THE AERO PHILATELIST ANNALS Vol. XX, No. 2 January 1977 Edited by Philip Silver 863 Red Oaks Drive Elberon, N.J. 07740 * Content• A Review of United States Air Mall Markings Since 1918 (Philip Silver) so Uruguay (Herman Kerst) 56 The First Air Mail Issues of 1921·22 Random Thoughts on U.S. Air Mails (Philip Sliver) ........ ..... .... ..... 59 A Suggested Correction to the American Air Mall Catalogue ( Philip Silver) . • . 63 The Editor Says . ..••........ ...............•........ ....... 64 A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIETY SUPPLEMENT TO THE AffiPOST JOURNAL, J ANUARY, 1977 VlA AER 0 PLANE (Lock Ha ven, Pa.) BRYAN CLEVELAND, N.Y. A Review of United States Air AERO MAJL EAST (Bryan, Ohio) 1919 VIA, Aeroplane (Cleveland, Ohio) Mail Markings Since 1918 It is quite possible thal some or lhe above markings may be of private origin. By Philip Silver Starling in 1920, the )VOrds " air mail" appear with combina~on lower and upper case letters and in upper case letters only. Other markings make The United Stales air mail specialist,• looking for an interesting and their appe.arance too: inexpensive collecUng facet, might consider air mail markings. Those that Air Mail (several sizes) will be considered here will not usually be found listed in the catalogues. AIR MAIL (several sizes) Yes, 'I.here are a number or special handstamps listed in the American Air AIRPLANE MAIL Mail Catalogue and other catalogues as well. Outstanding, or course, is lbe VlA (in box; all letters in italics) o.ircular handstamp plus four bars at right first used on the May 15, 1918 Clights between Washington, Philadelphia and New York. A quick glance at Via Air Mail the U.S. Governmental FLigbts Section in the American Air Mail Catalogue VIA AJR MAIL (several sizes) will disclose a number of interesting handstamps used to designate service Night Air Mail on the new routes as they were opened. Most of these handstamps were used NIGHT AIR MAIL (several sizes) as cancelling devices. Others applied what rnigh't be termed cachets. None of AEROPLANE SERVlCE these are the markings that are considered ln this article. AEROPLANE MAIL Air Mail Service Designation Markings In addition, the familiar winged "US" is noted on covers Clown in the Whal is especially surprising about the 1918 pe riod which ushered in early 1920's. Three basic types may be distinguished, and these are shown the modern Governmental air mail period, as contrasted to the pioneer e ra, is that the Post OCiice Department provided few handstamps for markJng letters t.o indicate that air mail service was being provided. As a consequence, patrons of this service marked their letters with a wide variety of manu­ script, typewritten or rubber-stamped legends. Thus, during 1918 and 1919, the following will be found: Aerial Mail Aviation Mail NIGHT ~ ~ rr. R ECEIVEO Aerial Post Via Aeroplane Aeroplane Man Via Aero Mail Airplane Mail Via Aeroplane Mail Service AIRPLANE MAIL Via Airplane Post Airplane Service in the accomyanying illustration. In addition, a sub type, 2a, is known with Others may exist; they are, of course, stricUy private markings. the words "NIGHT AIR MA IL" below the handstamp. There are also a number of what appear to be official handstamped With the start of ai1· mail servtice in 1935 across the Pacific Ocean to markings found on covers, some used in only one city: Hawaii, the Philippines and, in 1937, lo the Asian mainland, new markings Year are found: 1918 AERIAL MAlL (with or without dot after " MAlL") AlR MAIL CLIPPER AIR MAIL AERIAL MAlL··-·····-. (ten dashes followed by dot) VIA CLIPPER VlA CLIPPER MAIL AERIAL MA.IL-······-····VIA NEW YORK (15 dashes) TRANS-PACIFIC AERO Via Clipper .. MAJL (in box; wings al right and left) 2 sizes Air Mail TRANS-PACIFIC Affi MAIL VIA Via Clipper BY TRANS·PA<::lFIC ROUTE AEROPLANE MAIL (with wings at right and left) (double letters) BY AlRl\i[AJL · Trans Paaific Route By Airplane Mail VlA CLIPPER VIA, AEJROPLANE (Lock Haven, Pa.) CLIPPER VIA TRANS-PACIFIC AIR MAIL PAGE 51 PAGE 50 THE AERO PHILATELIST ANNALS JANUARY, 1977 Afler the successful lights across the Atlantic Ocean in 1939, most A third method or identiCicatiion is to Cind first-cl•ass letters with "expedited" letters received only the basic " AIR MAIL" or "VIA AIR MAIL" markings markings such as the following: l have seen one m•arking, however, which speciues the route, lo wit: 12 10 19 Delivery oC this leUer TRANS ATLANTIC ROUTE advanced by Air Mail. A number of military markings may also be found durdng the World DeLivery or this Jetter War II period: 1 8 20 expedited one business Cenlified Essential Official day by Air Mail. War Department Air Mail W. D. ESSENTIAL OFFlCIAL AIRMAlL 318 21 ADVANCED BY AIR MAIL VIA MILITARY PLANE 6/23 23 ADVANCED BY AEROPLANE Such "expedited " markings tare also found on regular air mail covers " Expedited" Markings On July 18, 1919, air mail service ceased. Postmaster General's Order subsequent lo June 30. 