AIRPOSTAIRPOST

JOURNALJOURNAL

The Official Publication of theAmerican Air Mail Society

April 2016 Volume 87, No. 4 Whole No. 1030

April’s Featured Article —FFCs from Cape Verde:Air France 4R, 1934

Page 137

APRIL 2016 PAGE 133

Henry Gitner Philatelists, Inc.PO Box 3077T, Middletown NY 10940

Email: hgitner@hgitner.com — http://www.hgitner.com

Zeppelins & AerophilatelyAsk for our Free Price List of Worldwide Flight covers and stamps.

The following is a small sampling – full list on Website!United States

US C13 - C15 set of card and 2 covers w/matched wide bottom plate

numbers. VF condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,350.00US C13 FDC--F-VF stamp on unusual front of pictorial airmail enve-

lope, flown to Seville with Seville + NY/Chicago RPO Receiving B/S.

Interesting usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $750.00Germany

1930 C38 - C39 Pan Am flight to Lakehurst S.57N . . . . . . . . . $750.00Liechtenstein

1936 official mail Olympic flight dispatch 020 S.427 . . . . . . . $750.00Luxembourg

1936 Hindenburg 1st North America flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $425.00Malta

1933 Chicago flight to Brazil S.238Aaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $875.00Mauritania

1934 3rd South America Flight, to Argentina S.254Ba . . . . $1,850.00Mexico

1936 2nd North America Flight S.411D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$750.00Monaco

1932 5th South America Flight, sent to Brazil S.171Aa . . . . . $875.00Netherlands/Belgium

1937 Flight Crash to Monaco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $750.00New Guinea

1939 (March 13) C46-48,C51-54 on 4 airmail covers, stamped "First

Day of Issue," 1 cover registered. T.N.G - Austria, addressed to Garden

City, NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $225.00Newfoundland

1932 DO - X to England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $350.00

New York 2016 Looms AheadThe 2016 World Philatelic Exhibition is coming up very quickly –

May 28 through June 4, eight days. Recommended arrival is May 26, set-

up on May 27, show opens on Saturday, May 28: virtually all AAMS

meetings and programs are scheduled for the first two days.

AAMS will have a society booth – No. 777 – near the Food Court

area. We are sharing that space with the Metropolitan Air Post Society

(MAPS) and the Wreck & Crash Mail Society. Each participant in our

booth (AAMS, MAPS and Wreck/Crash) gets a 16-page frame for pro-

motion of their group interests and membership benefits. I am undertak-

ing the coordination of preparation of our frame. We need not duplicate

what the others show.

The AAMS frame will include examples of world-wide aerophi-

lately. Photos of the aircraft used will provide heightened interest. We

need a "show-stopper" high-profile display that will draw viewers; no

mundane examples. Every item should be a magnet for the eyes. Sugges-

tions for inclusion will all be considered. One page will be dedicated to

AAMS promotion, but with AAMS staffing at the table, that will be plen-

ty.

There is no need to use originals; high quality colors scans are

sufficient for this display.

Comments and recommendations are welcome. Time is of the

essence; no last minute changes. Deadline for having everything in my

hand is April 15. I am already preparing a prospective list of items to be

displayed. Your participation in this project is invited. Do you have a

gem or two to submit for consideration? Sure you do . . . we all do! Send

it to me as soon as possible so it can be considered for inclusion.

Please give immediate top priority to this request. Thank you for

your assistance.

AAMS Membership Services and BenefitsWe recently asked for your ideas and recommendations on what

we can do as a society to enhance membership services and benefits.

Thus far we have two responses in hand.

• Index the AAMC 7th Edition

PAGE 134 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 135

Copyright 2016 The American Air Mail Society. The Airpost Journal (ISSN 0739-0939) is pub-lished monthly by the American Air Mail Society, 11911 E. Connor Road, Valleyford WA 99036.Periodical postage paid at Spokane WA 99201 and additional post offices. Postmaster: Sendaddress changes to American Air Mail Society, 7 First St., Westfield NY 14787. Domestic sub-scription rate $30 per year; $5 per copy.Opinions expressed in features and columns in this publication are solely those of the authors anddo not necessarily represent those of the society. Running an ad does not endorse the advertiser.

Editor and AdvertisingVickie Canfield Peters 11911 E Connor Road Valleyford WA 99036

vcanfieldp@gmail.comStaff Writers and ColumnistsJoe Kirker Alan Warren

Chris Hargreaves Bob Wilcsek Lee Downer

— ARTICLES —FFCs from Cape Verde: Air France 4R, 1934............................................... 137Dan Gribbin

1946 Flying Mail Car Experimental Flight, Return to the East Coast.......... 142Dan Gribbin

FAKE!........................................................................................................... 147William Kriebel

A Deeper Dive............................................................................................... 149David S. Ball, RPSL

The ‘LATI Substitute’ Service of Pan American Airways, Part 7................ 156John Wilson

Would Juan Trippe Have Been Furious When He Received this Cover?..... 164Richard Saundry

— COLUMNS and FEATURES —Treasure Hunting for CAM Covers............................................................... 168President’s Message...................................................................................... 135

— NEWS —Help Needed Finding ‘Lost’ Members.......................................................... 146News of the Shows........................................................................................ 167Plan Now for CHICAGAOPEX 2016........................................................... 170

— DEPARTMENTS –APJ Ads......................................................................................................... 176Membership Report....................................................................................... 173

In This Issue of the Airpost Journal President’s MessageJim Graue

We received three requests that this be done. We need to have a

member step forward who has the time and inclination to undertake this

as an on-going project. The sooner it is started, the easier it will be to

maintain it by making additions as additional volumes become available.

If you are willing to take this on, please contact me soon. And ”thank

you” for your consideration!

• Aerophilatelic Exhibits for the AAMS Website

“Following your encouragement in the latest copy of APJ here is

my idea. Strongly encourage all aerophilatelic exhibitors to send an elec-

tronic copy (pdf perhaps) of their exhibit so it can be posted on the

AAMS website. Metadata would include exhibitor name, exhibit title,

number of frames, show, date, class entered and award.

