eureax and 100 kilo­ leave this beautiful sky and its tapestry meters ( 62 miles) from Paris by bird of clouds! - but the earth - that is good, flight ( Author's Note). too! - The duration of the aerial voyage was At 1700 meters the sun grows dim, thus 7 hours and 10 minutes at the aver­ fog envelopes us, we throw out ballast. age rate of speed of nearly' 14 kilometers It gets cold, the gas condenses, the des­ per hour. cent is rapid. At 900 meters we leave our Finally the balloon is deflated, every­ bed of clouds. Here is land, still the one is busy, the envelope is quickly same forest, but father off some mea­ folded and then the net, cords and guide dows and we aim for them. Gallay con­ rope, which stretched out 250 meters, tinues the descent; a landing appears to are taken care of. A messenger from be safe. Conches notifies us that a special train At 600 meters we call out to a awaits us. We get aboard it at La peasant who runs after us. Where are Bonneville, after saying good-bye to Mr. we? At Gaudreville! Where? Near Con­ Vavasseur who had been the first to ches! What department? Eure! Are there see us and who had undertaken to con­ .any Prussians near? No, the place is duct us to the railroad . safe. We are en route for Evreux, accom­ The descent is decided upon and at panied by Mr. Bouillon, inspector of -30 meters we release the guide rope. telegraph lines in the west, and there Watch out a for shock! We touch we deliver to Aumont du Montier, post­ ground, the balloon rises again and with master, the sack of dispatches. That a bound we pass over a little wooded same evening at 8:45 we leave for Tours hill. Gallay has opened the valve but bv way of Dreux, Chartres, Chateaudun, has held back the anchor. Another big a~d Vendome, where we arrived the meadow. "Grab hold of the rope," we day before yesterday, November 9, at shout to the peasant. Watch out for a 7 p.m. shock! Hold on tight; "Sit down, sit Here our journey by balloon is ended down!" cries Gallay, 0, my back! The and in conclusion we give here some benches creaked, but we have nothing figures. Our balloon contained 2045 cu­ broken. Some peasants run and seize the bic meters; it was filled with illuminat­ end of the guide rope. They are afraid ing gas; its shape was a perfect sphere. PAGE 298 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL On arrival we had nearly half of the ballast remaining as well as nine-tenths of the gas. Gallay on his first trip was NEW ISSUES thus shown to be an accomplished aero­ OF naut. The balloon with its entire rig­ ging weighed 424 kg. ( 933 lbs), the MINT AIRMAIL passengers 261 kg. ( 574 lbs ) , the ballast STAMPS 630 kg. ( 1386 lbs) ( 21 sacks of 30 kg.), the dispatches, baggage and food 121 THE MOST ECONOMICAL kg. ( 266 lbs), a total of 1436 kg. (3159 lbs). METHOD OF COLLECTING Herewith, Mr. Editor, are the exact de­ NEW ISSUES, INCLUDING tails of this pleasant voyage; we shall be RARE AND UNUSUAL pleased if they can, as you have as­ sured us, interest the readers of your ITEMS AT NEW ISSUE journal whose title we have borrowed. PRICES Please accept our best wishes, etc. J. Gambes, E. Barry In order to avoid any abuse of the procedure that would permit the pur­ · Send For Descriptive Folder - chaser of a balloon to get out of Paris, the Government on November 10, 1870, decided to forbid from that time on the F. W. KESSLER sale of balloons to individuals. This private balloon was the tenth 500 FIFTH AVENUE ::wthor:zed for

THE PHILATELIC STORY OF FLIGHT by Frank R. Gracey

Number 15 (left) In the very year of the first authenticated balloon ascension, a Frenchman named LeNormand experimented with some sort of parachute. He jumped from the branches of trees and landed safely on the ground, thus demonstrating perhaps for the first time the parachute idea. Number IS (right) Later LeNormand lost his nerve, and made further experiments by placing animals in baskets fastened below his parachute, and then dropping them from walls of buildings and tops of trees. As they always landed without injury his ex­ periments aroused great interest in the parachute theory. JULY, 1960 PAGE 299 Airs of the Month Described and Illustrated through courtesy of Nicholas Sanabria Co., Inc. 521 Fifth Avenue, New York 17, N. Y.

