Share & Discuss Your Favourite First Flight Cover Scans: GLOBALLY!

GYDAM · Post by **GYDAM** » 23 Sep 2022 18:13

Following on from the previous post .... herewith -

1. Cairo back-stamp on the KLM cover.
2. Two of the covers were slit open - these are the inserts ... obviously all covers would have had the same inserts (with airline names changed).

Cheers, Gordon

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 05 Nov 2022 21:11

Added this piece of amazing eye candy to stock today.

1934 Australia-NZ-Australia "Boomerang" cover with astonishing totally Official/OS franking! - Has KGV ‘OS’ overprints making the correct 7d franking - ½d x2, 1d, 2d (Small Multiple Wmk) and the 3d is ACSC cat $1,250 used on any cover (Rod Perry stated that he had only seen this 3d ‘OS’ stamp on 6 covers of any description). This 3d, seldom seen for any OS, is superb centred. Unusually, originating in ADELAIDE. Eustis/AAMC #371 - clean and fresh and attractive FIVE colour franking, after near 90 years. The return leg, with usual ‘KAITAIA’ cds, is franked NZ KGV well centred 9d with 'OFFICIAL' opt SG #O104 (cat from £190=$360 on cover) A totally unique cover thus, and have never seen anything remotely like it. - Stock 792BA

Elton_Goa_India · Post by **Elton_Goa_India** » 09 Jan 2023 15:10

I received this fine pair of 27 October 1952 Netherland Mexico FFC from a stampboards friend.

Both have the arrival receipt stamp in Mexico on 29 October 1952

However in one case the month Oct is inverted (mirror image)

Has anyone else noticed this ??

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 14 Jan 2023 15:05

My love affair is growing with Lady Ezra.
Australia to India, signed by G.U. Allen on the left side - I seem to recall seeing something from Glen that this unusual.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 14 Jan 2023 15:12

And 3 more covers signed by Ron Adair with his company stamp.
Was Alan Young a noted cover/stamp collector??

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 14 Jan 2023 15:17

And naturally, if Stephen Smith was involved in my new collection, there had to be some good Rocket Mail
stuff.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 14 Jan 2023 17:53

Hmm. I just noticed that the Rocket Cover is signed by Alan Young, who is the person the 3 Adair signed covers were sent to - guess he must have been involved in stamps more than I thought!!!

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 14 Jan 2023 18:19

The 4d Violet KGV is rare on ANY kind of cover. ACSC lists it as $600 thus.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 08 Mar 2023 11:41

These are not listed in the Aust Airmail Catalogue, but I know there was a lot of activity with flying boats at Groote Island at the time with the commencement of services to and from England, so I guess these got carried as "intermediates" - anyone have any clues???

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 08 Mar 2023 17:23

Alan they'll be official for sure.

Saville Sheard and Blumenthal were the 2 biggest wheels in covers at that time - we have an entire thread here on Sheard! Both handwriting are theirs.

Wrigley will be daughter or neice or relative of this Captain Wrigley I'd bet -

Thredbo · Post by **Thredbo** » 09 Mar 2023 14:25

Hi
Being a low-budget collector, I only get other peoples unwanted covers generally, so this front piece has been in my
"Ugly and worthless" box for awhile. I was not aware of its significance until I read this thread. Its condition is
appalling and Im sure it is worthless to most serious collectors, however to me it is a great bit of Australian history.
It was posted in Darwin on the 26th of April 1931 and there is a date stamp in the bottom lefthand corner with the
date 15 May 1931 and under that, there appears to be two signatures.
The second cover states it is the 2nd Aust-UK flight, also cancelled in Darwin with the date being 1st May 1931,
I won't comment any further as the collective knowledge on Stampboards is phenomenal and I'd probably be wrong
anyway...

: Damaged 1st Official Airmail Flight. Aust to UK

: 2nd Flight Aust-UK

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 18 Mar 2023 08:56

This one should make for interesting discussion!
WHY would you forge something like this????

Thredbo · Post by **Thredbo** » 18 Mar 2023 15:20

16 February 1946: The Sikorsky S-51 prototype, NX92800, made its first flight. The test pilot was Dimitry D. (“Jimmy”) Viner, The S-51 was the first helicopter intended for commercial use.

On October 1, 1947, the first official Airmail service flown by helicopter was inaugurated in Los Angeles.
.
Before this, the postal service had experimented with delivery by autogiro aircraft. July 6, 1939, an autogiro
carried 52,128 first flight covers from Camden, New Jersey, to the roof of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania post
office.
Autogiros were then put into service in Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.