“This would accomplish several things. It would encourage col-

lectors to exhibit and post their work online. It would get both members

and non-members to frequent the website. It assists those of us research-

ing new exhibits to see what others have done. The more searchable the

better. I routinely post my exhibits and get positive feedback. You can

see them at . . .

http://americanastrophilately.com/Exhibits.html

David Ball”

Aerophilatelic Programs Available on CDThe American Air Mail Society now has seven different aerophi-

latelic programs available on CD-ROM. Each is a PowerPoint 2010 pre-

sentation showing covers and related material, along with spoken narra-

tion. Titles can be purchased for $10 each. The $10 per program cost

includes shipping.

The programs are ideal for showing at stamp club meetings, for

educational purposes or personal use. Subjects include Lindbergh, histo-

ry of aerophilately, Airships of the United States, crash covers, CAM 9.

Order should be sent to:

Ken Sanford

613 Championship Drive

Oxford CT 06478-3128

Orders must be accompanied by a check made payable to Ken

Sanford. Payment can also be made via PayPal to kaerophil@gmail.com,

but please add 50¢ to cover the PayPal fee.

FFCs from Cape Verde:Air France 4R, 1934

Dan GribbinIn 1934, French and German aviation authorities pursued sepa-

rate approaches to the daunting task of establishing regular airmail ser-

vice across the South Atlantic. The 1,800-mile (3000 km) distance

between the westernmost tip of Africa and the eastermost tip of Brazil

posed a serious challenge to existing aviation technology. Deutsche Luft

Hansa began biweekly flights in February, minimizing the overwater

flight distance by launching a flying boat from a ship that would steam

away from the coast for the better part of a day prior to launch. The

French soon deployed a flying boat, the ill-fated Latécoère 300 Croix duSud, but they also had a land-based aircraft capable of spanning the

ocean, as Mermoz demonstrated in January 1933 with the Couzinet Arc-en-Ciel. What they did not have was a dependable runway in Brazil from

which to dispatch the fuel-laden aircraft for the return flight.

Indeed, Flight 2R (using the Labrousse designation of flights

adopted by Collot and Cornu in Ligne Mermoz), the 1933 return flight of

the Arc-en-Ciel, did not take place until May, four months after the air-

craft’s arrival in Brazil. (1) Similarly, after Mermoz successfully flew the

Arc-en-Ciel from St. Louis, Senegal to Natal, Brazil in 16 hours on May 28,

1934, the return flight (4R) was delayed by two months.

Following extensive work on the sandy soil of the runway at

Natal, a June 3 test flight seemed to suggest that the runway would be

satisfactory. But, fully loaded, the aircraft could not achieve sufficient

speed for takeoff in the moist sand. (3) Further runway work allowed the

aircraft to get airborne on July 3, but, sadly, that flight had to be aborted

after four and a half hours due to inclement weather. (1) (3)

And then the rains came. The eventual successful crossing on

July 28, 1934, is the subject of this study, specifically the first flight covers

that were generated when the Arc-en-Ciel took on a small amount of mail

at the intermediate landing point of Porto Praia in the islands of Cape

Verde.

In his award-winning 1938 biography Mermoz, Joseph Kessel

indicates that Jean Mermoz made a reconnaissance flight to Cape Verde

with Couzinet’s pilot, Charles de Verneilh, in the tri-motor Biarritz to

verify suitable landing areas. (2) In his autobiography, Tout pour la ligne,PAGE 136 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 137

PAGE 138 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 139

Raymond Vanier indicates that Air France authorized him to establish a

proper runway for the Arc-en-Ciel in Cape Verde and that a flattened hill-

top on Praia offered the best prospect. (5) Vanier oversaw the prepara-

tion of that landing area at Porto Praia and arranged with the postmaster

to have first flight covers sent to him for the flight from the islands to

Europe. Vanier actually departed prior to the arrival of the transatlantic

flight.

The July 31, 1934, return flight of the Arc-en-Ciel was scheduled

to land, then, at Porto Praia, allowing takeoff from Natal with consider-

ably less fuel and thus a lighter load to lift off of that rugged runway for

the 1,600-mile (2600 km) overwater flight. Flight 4R is listed as 22 hours,

54 minutes in duration, following the itinerary “Natal—Porto Praia—

Villa Cisneros.” (1) That breaks down to about 14 hours Natal to Porto

Praia and eight hours Praia to Villa Cisneros.

The mail from South America carried by the Arc-en-Ciel on that

flight is dated July 28, as shown by Figure 1 (Argentina to Germany) and

Figure 2 (Uruguay to England). The mail was offloaded from the Arc-en-Ciel at Villa Cisneros, Rio de Oro (now known as Dakhla, Morocco) on

August 1 and placed on a Laté 28 aircraft for the flight north. (3) It

reached Paris on August 2, as indicated in Figure 3, where the receiving

cds on the Uruguay cover shows the time as 11 a.m. Note in Figure 4 that

the special airmail arrival cancel at Cologne lists the time as 21-22 on the

evening of August 2. To sum up, genuinely flown 4R covers bear South

American postmarks of July 28 and Paris receiving cds of August 2.

When I decided to spe-

cialize in Air France’s 1934

trans-Atlantic flights, I quickly

realized that flight 4R was a

study unto itself. The original

plan for an early June return

flight was scuttled, the attempt on

July 3 was aborted after several

hours and the eventual successful

flight was July 31 using Porto Praia

as an intermediate stop on the way

to the African coast.

What really piqued my interest was an illustration in Collot and

Cornu of a cover bearing a special cachet that reads: “Correios de Cabo

Verde/1a mala aviao/Praia—Europe.” The cover is addressed to Mme.

Vanier in Orleans, France. It didn’t take long to recognize that the

addressee was the wife of Raymond Vanier, the pilot who flew the mail

down the South American coastline after Mermoz’s historic May 1930

crossing in the Laté 28 Comte de la Vaulx. These were the covers the post-

master in Cape Verde prepared on envelopes supplied by Vanier prior to

his departure

Gérard Collot, whom I met on the occasion of our visit to the

Royal Philatelic Society last May, mentioned that he had seen only a few

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

of these Porto Praia covers in all of his years of collecting. I decided, then

and there, to make every effort to obtain one for my collection. The prob-

lem was that I had never seen such a cover offered at auction or found

one in a dealer’s stock. Under “Cap Vert,” Muller lists, in his catalog of

first flight covers, four different FFC originating in Porto Praia: two from

flight 4R and two from flight 6A, bound for Natal in September of 1934.