UNITED ST:\.TES: A new definitive 25c airmail honors Lincoln ( #64) BOLIVIA: \Vorld Refugee Year set of five with tree symbol ( #236-40) BRAZIL: \.\lorld Refuoverprint on #158 and #159 in different colors ( # 2:33-4) #39, the sheet is ued to mark th Postage Stamp Centenary of 1940, has been overpri;1 ted in blue fo r St<1mp Day ( #235) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: The Dominican Polo team is p:)rtrayecl on a single value ( .+';: 163 ) The World Refugee Year t ( #168-71) Perf. & Imperf. ouvenir sheets ( #172-3 ) E CUADOR : 11 th Inter-American Conference, held in Quito, i marked by et £howina flaas of the member nations ( # 437-8) Additional Yalues in the Coat-of-Arms series show the emblems of Ruminahui, Mejia and Cayambe Cantons in Pichincha Province ( # 439-441) GUATEMALA : #252-255, the Red Cros set of 1958, has been overprinted and PAGE 300 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL surcharged with four additional values to mark the \Vorld Refugee Year ( #268-75) The Red Cross set for 1960 ( #276-82) HAITI: An imperforate sournnir sheet completes the \Vorld Refugee Year set ( #215) LIECHTENSTEIN: A fine heliogravure set of four marks the 30th Anniversary of Airmail Service ( #34-37) PARAGUAY: A surprise issue honoring the United Nations' declaration of Human Rights ( #323-32.5) A few imperforate sets were issued in different colors from the per­ forated stamps and will be listed as #326-328 A souvenir sheet completing the set will be #329 TOGO REPUBLIC: Africa's latest independent nation issues her first airmails ( #1-3) OFFICIAL SECTION AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY MONTHLY REPORT . From the Secretary Ruth T. Smith, 102 Arbor Road, Riverton, New Jersey JULY, 19SO NEW MEMBERS 4755 Van Denburgh, Jessie W., (Miss), 2191 Bolton St., Bronx 62, N. Y. 4756 Jorgensen, Charles W., 25 Colton Rd., Edison, N. J. 4757 Keerberghen, P. V., (Rev.), 4651 N. 25th St., Arlington 7, Va. 4758 Lowenstein, Ernest, 29 W. 36th St., New York 18, N. Y. 4759 Kokich, .Tames, 136 W 96th St., New York 25, N. Y. · NEW APPLICATIONS Janislawski, Mary (Mrs.), 622 Sausalito Blvd., Sausalito, Calif. Flt. Nav. Inst. Age: 50. By: R. T. Smith Farris, James M ...Tr., 1531 Wellington Rd., Birmingham 8, Ala. Trop. Fish. Age: 44. AM U20 UC FF CAM FAM lD X . By: R. T. Smith Doyle, J. Glenn, 4308 Lynndale St., Saginaw, Mich. Insurance. Age: 55. CAM FAM lD By: R. T. Smith Dodd, W. Donald, 300 Oakwood Ave., Dayton 9, Ohio. Engineer. Age: 39. AM AU U20 UC DC lD By: H. D. Westbrooks Karvosky, Ronald J., (A/2C), 15th Tac Recon Sqdn, Box 177, APO 239, San Francisco, Calif. USAF. Age: 29. AM AU AS U20 UC lD By: R. T. Smith Tripp, Paul A., 15 W. High St., Metamora, Mich. Insur. Agt. Age: 35. AM AU U20 UC PC HC CAM FAM OF CF lD X By: R. T. Smith RE-INSTATEMENTS 2058 Miller, L. Paul, 2014 N. Washington Ave., Scranton 9, Pa. Retd. Teacher. Age: 65. 3904 Kanafani, Sarni, P. 0. Box 701, Beirut, Lebanon. Engineer. Age: 43. CHANGE OF ADDRESS 2912 Pattison. Charles P., 9335 Raymond Ave., Oak Lawn, Ill. 629 Schweier, James T., 1410 N. E. 42nd St .. Pompano Beach, Fla. LM70 Leigh, Southgate, .Tr. (Dr.), 300 Colonial Ave., Norfolk, Va. LM26 Schlandt, A. F., 2107 W. Orangewood, Phoenix. Arizona J4674 Brownie, Frank, 621 Deodora Dr., Altadena, Calif. 4248 Olson, Arthur, 3044 Orchard. Corvallis, Oregon 4629 McLean, Charles, P. 0. Box 58, Lyons, Oregon