However, the autogiro’s time was short-lived with the advent of helicopter service. Helicopter Airmail test flights had been conducted in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City, and New York. After those proved successful, helicopters were officially made part of the US Airmail fleet on June 2, 1947.

The US Civil Aeronautics Board authorized Los Angeles Airways (LAA) to serve 30 LA post offices for three years. They would use the Sikorsky S-51 helicopter.

The first Airmail flight occurred on October 1, 1947. The service was so popular, they expanded it to include two flights each day between the main downtown post office and the Los Angeles International Airport.

By the end of the first year of operations, LAA had a fleet of five S-51s carrying out these deliveries. In that first year alone, they had carried 700 tons of mail and made 40,000 landings throughout Los Angeles. The service performed well, with a 95% reliability rate.

On December 17, 1953, LAA made the world’s first air express helicopter deliveries in 1954 using the larger S-55’s. LAA continued to deliver Airmail by helicopter until 1964.

By the time operations ceased, they had carried over 82 million pounds of Airmail and over 25 million pounds of air express mail. LAA ceased all of its operations in 1971.

: First Flight Helicopter Mail. U.S.A. 1946

This cover was posted at 3.30pm in Monrovia, California, 8th July 1946 to go via Helicopter mail to Los Angeles, on the back flap it has a L.A. cancel stamp at 5.00pm so an hour and a half trip.
The distance between Los Angeles Airport (LAX) and Monrovia is 28.m/45.klm's.
The road distance is 40.6m/65.klm's.
The address, which is written very lightly by pencil, is to The Foothill Stamp Company
609 E Green Pasadena which is 10 miles from Monrovia.
This must be during the period they were testing the viability of the service

Lakatoi 4 · Post by **Lakatoi 4** » 18 Mar 2023 15:35

AlanLogue wrote: ↑18 Mar 2023 08:56 This one should make for interesting discussion!
WHY would you forge something like this????

The AAMC states that the PMG wouldn’t provide a special cancel for the flight but allowed Western Australian Airways to provide one and the PMG would use that cancel.

Your cover has the so called “forgery” cancel with the wide second letter A in Aerial. I say “so called” because the A letter on that cancel and lettering overall is far better than the “genuine” type which has the second letter A offset towards the L.

To my mind the “forgery” cancel is most probably a replacement cancel as WA Airways wasn’t happy with the way the “genuine” cancel looked.

I can see no other explanation for the different descriptive wording used other than that.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 29 Mar 2023 10:49

Just picked this up on Fleabay for $15.
I bought it for interest, and am wondering who Jean Bailey might have been (or still is!)
Alan

Lakatoi 4 · Post by **Lakatoi 4** » 29 Mar 2023 20:47

Alan,

This block appears to be inconsistent with the normal silver finish of these. Perhaps it’s the scan/photo

Ernie Crome’s writing and importantly his signature appears 100% OK so I’ve no reason to believe these are faked.

Jean Bailey is a name I don’t remember seeing related to aerophilately, the only name I know that is similar would be Jean Batten. I’ll look further into this.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 11 Apr 2023 21:40

A little more postal history.
Survivor of the crash of G-ALAM
Not only the outer envelope, but the inner envelope, and the letter enclosed.
I'll see how my French goes trying to translate it.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 22 Apr 2023 09:42

2 more recent acquisitions.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 22 Apr 2023 09:44

And another crash cover.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 22 Apr 2023 14:22

AlanLogue wrote: ↑29 Mar 2023 10:49
I bought it for interest, and am wondering who Jean Bailey might have been (or still is!

Alan

Ernie had a swag on these and signed them for all kinds of friends and acquaintances.

Here is a long letter from him along those same lines, that I sold to a member here ages back -

mailcovers wrote: ↑19 Jun 2007 00:26
This Cover is one of my favourites ... and was purchased from a well known stamp dealer some time back .. who lives near Northbridge NSW ???... but shall be nameless ????

The 1935 cover has a good bit of history behind it .. It was the Sir Charles Kingsford Smith ill fated flight on route to NZ ..when it experienced engine trouble .. most of the mail was thrown out of the plane so the plane could return and land at mascot .. this was one of many to survive the trip..... not a good scan ..I'm afraid .. Cover looks more healthy than this in real life !!

Signed by Co Pilot and Navigator PG Taylor.

Also interesting note on back written by Ernie Crome.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 27 Apr 2023 09:46

3 more additions to the collection.