Muller #1 is the Porto Praia—Villa Cisneros—Europe July 31 cover illus-

trated in Collot and Cornu. Muller #2 is Porto Praia—Villa Cisneros.

Muller gives no figures to indicate the number of covers carried in either

case, but he values #1 at 5000 fr and #2 at 7500 fr. These are estimates of

the value as of 1950, when his book was published. Studying Muller’s

evaluations of other FFC that do have numbers indicated, I estimate that

there were no more than 50 of #1 prepared and fewer than 30 of #2.

Scarce, I concluded, but not impossible to locate if I stuck to my guns.

Then came a coup de foudre. The catalog for Roumet auction #542

arrived in my mailbox (thanks to Dominique Petit), and there, in the list-

ing of the lots from the collection of famed helicopter pilot Charles-

Henry de Pirey, was a Porto Praia first flight cover. And not just any

cover: a companion cover to the one illustrated in Collot and Cornu.

Seemingly typed with the same typewriter as the one addressed

to Mme. Vanier, this cover is addressed, as we see in Figure 5, to “Mon-

sieur le GENERAL GERARD./Commandant l’aeronautique de/L’Armee

du Rhin./METZ./FRANCE.” What’s more, the online version of the auc-

tion catalog indicated that a letter was in the envelope. The letter, dated

July 23, 1934, is written on what seems to be an Air France cargo invoice.

In it, Vanier gives his best wishes to Gen. Gérard and indicates that he

has prepared this special cover to be flown on the Arc-en-Ciel, closing

with an indication that he will be in Orleans (his hometown) at the end

of the month. The cover received the August 2 receiving backstamp in

Paris identical to that applied to other 4R covers. I am happy to report

that this cover, with its accompanying letter, now resides in my collec-

tion.

And, as is so often the case, researching a single cover opens a

window on history, as well as providing multiple avenues for further

study. Recent consultation with M. Collot has resulted in a sort of infor-

mal inventory of Porto Praia covers. He says he can account for six of

them: the one in his collection, the one in my collection, two in the hands

of Raymond Vanier’s granddaughter and two others in a collection

known to M. Collot. I would appreciate any information fellow members

could supply about other such covers. I’m also interested in pinning

down information about Gen. Gérard, with whom Raymond Vanier may

have served during his days as a fighter pilot in WWI. Please address

information or questions to me at bluzeman1@hotmail.com.

References (1) Gérard Collot and Alain Cornu. Ligne Mermoz: Histoire

aérophilatélique, Latécoère, Aéropostale, Air France, 1918-1940. Paris: Edi-

tions Bertrand Sinais,1990.

(2) Joseph Kessel. Mermoz. Paris: Gallimard, 1938.

(3) Claude Faix, “Quand les Arcs-en-Ciel traversaient l’Atlan-

tique.” Vol. 2. http://www.hydroretro.net/etudegh/arc-en-ciel_atlan-

tique_vol2.pdf.

(4) Frank Muller, Catalog of First Flights of the World (Catalogue

des Aérogrammes du Monde Entier). Paris: 1950.

PAGE 140 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 141Figure 5

Looking for something?

Check out the classified ads!

1946 Flying Mail CarExperimental Flight

Return to the East Coast

Zeb Vance

Beginning in September 1946, the United States Post Office

Department (USPOD) conducted an experiment sorting mail en route on

airplanes, a concept similar to the long-standing practice of sorting mail

on rail cars (RPOs) and buses (HPOs). Three airlines participated in the

experiment, using cargo planes outfitted with mail sorting tables and

bins and manned by USPOD personnel.

On September 25 and 26, 1946, a TWA DC-4 Flying Post Office

flew from Washington, D.C., to Dayton then to Chicago, Pittsburgh and

New York picking up, sorting and delivering mail en route. On October

1, 1946, an American Airlines DC-4 Flying Post Office flew west-to-east

from Los Angeles to New York and Boston with 10 intermediate stops,

picking up, sorting and delivering mail en route. That same day, a Unit-

ed Air Lines C-82 "Flying Mail Car" leased from the military flew east-to-

west from New York to San Francisco with six intermediate stops. On

October 3 the Flying Mail Car flew from San Francisco to Seattle with

four intermediate stops and on October 4 it departed Seattle and arrived

in New York on October 6 with nine or 10 intermediate stops, again pick-

ing up, sorting and delivering mail en route.

The TWA and American Airlines flights and the United Air

Lines flights to San Francisco and Seattle were highly publicized(1)(2)

and first flight covers are listed in the American Air Mail Catalogue.(3)

However, the United Air Lines Flying Mail Car return flight to the east

coast was not advertised by the USPOD and first flight covers are not

listed in the catalogue. This article provides evidence from newspaper

articles and first flight covers that flight covers with cachet for the return

flight were available and were authorized by the POD.

An article in the October 1946 Airpost Journal (4) lists the stops

on each experimental flight including the flying mail car return to the

APRIL 2016 PAGE 143PAGE 142 AIRPOST JOURNAL

east. The stops listed for the return flight included Pendleton, Oregon,

Boise, Idaho, Ogden, Utah, North Platte and Lincoln, Nebraska, Des

Moines, Iowa, Moline, Illinois, South Bend, Indiana, and Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania. No reference for the origin of information about those

return trip stops is given in the article.

In the October 2, 1946 Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner, an arti-

cle(5) announces that the city airport will greet the flying mail car on Fri-

day, October 4, with a ceremony and speakers. The article states that,

according to the Ogden postmaster, a special cachet will be provided for

all covers to be carried on the flight and gives instructions for preparing

covers.

An article(6) in the October 2, 1946, Lincoln Evening Journal(Nebraska), states that the Lincoln postmaster is in receipt of a telegram

saying that the Special Fairchild Packet flying mail car will be in Lincoln on

Saturday (October 5). The article says that local stamp collectors are

informed that a special cachet will be applied aboard ship to all covers.