1924 . Some examples are noted : No. 3336, July 18, 1919, and effective as of that date, slated that mail carried 1928 Forwarded by train to by airplane would be charged al the rate of 2 cents an .ounce or fraction. expedite delivery This order did not establish a new afr mail rate. It merely meant that on Lhe 1930 By Ail' Mail lo Exchange Ofiice planes, which continued lo fly with a view towards the eventual establish­ 1932 Dispatched by rail from Dallas, Tex. ment of a transcontinental system, mail !ranked at the then current 2-cent to advance arrival al destination. first-class rate would be flown if space was available. " La1e" or " No Connection" Markings Row, then, can one identify a Clown 2-cent rate cover? Occasionally, In lhe middle to lale 1920's, when time schedules {or the Government such mail received lhe winged air mail handstamp. (See illustrated cover.) and contract routes had been firmly established, a new type of marking A second way to idenbify such first-class covers is if they bear a Post OWce came into vogue. These were applied to letters which were received after Department "crash" marking. A number or these may be Cound i.n the In­ the announced lime schedule or where planes were lale in arriving or depart­ terrupted Flight Covers Section of the American Air Mall Catalogue (see ing. Some examples are shown below: pages 317-389 or Volume 1, Filth Edition). This applies only lo those covers Dispatched by train: Plane w'hich flew between July 18, 1919 and June 30, 1924 . On that latter date, the 1926 failed to arrive or deparl new 8 cents rate for each zone on the transcontinental line went into eCCecL. Forwarded by train account of delay lo mail plane. (all letters in italics) FORWARDED BY TRAIN Account no connection with Mail Received al Chicago, Ill. plane from Omaha, Nebr. too lale !or air dispatch Burlington Sta. Forwarded by lTain Received al St. Louis, Missouri Received loo late too tale for Air Dispatch. for AIR MAIL. Forwarded by train. Dispatched by rail lo save delay. 1928 (in box) Received too late for }-_ A.ur7_ Air Mail. Dispatched by Forwarded by train from Train to save delay. Chicago, m. account of Sent by rail to avoid delay - delay lo mail plane. f~,_~~ 1929 1927 ... U-f.c'·T...JL Dispatched via train Forwarded by train to Chicago to avoid delay. ~ ~~l£?t-i: account delay to plane. Forwarded by train from RECEIVED TOO LATE A first-class cove r with Type 1 winged VIA I US I AIR MAIL handstamped Chicago, Ill. account no TO CONNECT WITH marking. (All photos by Boutrelle) connection with mail plane GRAF ZEPPELlN FLIGHT PAGE 53 PAGE 52 THE AERO PHILATELIST ANNALS JANUARY, 19n TOO LATE FOR RECEIVED TOO LATE lion. By limiting the air mail service to 8 cents, the sender got lhe following : GRAF ZEPPELIN DESPATCH FOR boat service to the west coast, air mail service from coast to point or address GRAF ZEPPELIN DISPATCH at the then current 8 cents an ounce rate ror non-military personnel during TOO LATE part or the World War Il period. VARICK ST. STA., N.Y. 1938 Flight Delayed on A marking seen in th e late 1920's and early 1930's is: AIR l\.1ATL LON­ 1930 Account of Storm DON TO CONTINENT. During that period, air mail service was supplied DISPATCHED BY TRAIN TO AVOID Crom London lo various points in continental Europe, Turkey and northwest­ DELAY ern Africa. Mail from the United States would be sent by boat to London at (on one line) the foreign rate of 5 cents an ounce. Per Post Office Department instructions, if lhe sender wanted air mail service Crom London, the letteT bad lo be en­ "Short Paid" Markings dorsed as noted above. Rates varied according to the distance from London. FrequenUy, a letter would be endorsed "via air mail" by the sender But, since the sender added the endorsement, il is obviously of private origin. but insu£!icient postage was a£!ixed. For such letters. a variety of markings This service, or course, was in use prior to the time air mail was first flown have been noted: across the AUanlic Ocean on a regular basis starting in 1939. 1924 Lastly, I include an interesting marking round on some 1918 covers. 1933 Thls, loo, is most likely of private origin: InsuCficient postage NOT IN TIIE ATR MAILS Not in Air Mail SEND A LETTER BY AIRPLANE SHORT PAID (lhis is a manuscript P.0 .D.