60366 · Post by **60366** » 29 Apr 2023 01:14

Cover flown from Halifax N.S. To New York on the Von Gronau flight 25.8.1930 flight. This was a portion of the transatlantic flight undertaken by Von Gronau in his Dornier Wal ( Greenland Whale) seaplane covering 7520 Km in 47 hours.
The cover is a2cent stationary envelope surcharged with a 20 cent special delivery stamp cancelled with a circular 11th August Halifax cancel and supplemented with a U.S. 2cent stamp cancelled with a New York Grand Central 26th August cancel. Envelope addressed to Von Gronau for furtherance to East Orange N.J. Arrival mark on reverse East Orange N.J. 27th August.

Cover mailed New York 28.8.1946 to Hamburg. Carried on the first commercial flight to Berlin after WWII.Flown by American Overseas Airlines to Templehof airfield. Censored in Germany byU.S. Authorities and tied by censor mark 20349. On the reverse is purple cachet “ U.S. Air Mail First Flight Berlin Germany” and Berlin N.W. Receiver 30.8.1946.

Flown cover on the 20.4.1926 inaugural flight from Danzig to Tilsit, Prussia (now Sovetsk Russia). Rated at 30pf with red “MIT Luftpost befördertpostamt Tilsit 1” cachet endorsed to the envelope.

Airmail cover mailed 21.5.1987 addressed to the North Cap. D.D.R rated at 40pf and stamp cancelled with Berlin 2 strike commemorating a 1938 Russian flight to the North Pole. On reverse are transit cancels for Honningsvag (25.5.87) and Norkkapp (30.6.87) and redirected to C.C.C.P. with 24.7.87 arrival mark.

60366 · Post by **60366** » 29 Apr 2023 02:01

Registered airmail F.D.C.posted Memel 17.10.1922 to Danzig with all the ten Memel airmail overprint issue of 17th October. Very philatelic but none the less a very interesting and scarce cover. Receiver for Danzig Langfuhr 19.10.1922 on reverse.

Lakatoi 4 · Post by **Lakatoi 4** » 02 May 2023 15:01

One of my favourite FFC's from/via Papua. Flown in 1935 on a Short Scion seaplane by Stuart Campbell from Sydney to Thursday Island and return via Daru. Self addressed and signed on the rear by Ernie Crome. The flight was a delivery of the seaplane to the Oroville Gold Dredging Co. It's AAMC P.80 and 1 of 12 flown:

1935 FFC Sydney to Thursday Island & return, AAMC P.80

Lakatoi 4 · Post by **Lakatoi 4** » 02 May 2023 15:06

Another of my favourites flown in 1938 on the Consolidated Fying Boat "Guba II" by Richard Archbold and Russell Rogers from Port Moresby to Sydney via Cairns. Its AAMC P.140 but no mention of numbers flown, though the AAMC cat. value would indicate only around 6 or less were flown.

1938 FFC from Port Moresby to Sydney via Cairns, AAMC 140

Lakatoi 4 · Post by **Lakatoi 4** » 02 May 2023 15:26

Last one for the day, 1936 FFC flown on the Fairchild amphibian 'Kono' by Russell Rogers and Richard Archbold on the return flight from Port Moresby to Daru for the Second Archbold Expedition. Signed by Rogers, it's AAMC P.99, it was on the fourth trip of the expedition:

1936 FFC Port Moreby to Daru, Second Archbold Expedition, AAMC P.99

PROFpeter · Post by **PROFpeter** » 02 May 2023 16:56

: Aus to England front

This is my first attempt at a scan so I hope it works

PROFpeter · Post by **PROFpeter** » 05 May 2023 00:36

After no comments on this my first post, I was hoping someone might say something.

My wife's uncle was commander Bacon, who perished on HMS Sydney in the second world war.

Almost certainly this postcard was sent by him. I have several other cards sent by him to relatives in England and South Africa, some with a Naval stamp which reads "from HM Ship ...... passed by censor".

I know very little about covers and was hoping someone might tell me where I can find a catalogue with information about this type of cover or the 2nd world war covers.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 05 May 2023 00:53

The standard 1931 First Flight Cover for this time - it is not a 'postcard' - the Nelson Eustic AAMC cat lists all these things, to answer your question.

Please make your into post in 'Roll Call' and remember to add all attachments inline properly - you got one correct.