In the October 7, 1946, Daily Dispatch (Moline, Illinois), is an arti-

cle (7) telling of the arrival of the flying mail car at the Moline airport on

Saturday evening, October 5. The article states that more than 500 sou-

venir letters were placed aboard the ship and that a special cachet indi-

cating they were carried on the nation's first "flying mail car" was to be

placed on them. The postmaster was quoted as saying that the flying

mail car was scheduled to stop at South Bend, Akron and Philadelphia

before completing the trip in New York. The stop at Akron was not indi-

cated in the referenced Airpost Journal article.

The five flight covers shown in this article have a "First Flying

Mail Car on Route A.M. No.1" cachet with dates matching those given in

the newspaper articles. Based on this evidence, I believe flight covers

with cachet for the return flight were available and were authorized by

the USPOD.

References(1) USPOD Press Releases; September 16 and 24, 1946.

(2) The Postal Bulletin: September 17 and September 24, 1946.

(3) American Air Mail Catalogue, Sixth Edition, Volume One; pp 85-87

PAGE 144 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 145

Flying mail car return route to East Coast

(4) The Airpost Journal Vol. XVIII, No. 1 - Issue 198, October 1946

(5) “City Airport Prepares to Greet 'Flying Mail Car;” The Ogden Stan-dard-Examiner, Oct. 2, 1946, p8.

(6) “Stamp Fans to Send Mail on Air Car Saturday;” Lincoln Evening Jour-nal, Oct. 2, 1946, p11.

(7) “Air Mail Milestones - - - Packet Attracts Big Crowd at Airport;” DailyDispatch, Oct. 7, 1946

Help Needed Finding ‘Lost’ MembersMembership Secretary Judi Washington has provided this list of

life members whose mail or email was returned without any forwarding

information. Judi is requesting assistance in locating these folks.:

Walter J. Arnell

Ingemar Bengtsson

Charles S. Berman

Arthur A. Carter, Jr.

Richard K. Darlington

Kase Dekker

Walter H. Flint

Harvey S. Gold

Richard S. Kaplan

Joseph F. Lucier

Joseph M. Reed, Jr.

Edwin G. Rocklin

Theodore Rosenbrand

Masao Shiomi

Donald Z. Sokol

John J. Venskus

Anyone with information is asked to contact Judi at j.washing-

ton65@gmail.com.

FAKE!William Kreibel

A friend and fellow Brazil collector, knowing of my interest in

airmail, sent me a scan of this auction (VIENNAFIL) offering, a 1931

Zeppelin cover (Figure 1).

Immediately, three details caught my eye.

1) I had never seen a Condor envelope with the image of a Zeppelin

below the “VIA CONDOR,” which is unusual;

2) The cancellation did not look right, and;

3) The only Brazil flights I knew of in 1931 were two in September and

one in October.

So I did a little scanning of my own.

PAGE 146 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 147

Aerophilatelic Writers Wanted.No experience necessary.

(It’s just the job for YOU!)Write an article today and send it to the editor:

vcanfieldp@gmail.com

Figure 1

Figure 2, leftFigure 3, right

An enlargement of the “cancel” (Figure 2) compared to a real

Condor cancel (Figure 3) shows, among other faults, three “problems:”

the inner band of text should read “SERVICO,” not SERVIDO; the “NO

BRASIL” should be the same height as the other letters, and; the “D” of

“LTDA” should be over the “IL” of “BRASIL, not before it.

I believe the first flight from Argentina was in 1934 and the spac-

ing between the “3” and the “1” of “31” suggest

that it has been altered (Figure 4).

Looking at the envelope itself, I believe it

is also a fake, compared with a real Condor cover

(Figure 5) from one of the three flights of 1931.

“POR” instead of “PAR” and the “VIA CON-

DOR” instead of VIA “CONDOR” lead me to this

conclusion.

Finally, the 350rs postage wouldn’t have gotten it near the air-

ship as a minimum of 2500rs was the norm!

What I can’t understand is why? Even if real, the “value,” in my

opinion, would not support the time and effort it took the “artist” to cre-

ate it!

A Deeper DiveDavid S. Ball, RPSL

My new Lindbergh friend, William C. Moyers, shared an unusu-

al CAM 32 cover in the February 2016 Airpost Journal (Mine, Too, page

61). The cover is shown here as Figure 1. As someone new to routes and

rates (and interested in anything Lindbergh) I thought I might dive a lit-

tle deeper. Bear with me as I think out loud.

Routes and RatesHow did the envelope, which departed Spokane on September

15, 1929, end up in Port au Prince, Haiti? The back of the envelope has

two receiver marks: one in New York on September 18 and one in Port

au Prince on September 21. How did it get there?

Leaving Spokane, the cover traveled south to Pasco, Washing-

ton. Since we know all Caribbean mail left Miami, we suspect it contin-

ued down CAM 5 to Elko (unless it went west on CAM 32 and CAM 8

down to San Francisco) and then east on CAM 18 to Chicago. From there

it would continue on CAM 17 into New York. Leaving New York per-

haps the cover flew on CAM 19 as far as Atlanta where CAM 25 deliv-

ered it to Miami. On eBay (a great place to do research), there are dozens

of CAM 32 covers. The vast majority lack receiver marks. In two

PAGE 148 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 149

Figure 5

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Figure 1

Figure 4

instances found, one reached Connellville, Pennsylvania, on the after-

noon of September 17 and the other, to Andover, Massachusetts, arrived

on September 18 at 9 a.m.

Then there is the question of franking. The vast majority of CAM

32 envelopes have the C11 Beacon stamp. Figuring out postal rates, at

least for a novice, is pretty tricky stuff. I consulted references on domes-

tic and international rates. The congressional report (dated May 17, 1928)

stipulated “that rates on air mail shall not be less than 10 cents for each

ounce or fraction thereof.” By August of the following year, apparently

you could get an envelope across the country by air for five cents. While

airmail stamps are valid payment for surface mail “no mail except that

with special air mail postage will be carried over contract air mail

routes”.