FIRST DAY COVERS ON THE 7c AIRMAILS­ (Continued from Page 281) Envelopes should be of ordinary letter size, properly addressed. An envelope must not be sent for the return of first-day covers, and orders for covers must not include requests for uncanceled stamps. Mint 7-cent air mail stamps in sheet and coil form may be ordered from the Philatelic Sales Agency, Post Office Deparbnent, Washington 25, D. C. The present 7-cent Air !\fail stamp was first released July 31, 1958, at Philadel­ phia, Pennsylvania, during the American Air Mail Convention. It was designed by William H. Buckley of New York. JULY, 1960 PAGE 301 STORY OF A STEAM AVIATION ENGINE AIR POST STAMPS This .is the story of one of the show­ Are frequently Offered pieces in the history of aviation, as re­ leased by the Smithsonian Institution. IN OUR GENERAL SALES Almost 100 years ago John String­ Fully Illustrated, fellow, one of the major English pioneer accurately described experimenters with heavier-than-air ma­ auction catalogues, gratis. chines, built a steam "aviation engine" which was exhibited at the world's first aeronautical exhibition held at the Cry­ stal Palace in London in 1868. This was And when you -:ome fo sell, write still 35 years before the Wright brothers for our booklet, "Modern Methods. were to -solve the major problems of of Philatelic Auctioneering", ex­ heavier-than-air flight, but some of the fundamentals already were in the minds . plaining clearly ·all :the advan:tages of a few meh. One of the hurdles, it of selling :through appeared, was to design an engine that would produce sufficient power and still be light in weight. The engine built H. R. HARMER, Inc. and exhibited by Stringfellow won the The "Caspary• Auctioneers top prize of LlOO for "the lightest en­ 6 West 481h St., New York 36, N.Y. gine in relation to power developed." . Stringfellow later modified the de­ sign to get more power, but the days of successful flight still were far ahead. In Jets 1889 his son sold the engine to Samuel P. • Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian Sputniks· Institution, for possible use in his own • flying machines because it did not de­ "I. G. Y." velop enough horsepower and because • he was interested primarily in the en­ Arctic gine from a technical design standpoint. • It became the first aeronautical item Antarctic in the-Smithsonian's collection. The ex­ • hibits in the Smithsonian's Aircraft Build­ Expeditions ing now .at'~ being revamped, and in pre­ • paring th~' old engine for this it was Rockets completely disassembled, cleaned, and re­ • assembled. • U. N. - N. Y. Then it was decided to see whether Ghana it would still run after almost a century • of disuse. With compressed air used as - BEAUTIFUL COVERS - a power source it turned over at once and ran smoothly as a clock. ASK FOR A SELECTION TODAY It is considered one of the prize his­ WALTER R. GUTHRIE torical specimens in the National Aero­ nautical collections. Most aviation his­ P. 0. BOX 390 A tory books refer to this engine as one of TUCSON, ARIZONA ~ the major steps in man's struggle to fly. PAGE 302 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL This huge United States catalog - com­ duced in their entirety, United Nations pi led by the experts of the world's largest completely illustrated and o big specialty stomp firm - · is o must for every col lector. section featuring "Americana" . . . o Completely NEW, this SECOND 1960 edi­ goloxy of foreign stomps honoring the tion is just off the press. It contoi_ns 160 United States. Included, too, is the com­ large pages wi th nearly 2000 clear ond plete .U. S. Stamp Identifi er. -Th is valua ble beautiful illustrations. fully illustrated booklet quickly shows the You'll find U. S. reven ue stomps repro- difference between rare ond common "look-alike" stomps. lncluding very latest prices and filled with iriforrnation every collector needs, You get oil this in one big vol ume ... the Second 1960 edition of t his invalu­ for only 25c! Your Second 1960 edition of able guide and check list includes: Un ited States Stomps will serve yo u well • •. both as o val uable reference book and I. All major U.S. Postage and Airmail as a rel ia ble source of supply for these issues . . . PL US Special Delivery, Parcel Post. Officials, Postage Due, En­ desi rable issues ot money-saving prices. velope Squares , Posta l Cards. Tele­ Use the handy order coupon below. g ra ph arid Savings stamps, etc. 2. Revenue stamps illustrated in their SECOND 1960 EDITION ...... 25t entirety. 3. Popular specialties such as mint posi­ tion blocks, pl ate number blocks, mint sheets , perforated coils. booklet panes. fi rst day covers, proofs and other items. 4. Complete illustrated listings of U.S. Possessions, Confederate States and Brit ish North America. 5. United Nations, with every stamp de­ RUSH me the new Second 1960 Edi tion of sign illustrated. your lbO . page cataloq. UNITED STATES STAMPS, U. S. POSSESSIONS & BRITISH 6. Bi9 Americana section - a postal NORTH AMERICA, including the u. ·s. Stamp tribute to the United States on foreign Identifier. I am enclosing 25c . stamps. 7. U. S. Stamp Identifier - fully ill us­ Na me ...... trated booklet. Use it to check your own colletfion for valuable hidden treasure ! AddressCity & -···············---···················--····· .. ····················· .. ..______~t~·=· = ··;;;;; · :;;;:=:;;;;;·;;;;;; ·=··= · =· · ·-.: · -