Reading this will help -

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2556

Your avatar can be 165 x 165 - your tiny one is about 15 x 15

Admin

Toowacka · Post by **Toowacka** » 17 May 2023 10:25

Here is a very nice Ansett Airways First Flight cover Melbourne to Warrnambool 17th July 1950. It's for sale on eBay now

John.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 20 May 2023 00:10

The Ansett cover now has a good home for $20.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 16 Jun 2023 21:16

Just had this delivered from an auction in Canada - I'd forgotten I had even bid on it!!!
Signed by the 3 crew members on the leg to Australia

Lakatoi 4 · Post by **Lakatoi 4** » 16 Jun 2023 21:34

Nice cover, signed by Jackson and Mant

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 16 Jun 2023 21:40

and also signed by Mills.
It goes with the other one signed by Solly and Nichol

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 24 Jul 2023 18:56

This is AAMC 0469N a first flight cover flown by Imperial Airways from Singapore to Brisbane, Australia.

It is postmarked Dec 1934 in Singapore, and flown on Imperial Airways Athena, registration G-ABTK.

I wonder if anyone can help with the name of the "commander" of the flight?

I am thinking Gary Wilson??

I'd love to find out more about the pilot, but I have so far run into brickwalls.

So, I thought I'd throw it out to the collective group for some input.

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 24 Jul 2023 23:44

Just about to list up a copy of the rare hard cover 'QANTAS AERIANA' by Ernie Crome for $A120 (Stock 494CR) which of course has reams of info re flight pilots, plane registration numbers, and sectors and plane types.

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?p=10704121#p10704121

They generally sell for about $A150 plus post. Info in here found NOWHERE else as can be seen re this pilot name!

This is 2 x relevant info filled pages from that book -

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 25 Jul 2023 00:55

Thanks Glen.

Had totally forgotten to look in Aeriana!

Page 55 mentions Captain V. Gorry Wilson in Athena!

Oh well, I had half his name correct, and I'd never have thought of a name like Gorry.

This is a great resource - thanks again.

Alan

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 25 Jul 2023 00:58

Yes an absolutely ESSENTIAL book, for all those fine details of the classic era Qantas Mail Carrying Flights.

Info found absolutely nowhere else really.

Glen

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 25 Jul 2023 01:18

Some pilot info

PhilipAdams · Post by **PhilipAdams** » 06 Aug 2023 13:06

Would appreciate help on this one. I do not have an AAM catalogue.

The violet handstamp on the front tells me it's a first flight cover.

The cover is tied to a 2/- maroon Kangaroo stamp by a cds showing DARWIN.N.T/26 AP 31/AUSTRALIA.

Also on the front is a LONDON S.W.1 cds dated 15 May 1931.

On the back is a TYNYGONGL ANGLESEY (Wales) cds dated 16 May 1931 and a violet IMPERIAL AIRWAYS clock stamp for 14 May 1931.

My questions:

(1) Why the time lapse between the Darwin cancel (26 April) and the London arrival (15 May)?

(2) Where was the clock stamp applied?

(3) Is 2/- the right postage?
==============

With thanks,

Philip

Global Admin · Post by **Global Admin** » 06 Aug 2023 13:29

The clockwheel almost certainly applied London. Not an Ozzie marking.

This cover was the 1931 'First Experimental Airmail' and left Darwin April 27. A huge 32,000 covers were carried! Piloted by Charles Kingsrod Smith and G.U.Allen in 'The Southern Cross' to Akyab, then transferred to Imperial Airways arriving London May 14. AAMC 188, $50. 2 pages of intermediates are listed and priced!

23 April 1931. The return flight was carried out as scheduled. Kingsford Smith flying the mail from Darwin, 27 April to Akyab, 3 May, where it was transferred to an Imperial Airways DH66 Hercules 'City of Karachi', G-AARY to Delhi, then Indian State Air Service to Karachi. Then from Karachi to London, 14 May, by regular Imperial Airways service. Covers from Australia were stamped with a special cachet in violet. Only registered mail was backstamped in London, but intermediates applied arrival datestamps. Kingsford Smith is known to have signed items from this flight.

188. Australia-England (32,000) - $50

This one i sold left Perth April 17, and appears to have been a 'Boomerang' cover - The backstamps point to that. THIS one bears 2/8½d franking, so maybe it WAS pre-paid for return somehow? How rate was determined have no idea.

Until the ‘All-The-Way’ air route opened in Dec 1934, the only normal overseas airmail service at this time, was the Imperial Airways, Karachi to London service (the mails went by boat from WA to Karachi) which was 1/- per ounce.

Rates are never easy at this time, and especially as this one STARTED in Darwin where the special flight originated.

'Experimental flight 1931' airmail postal rate was the normal postage rate PLUS the following per half ounce

Singapore 1 shilling
Rangoon 1s 3d
Calcutta 1s 3d
Karachi/Western India 1s 3d
Persia,Iraq,Palestine,Egypt 1s 7d
Europe 1s 9d
London 1s 9d

The normal rate at the time would have 5d per half ounce for letters - 2d post plus 3d Airmail fee.