As of March 21, 1929, according to Postal Bulletin 14947, the 10-

cent postal rate to Haiti included both the ordinary postage and the air-

mail surcharge. Prior to this the airmail surcharge of 10 cents was

applied in addition to the ordinary postage. There was also five-cent

domestic airmail rate in effect at the time, but again that wouldn’t come

into play with the mailing being from Spokane to Port-au-Prince; the

international 10 cent rate to Haiti would apply.

The Lindbergh ConnectionThe late Bob Spooner believed that incoming Haitian mail with

the Lindbergh rub-

ber stamp (sans Pre-

mier Vol) was com-

mercial mail carried

by the “Lone Eagle.”

Spooner’s collection

included three FAM

6 covers with differ-

ent amounts of

franking: 10, 12 and

14 cents. None of the

three show evidence

of postage due.

Richard Singley, the previous owner of the CAM 32 cover, also

claimed that Lindbergh was responsible for mail transported from

Miami to San Juan on September 20. As letters, many philatelic, gathered

in San Juan in anticipation of the September 22 FAM 6 Extension (with

Colonel Lindbergh as inaugural pilot), the mail headed north to Port au

Prince left for Haiti. It has a receiving mark of September 21. Since much

(most?) of the Haiti mail was not a first flight or carried by “Lucky

Lindy,” it would have been commercial and not philatelic in nature.

Ironically, the Singley item that helped spark the interest in the

PAGE 150 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 151

Figure 2 - Contract Air Mail routes 1925–1930

Figure 3 - 10-cent rate

Figure 4Outgoing Haitian mail with Premiere Vol (first flight) notation in

upper portion of the rubber stamp.

Lindbergh connection was in fact philatelic (at least the CAM 32 part)

and was sent to noted collector E. A. Colson. The franking remains a

mystery. Singley attempts to justify the postage when he writes that,

“Some collectors discovered they could send a first flight from a domes-

tic route in the United States and tie it to a foreign flight.” He says a dou-

ble rate had to be paid for this service. In this case this was true. The

domestic rate from Spokane to Miami was five cents and the rate from

Spokane to Haiti was 10 cents.

The Lindberghiana Section (AAMC 5th Ed Vol 3) seems to sup-

port the belief that these “commercial” Lindbergh covers exist. It says,

“Covers carried from Miami by Lindbergh are canceled Miami, Septem-

ber 20, and do not have a San Juan postmark. They were not processed in

San Juan due to insufficient time.” If we are to believe that the Lindbergh

rubber stamp on the face validates that the incoming Haitian mail had

previously been brought from Miami to San Juan, then shouldn’t the

three examples known (Singley and the two Spooners) have Miami back-

stamps? It is not known (to the author) about the Spooner covers. The

Singley CAM 32 envelope does not have a Miami cancel.

RarityLet’s assume that the three covers, as evidenced by the Lind-

bergh rubber stamp, were carried by the “Lone Eagle” from Miami to

San Juan on September 20 and subsequently flown north to Haiti on Sep-

tember 21. How many were there?

Singley believed the number to be quite small. In the S.P.A. Jour-nal he writes, “I believe this is one of the rarest Lindbergh covers in exis-

tence.” Clearly, when Lindbergh collectors knew Slim was carrying the

mail they turned out in force. The “Horseshoe” flights in 1928 moved

over 170,000 pieces of mail in two days.

The foreign inaugural events were certainly smaller. Mail to all

destinations on the Port au Prince – Paramaribo route totaled a scant 711

pieces. The author suspects the postal authorities on September 21 sim-

ply masked the “Premier Vol” portion of their outgoing Lindbergh first

flight rubber stamp to recognize the incoming letters that were not part

of an inaugural event.

Twice in CAL’s 10 months as chief pilot on the CAM 2 route

from St Louis to Chicago he crashed. Despite the fact that he recovered a

substantial portion of the 6,000 covers from these September and

November 1926 events, less than a handful have ever reached the collec-

tor market. Are the crash covers rare? To those of us who desperately

want to exhibit one the answer is “Yes” even though there may be as

many as 6,000 out there. So how many “commercial” Lindbergh FAM 6

covers are there? Maybe a lot. But until we start digging in earnest, per-

haps at the World Stamp Show in May, they certainly seem rare.

BibliographyAmerican Air Mail Catalogue, Fifth Edition, Volume 3, AAMS, Cin-

naminson, New Jersey, 1978

Beecher, Henry W. & Wawrukiewicz, Anthony S., U.S. DomesticPostal Rates, 1872-1999, Second Edition pg 52

Beecher, Henry W. & Wawrukiewicz, Anthony S., U. S. Interna-tional Postal Rates, 1872-1996, pg 148

Moyers, William C., “Mine, Too.” Airpost Journal February 2016

Singley, Richard L., “Struggle for Survival.” S.P.A. Journal Janu-

ary 1966 pg 331-339

Spooner, Robert B , Gold Medal Lindbergh Collection sold by

Daniel F. Kelleher Auction Sale 624, April 9, 2011

Tiffney, Scott, Reference Assistant American Philatelic Research

Library correspondence

PAGE 152 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 153

Figure 5FAM 6 1929.

PAGE 154 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 155

The ‘LATI Substitute’ Service ofPan American Airways

Part 7: The December 1941 Transitionfrom LATI to Pan American

John Wilson

As described in Part 3 of this series, German mail destined for

LATI flights after the service ended was returned to sender with an

appropriate “Service Suspended” cachet. In South America, the last Ital-

ian LATI flight left Brazil for Rome on December 18, 1941, which meant

that mail from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil addressed to Europe

began to accumulate at Natal (and possibly also at Belem). It is difficult

to estimate how much mail was carried each week but Beith [1] and Cus-

worth [2] report that the trans-Atlantic mail capacity of the LATI aircraft

was limited to a maximum of 1,100 pounds (500Kg) per flight. During

December 1941 there were LATI flights from Natal on the 3rd, 9th and

13th with the fourth and final flight on the 18th. In November there were

also four flights, so let us assume 1,100 pounds each week. By the middle

of January 1942, therefore, there could have been a backlog of almost two

tons of airmail sitting at Natal. How was this going to be cleared?