JULY, 1960 PAGE 303 One Cover - A Co1nplete C.A.M. Route by Perham C'. Nahl

One of my favorite CA 1s is a complete route in itself: Catalogue number R31El. It is the only inaugural flight on a one-way shuttle service from Chicago's Municipal Airport (Cicero Fly in a Field, in 1929) to Grant Park on Chicago's lake front. The distance flown makes it the shortest C. A.M. route-9.2 miles according to the Postal Bulletin announcement. Curtis Flying Service of the Middle West (Inc.) was the contractor. Service was started June 15, 1929, and the shuttle plane handled only the in­ coming mail from the New York to Chicago route. A group of local ( Chicago) collectors had hoped to dispatch covers from AMF Chicago to Grant Park, but the Post Office Department ruled that only covers addressed to Chicago and received from inbound planes were eligible for tl1is service. This proved a great disappoint­ ment to the local collectors, who had prepared a special cachet. Only the A.M.F. New York, and Cleveland, Ohio, thus far have been authenticated as having been carried. We have just seen one cover with Chicago, June 15, 3:30 P.M. postmark, but in-view of the above mentioned ruling, do not believe this was carried. Anotiher -re€e'ntly seen had a Petosky, Michigan, postmark, with the cachet prepared by the _,,. local collectors. lncidently, the local group was the Chicago chapter of the A.A. 1.S. (No. 2 ) Up to recently the only known covers came from the collection of Ben F. Myer , then Superintendent of Air Mail Service in Chicago. It was a thrill to find several in this collection when I broke it up for Mrs . .Myers a few years ago. There were some. which had not previously been recorded, postmarked Cleveland D .P.O. June 15, 1929 at 1 :30 A.M. This flight has been written up in the American Air Mail Cata­ logue, pages 292-293, wit>h a statement prepared by Mr. Myers. H is authenticating signature appears on the cover. CAM 31 was. discontinued September 30 of the same year, as the time saving was not sufficient to warrant the continued expense. It's one of my favorite covers because it combines uniqueness, attractive appearance, an interesting story, and i all that is needed to complete a route. PAGE 304 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL AAMS EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT APJ.ADS BUY - SELL - WANT LISTS