MAYBE only the 2d letter rate was due - making it 1/11d if posted from Darwin -- not sure. Maybe only 1/9d was payable?

In 1934 1/6d covered the entire first half ounce to London by AIR, and the 1/6d Hermes stamp was issued to cover that heavily used rate.

Remember in 1931 we had no Qantas A380 non stops to London.

The usual path was around 24 stops. Many overnight. That takes time. This routing below was taken off the December 1931 special service cover -

The printed red map on the back of the 1931 cover is fascinating, showing the plane routing. 24 stops is hard for us to believe in these days of non-stop A380 flights to London!

Romantic stopover town names like Longreach, Wyndham, Batavia, Rangoon, Karachi, Bushire, Baghdad, Athens and Lyons etc.

As can be seen, this 1931 'Air' cover took over a month to arrive -

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 15 Sep 2023 11:18

Been after one of these for a while - finally came true.
Not only the flight cover, but first day of issue on Mascot datestamp.
1938 Australia-UK record solo flight by HF Broadbent franked Queen 1d tied 'Mascot Aerodrome 26 MR 34' cds, 2nd strike with correct date (1st day for this cds), plus GB 1½d tied by London cds, 'Lympne Airport Hythe Kent' b/s. Signed by pilot. Only 40 flown with only 10 signed.

Lakatoi 4 · Post by **Lakatoi 4** » 15 Sep 2023 20:03

A very nice cover Alan

Where would Australian aerophilately have been without Ernie Crome

By a weird cosmic coincidence, I was born in Cambridge St., the next street to where Ernie lived.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 17 Sep 2023 14:25

You are so, so right!
I know people here in Adelaide who knew him, but I never had what would have been an absolute pleasure to meet him.
My interest in flight covers comes from a father who was a Foundation member of TAA and was with them for over 40 years - I was almost born in a TAA aircraft in '56!!!!!
Alan

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 19 Sep 2023 08:44

This is not a First Flight Cover, even though it was listed on an auction site as such.
After some wheeling and dealing I got it for A$20 which I was happy with.
The reason I persisted was that I love the vignette!!!
Alan

Lakatoi 4 · Post by **Lakatoi 4** » 19 Sep 2023 10:25

An interesting cover. Definitely not a FFC as you say but it appears that it was originally going to be on the return flight of the first all-Australian flight to England on VH-UNA Southern Sun.

The crash landing at Alor Star on the outward flight to England certainly didn’t help but Smithy saved the day again and carried all the mail to England in another ANA aircraft (VH-UMG Southern Star). On the day prior to the return flight carrying the mail the aircraft crashed which caused another delay until 7 January 1932.

The Sydney arrival hand stamp on the rear of the cover is dated 21 January 1932 so a two weeks return flight.

I wouldn’t dismiss it as a flight cover though due to it’s memorable (though unlucky) background. In a FFC collection I’d put it straight after an outgoing cover from that flight.

stampmogul · Post by **stampmogul** » 19 Sep 2023 17:48

Back in 2007 a cover similar to this one (also addressed to Harold Eustice Woodman) was shown posted to Coogee, NSW.
The inscription & pilot signature was the same.

Glen's comment was "Probably only 2 or 3 still survive" - only 21 carried.

[attachment=0]Wewak

Harold Woodman was in New Guinea from 1925 to 1939, he then re-enlisted in the Australian Army as a Lt.Colonel, and returned to Madang in 1945 as District Commissioner.
I have collected 107 covers of Harold Woodman as he was a fanatical philatelist who prepared a bundle of covers every time a new set of stamps were issued in New Guinea.
Harold retired to Penrith, NSW, was elected as a Penrith councilor, created a stamp club at Penrith & passed away in 1967.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 19 Sep 2023 22:05

A couple more covers just won at auction.
My interest in these came from reading about a female pilot on one cover, and the aura of Dum Dum, on the other.
And as usual Stephen Smith is on both of them.
The scans are not mine and came from the auction site.

AlanLogue · Post by **AlanLogue** » 22 Sep 2023 17:43

I just collected this cover on ebay - not expensive, and it looks the part but I was looking at the postmark date in Sydney of 7 Aug 1935, and the actual flight on the 14th of SEPTEMBER from Brisbane and to Rockhampton on Sept 15.
It must have sat in someones office for a while to be then put on the flight.It has the NEAL vignette as well as the rubber stamp.
And of course, the venerable Ernie Chrome address.