My good friend Bob Wilcsek has often said, “The route is in the

rate,” but in times of mail crises perhaps we should say, “The intended

route is in the rate.” What were the postal officials in Buenos Aires to do,

knowing that the LATI service to Germany was suspended?

A pair of alternative air routes were available to Lisbon via New

York and the North Atlantic: the east coast route via Brazil to

Natal/Belem; and the alternative Panagra west coast route via Chile and

Peru. The advantage of the LATI route from Argentina to Europe was

two-fold: first, the rate was cheaper (1.45 Pesos LATI, 1.70 Pesos via New

York); second, the LATI route was free of any British mail interception.

For airmail to or through the United States from Argentina using

the “via New York” routes, the postal rates were the same, as shown by

two covers from Buenos Aires to the United States carrying the correct

1.15 Peso franking. Both covers were intercepted by British mail examin-

ers, the cover via the east coast (Figure 1) caught at Trinidad (Examiner

8042), and the cover via the Panagra west coast route (Figure 2) caught at

Jamaica (Examiner 367). Jamaica examiner 367 was also inspecting mail

from Uruguay that had crossed the Andes to use the Panagra route (Fig-

ure 3).

Airmail from Argentina to Europe via the East coast route to

New York also shows interception in Trinidad (Figure 4).

The censor station in Jamaica was particularly interested in LATI

mail traveling by the west coast route into the United States because Ger-

APRIL 2016 PAGE 157PAGE 156 AIRPOST JOURNAL

Figure 1East coast route, October 25, 1941

Figure 2Wast coast route, January 15, 1942

man mailers were using this route in order to bypass British mail exam-

iners in Bermuda [3]. A special “LATI intercept” team was established in

Jamaica for this very purpose in July 1941 and a typical intercepted cover

using this route from Germany is shown as Figure 5.

The sender paid the double LATI rate of 215 Rpf per 5g, making

430 Rpf plus the UPU surface rate of 25 Rpf, a total on the cover of 455

Rpf (RM4.55) for the route Munich-Rome-Buenos Aires-Lima-Cristobal-

Mexico-New York. The LATI mail was diverted at Cali and rerouted via

Baranquilla to Jamaica for examination. The fact that the British team at

Jamaica was accustomed to opening and examining LATI transit mail

suggests that they would have done this to mail coming from Argentina

by the west coast route.

Could mail have been diverted to surface transport? A new pub-

lication from Michael Deery [4] is a comprehensive study of “Service

Suspended” marks and in the section on Argentina there are illustrations

of several types of boxed “Return to sender” cachets. All these examples

are on covers intended for surface transport and there are no examples of

the cachets on airmail covers. The question is: Why have we not seen a

service suspended mark on an airmail cover? Perhaps the South Ameri-

can postal authorities were aware that a substitute air service was to be

provided and there was no need to return airmail to the sender. The

question remains open. Is there an airmail example out there? Figure 6 is

a cover posted in La Falda, Argentina on December 1, 1941, addressed to

Germany but returned via Buenos Aires on January 19, 1942.

The Brazilians certainly knew that a substitute air service was to

APRIL 2016 PAGE 159PAGE 158 AIRPOST JOURNAL

Figure 3West coast route (Miami transit October 14, 1941)

Figure 4East coast route Argentina to France, May 1941 intercepted Trinidad

Figure 5

be provided. A series of

letters and telegrams [5]

between Viscount Hali-

fax, the British Ambas-

sador in Washington,

and Anthony Eden, the

British Foreign Secretary, shows that by the end of July bipartisan talks

were taking place:

“Assistant Secretary of State Berle informed members of my staff

this afternoon that the United States Government was seriously con-

cerned over activities of Lati (sic) and were anxious to take action to ter-

minate its operation as soon as possible” (Halifax to Eden, July 31, 1941).

Cusworth [2] quotes extensively from the same files showing

that the Brazilians were ready to stop LATI operations as soon as the Pan

American alternative service was available. These files also stress the

Brazilian objections to having mail intercepted and examined in transit

by British Intelligence. Quite why this is so is not explained, but it is true

that the British had developed some expertise in intelligence gathering

by mail interception, having been at war for more than two years before

the events of December 1941.

Pan American Airways, having been “invited” by the U.S. Gov-

ernment to provide the “LATI substitute” service, was in a difficult situa-

tion. They had only nine Boeing 314 flying boats in their fleet. One was

on Pacific service and the others were fully occupied running the special

mission program and the scheduled FAM-18 service around the South

Atlantic. Providing a southbound substitute service from Lisbon was not

a problem since the FAM-18 flights began their winter southern route

schedule at the beginning of December. These flights were passing

through Natal and Belem and could carry the “LATI substitute” mail

provided that there was sufficient spare load capacity available. Howev-

er, they did not offload mail at Natal or Belem, instead carrying it

through to New York via Trinidad and Bermuda where it could be inter-

cepted for examination. The October 1941 Reichspost Luftpostliste shows

the routes available for German airmail at this time. There was no

offloading at Natal.

Kohl [6] shows that the same routes applied to Swiss mail

addressed to South America with airmail fees (+ 30c surface) of 150c for

all-air, 100c for sea to New York and air from New York to Argentina

and 240c for the LATI service from Rome. Using the FAM-18 Pan Ameri-

can route from Lisbon meant that the mail could be intercepted in

Trinidad or Bermuda, even

though the aircraft carried

such mail through Natal and

Belem en route. Cover evi-

dence suggests that mail

being carried from Lisbon to

New York was always exam-

ined in Bermuda and not in

Trinidad. Covers may well

be found from the period

before January 1942 that

show no sign of British cen-

sorship, since not all letters

were deemed “of interest.” It

seems certain that mail from

Europe to South America

using the FAM-18 southern

route from Lisbon was not

transferred at Natal or

Belem. After January 1942,

lack of censorship means

something quite different, as

will be explained later.