RATES: WILL BUY or Exchange scarce and rare FOUR CENTS PER WORD per insertion. aerogrammes of the world. C. J. Good­ Minimum charge one dollar. Remittance pastor, 350 Marvin Way, Auburn, Cali­ must accompany order and copy. The fornia. *362 AIRPOST JOURNAL. 350 No. Deere Park Drive, Highland Park, Ill. USED U.S. commemoratives, airs & presi­ dentials, Famous Americans, FDC, given BUY Worldwide airmail issues at face: for airmail entires, U.S. & Foreign, also Directory listing complete instruc:ion-. UN & Ghana miniature sheets. A. Lew­ $1.00. Bedard Publications, Box 637-K andowski, Box 186, New York 59. Detroit 31, Michigan. 3:3 TRANSOCEANIC airplane mail, flown, at­ WE PAY HIGHEST prices for better grade tempted and intended flights. Bought, sold mint and used airmails of the World. Lud­ and exchanged. Krinsky, 250 E. 96th St., wig Weinberger, P.O. Box 571. Ansonia Brooklyn 12, N. Y. *363 Station, New York 23 ,N.Y. (A.S.D.A.) 356 WANTED-Germany all periods, un-hing­ ed mint/used - sets, singles, covers. What WANTED to Buy: For cover collection; do you want? Please contact Mr. Hans Balbo and Byrd Flights, Zeppelins, Rock­ Lewinsohn, Kurgartenstr. 11, Fuerth/Ba­ ets, Pioneers, Balloons. Schoendorf, 7832- varia. 81st Street, Glendale, 27, L. I., N. Y. *368 WANTED-Exchange worldwide stamps in 6 3/4 AffiMAIL ENVELOPES, Barbor complete sets, basis Scott's catalogue. Can Pole design, 24 lb Parchment Stock, 100% supply Philippines, other Asian countries. Rag Content. Prices and Samples Ten John D. Young - AAMS #3877, P.O. Box Cents. Milton Ehrlich, 34-15A 31st Ave., 233, Cebu City, Philippines. Long Island City 6, N. Y. *366 ------AUGUST, 1939, Imperial Flights U.S. -Eng­ AIRMAIL STAMPS and covers worldwide land, fourteen points, offered in exchange on approval. Applicants enclosing lOc for for First Days. Miller, Box 733, Scranton, postage invited. Harry Reichenthal, Box Penna. 876, Miami Beach 39, Florida. *363

I, ARTHUR SCHREIBER, world's first HARRY L. WAHA PASSES AWAY trans-Atlantic commercial passenger with Assolant, Lefevre and Lotti on "Yellow We report the death of A.A.M.S. mem­ Bird" June 1929, will autograph covers for collectors at 25c each. Address 10866 Stagg ber Harry L. Waha, of Southfield, Mich., St., Sun Valley, Calif. *362 on May 17. He was a very enthusiastic collector and supporter of air mail phila­ CUBA: MINT Complete UN $1.00 UNESCO $1.35, Birds $11.50, Castro's $1.00, Monu­ tely. He held membership card No. 1 in ments $1.00, 500 mixed use airmails $10.00, the Motor Cify Air Mail Society of De­ Approvals, New Issues. Seda 13, 1157 Vedado, La Habana, Republica de Cuba. troit and a very low number in the *362 A.A.M.S. ( #1478). His collection of Airport Dedications was nearly complete AAMS EXCHANGE ADS and he had many of the scarce Michigan items. WANTED - Codas - Rossi flight covers New York - Rayak 8/5/1933, Paris - New While his passing was sudden, he had York 5/27/34; Castes - LeBrix Rio de Jan­ not been in too good health for the past eiro - Santiago 12/12/27, Santiago - La Paz 12/21/27. Andre Dumont - Fouya, 38 five years, following a heart attack at Av. Georges Clemenceau, Le Perreaux that time. sur Marne (Seine), France. *362 Besides his collecting, his major con­ PIONEER Flights, pre-1918, of all coun­ tries always wanted. Alfred D. Maier, P. cern was the Shrine Crippled Children's 0. Box 389, Great Neck, N. Y. *363 Fund activities. The Shrine Circus was the major fund raising event for this fund WANTED - U.P.U. stamps in sets mint a::id during those two weeks, Harry did and used, exchange US FDC or US Pl. Blk. or buying. Also wanted Germany little else except to see that as many of & Colonies. Yand L. Chung, 611 Shipley the children as possible were able to at­ St., Wilmington 1, Delaware. *362 tend. He is survived by his wife, Esther, I HA VE a few hundred rocket covers, in a son, a daughter, and four grandchild­ exchange for other rocket covers I need ren. His greatest joy was the grandchil­ in my collection. Anton Hobling, 1725 Putnam Ave., Brooklyn 27, N. Y., U.S.A. dren. We all shall miss him. *369 -Bliss R. Bowman THE AIRPOST JOURNAL Tillle To Sell? ~~• • THEN CONSIDER AUCTION AS YOlJR ~IETHOD IRWIN HEIMAN

T h e benefit of more than 30 ycai·s experience in stamp

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