By the end of 1941 the

only airmail route from

Europe to South America

was from Lisbon by Pan

American to New York via

Bermuda, and from South

America to Europe also by

Pan American to New York

and Europe via British cen-

sor stations. Mail intended

for LATI in Europe was

being returned to sender,

while in South America the

LATI mail was piling up at

Natal. Pan American Air-

ways was trying to organize

the “LATI substitute” flights

PAGE 160 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 161

Figure 6

Figure 7

with precious few resources. How the situation was resolved in January

1942 will be described in the next article.

References[1] Beith, Richard, The Italian South Atlantic Air Mail Service 1939-

1941, (Chester, Richard Beith Associates, 1993)

[ 2] Cusworth, Martyn, The Italian South Atlantic Airline (LATI),(Italy and Colonies Study Circle, 2012).

[3] Wilson John, “Enter the Italians,” (Airpost Journal, November

2015).

[4] Deery, Michael, Return to Sender. Devices Used to Identify Ser-vice Suspended Mails During WW2. (Private publication, 28726 Island

View Road, Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada N8A 4K9. Also available in

digital format: michderr@kent.net

[5] File CAB 122/139. “Suppression of Lati.” The National

Archive, Kew, London.

[6] Kohl, Roland F. Die Schweizerischen Flugpost – Zuschlagstaxenab 1919. (Postgesichte-Verlag, CH-8024 Zurich 1, 1997).

APRIL 2016 PAGE 163PAGE 162 AIRPOST JOURNAL

Figure 8Switzerland to Argentina by FAM-18 bypassing Natal and cen-

sored in Bermuda

Figure 9FAM-18 route late November 1941 to May 1942

Please support theAirpost Journal advertisers.

They’re supporting the

American Air Mail Society!

Would Juan Trippe Have BeenFurious When He Received this Cover?

Richard Saundry

In 1930 Pan American Airways was in considerable danger of

losing business to the New York, Rio & Buenos Aires Airline (NYRBA).

Both companies were seeking both the award of the lucrative contract

from the Argentine Post Office to ferry Argentine airmail to the United

States, and more important, the long-awaited FAM-10 contract from the

United States Post Office Department (USPOD). In February 1930,

NYRBA had successfully demonstrated they were capable of operating a

seven-day Buenos Aires-to-Miami service using the Atlantic route via

Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Port-of-Spain and the Antilles. It now

behooved PAA to respond to this challenge. If PAA could also demon-

strate a seven-day service between the United States and Argentina,

then, with their proven track record of successfully maintaining air ser-

vice over a number of other international routes, they were in with more

than a shout to secure the much coveted contracts, the U.S. contract in

particular.

A seven-day service was quickly organized by PAA using a

combination U.S. domestic and modified PAA and PANAGRA airmail

routes. PAA’s modified trans-Caribbean route between the U.S. and the

Canal Zone, in reality only introduced in response to the need for a

seven-day express service to Buenos Aires, is best remembered because

the inaugural flight leaving Miami on April 26, 1930, was piloted by

Charles A. Lindbergh with Basil L. Rowe as his co-pilot, using the Siko-

rsky S-38, NC-9776.

This “cut-off” route across the Caribbean, transiting Havana and

Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, reduced the time taken to reach the Canal

Zone from three to two days. The seven-day clock actually started at

close of business on April 25, when mail from New York, Newark,

Boston and Chicago was transferred overnight to Miami. The AmericanAir Mail Catalogue (AAMC) records the mail successfully arriving in

Cristobal on April 27. Covers carried on the trans-Caribbean Miami-to-

Cristobal leg are fully described and are given full catalogue listings F5-

44 to F5-46. The reader should also note that together with these listings

in the FAM-5 section of the AAMC is shown a cachet that was used both

in New York and Newark, for inaugural flight covers flown on the

express service to Buenos Aires.

Mail addressed to Argentina was supposed to be forwarded by

PANAGRA using a modified four-day FAM-9 service flight leaving

Cristobal April 28, arriving Buenos Aires and Montevideo on May 1,

thereby successfully completing a seven-day delivery between New

York and Buenos Aires.

We surmise Cristobal-to-Buenos Aires service actually occurred

as envisaged. But did it? Consulting the FAM-9 section of Vol. 3, AAMCSixth Edition, there is an unexplained gap in the listings (pages 129-130)

for covers flown the April 25-May 1 seven-day service between the Canal

Zone and Buenos Aires. Inserted between AAMC listings F9-50 to -55

(covers flown the extension of FAM-9 beyond Buenos Aires to Montev-

ideo in January 1930) and F9-60 to -64 (for the first FAM-9 service to La

Paz in May 1930), the aforesaid seven-day express service is described,

but no covers are listed. Were the missing catalogue numbers F9-56 to -

59 set aside by editors to allow the possibility of future insertion when

evidence from covers themselves could be verified? Or were these num-

bers used in earlier editions of the AAMC, but, for reasons not currently

apparent, no longer accepted?

I recently acquired one of the covers intended to be flown on the

first seven-day New York-to-Buenos Aires express service, which upon

close examination raises all sorts of questions. This cover, correctly

franked 55 cents for a letter weighing not more than half ounce flown to

Argentina (rate effective January 1, 1930 to November 30, 1937), was

posted at the Grand Central Station P.O., New York at 4 PM on April 25

and bears a clear strike of the cachet illustrated in the AAMC that was

APRIL 2016 PAGE 165PAGE 164 AIRPOST JOURNAL

used on covers flown to Buenos Aires on the first express service flight.

This cachet was not an official post office cachet, but was applied by

PAA. The great problem I have with this cover is that on the back of the

envelope is a machine cancellation for 6 AM May 2 in Cristobal, Canal

Zone, together with a further machine cancel, “AEROPOSTAL-B.A.” for

18.00 hrs. May 12 in Buenos Aires.

So how do we explain this inconsistency with the AAMC? I think

the cover was presented in plenty of time to be able to catch the connect-

ing flight from New York to Miami. Assuming the crucially important

seven-day express flight was performed exactly according to schedule –

and if it were not, we surely would have heard all about it! – this particu-

lar cover must somehow have been mishandled; left behind and only for-

warded to its destination by a subsequent flight. I speculate it was most

likely left behind in New York, rather than Miami, but the latter possibil-

ity is not completely out of the question.

You will, of course, have noted the cover was addressed to Juan

Terry Trippe, president of Pan American Airways. I doubt Trippe was in

any sense a serious philatelist, but it was normal to send covers

addressed to him personally when PAA was conducting first flights.

First flight covers were a neat and important way of confirming/docu-

menting flights which had successfully taken place. Just imagine, I say

(tongue in cheek, of course), if Trippe was waiting on tenterhooks to

receive the return of this cover to help prove to the USPOD that PAA

had successfully implemented the seven-day express service to Argenti-

na in order to secure the vital mail contracts. What would have been his

reaction when he realized, to his consternation, the postmarks on this

cover did not fit his expectations! Trippe certainly would not have been a

happy bunny!

I do, of course, fully expect my cover to be an exception. I am

confident our readers have in their collections covers proving the seven-

day express service to Argentina was inaugurated exactly according to

schedule. I also suggest correctly flown seven-day express airmail covers

may be of far greater significance than their perfunctory mention in the

FAM-9 section of the AAMC tends to on indicate.

Sarasota National Stamp ExhibitionFebruary 5-7, 2016 Sarasota, Florida

Grand AwardRobert W. Hisey Fall and Rise of French Africa Air Routes of

World War IIAlso: APS Research Award, Postal History Society Award,

AAMS Medal, Military Postal History Society Award

GoldIris Adair Ryukyu Islands “Heavenly Maiden” Air Mail Issues

(1951-1972)Also: APS Medal of Excellence 1940-80

VermeilSam Chiu Hong Kong Wartime Airmail, September 1939 -

December 1941

Single Frame GoldGary G. Hendren St. Louis Pioneer Air Mail – October 4-8, 1911

Single Frame VermeilRobert B. Pildes Palestine Emergency Deliveries, Inc.

APRIL 2016 PAGE 167PAGE 166 AIRPOST JOURNAL

News of the Shows

Have a question, concern or comment?Write a Letter to the Editor!

Ghosts and CAM RevenantsThere are usually complex reasons for an airmail cover’s sale

price. Mostly it is set by the willingness of someone to cough up enough

cash to get it away from a seller: catalogues, price lists and asking price

for unique items are often irrelevant. Scarcity is another matter. How

many of any specific item actually exist is important. The relationship

between the two is an age-old subject of debate. In this short article, I’ll

focus only on scarcity.

In four decades of trying to complete a classic CAM collection,

there are a handful of AAMC-listed items I have never seen, either for

sale, in someone's collection or in an exhibit at a stamp show (sadly,

there are not many CAM exhibits anymore). While the Treasure Hunter

usually includes a few colorful examples of covers to show you, this edi-

tion is different: no pictures because ghosts are hard, maybe impossible,

to see. But there is hope.

In one article last year, I talked about the scarcity of CAM Route

1 covers from Newark dispatched northbound on September 8, 1930. I

whined about never having seen one. Like magic, a few weeks after the

publication date, Don Lussky and John Johnson both sent scans of exam-

ples in their own collections. This gave me an idea: list a few apparitions

and see if anyone can conjure them out of the spirit world.

Do they even exist? I have to assume so. In order to get listed, a

collector, way back when, actually produced a copy to convince AAMCeditors to include it. So, I’m pretty sure these exist. If you, or one of your

friends and/or colleagues has one, I’d love to see it.

To get this little séance going, I went through my want lists to

pull out three prime suspects in the classic CAM era. I didn’t consider

those pesky color variations or wrong direction cachet errors; varieties of

that ilk should be scarce by definition. Looking only at primary listings

and associated AMFs, this is my short list.

Possibly the most interesting are the Concord, California, Air

Mail Field dispatches on the CAM 8 inaugural. The base of operations

for airmail service for San Francisco moved from Crissy Field to Concord

Field across the bay in early 1925. Later that year, the post office depart-

ment provided the field an AMF cancel. When CAM 8 was inaugurated

in September 1926 a small amount of collector covers were given AMF

servicing. The AAMC lists a variety for CAM 4N4f, the northbound

flight. Logic says there should also have been AMF covers on the south-

bound flight, but if they exist, the catalogue editors never saw the proof.

In an earlier edition of Treasure Hunter, I mentioned the rarity of

westbound CAM 18 AMF covers posted from Reno. Eastbound covers

occasionally come on the market and are appropriately pricey. Like in

Concord, AMF cancels should have been applied to covers dispatched in

both directions; in this case they are both listed. Since I have come up

empty handed for many years, 18W9f falls into the “ghost” category.

Dearborn was designated a separate stop on CAM Route 27 on

October 15, 1928. While airmail may have been dispatched earlier, the

POD bulletin established this as the official date, probably on short

notice, escaping most cover preparers. No official cachet was provided

and covers are mainly identified by the 330pm time slug in a Dearborn

handstamp. AAMC identifies them as 27W14. The circumstances make

this a difficult cover at best, certainly qualifying as a true “ghost.”

Closely related, my remaining “ghosts” are four pilot-signed

covers, my favorite subject. But there is hope here as well. I had long

believed there were no Ross Kirkpatrick-signed CAM 7 covers. Amaz-

ingly, one popped up last year, which I illustrated in an article, a true

classic CAM rarity previously thought to be a “ghost.” My personal

medium here in Cassadaga, Florida, urged me not to give up hope, so I’ll

include four pilot-signed items: CAM 8 Medford southbound covers

signed by R. B. Patterson; CAM 26 southbound covers signed by Robert

P. Hopkins; CAM 30 southbound covers autographed by C. H. Shield;

and CAM 17 westbound night flight covers signed Harry Chandler. Col-

lectors in the 1920s were persistent, so I’m hoping to flush a few of these

elusive items out of the spirit world.

All seven covers are scarce, at best, making them high-grade

prospecting targets for the CAM Treasure Hunter. If any “ghost busting”

reader has one or more and would like to share, email a scan, mail a pho-

tocopy or just send the item to the APJ editor. She would appreciate the

feedback and forward anything to me. To salt the mine, so to speak, if

you do send in scan or copy of a qualified “ghost,” I will find something

interesting in my CAM cigar box for you as a reward. Eureka!

APRIL 2016 PAGE 169PAGE 168 AIRPOST JOURNAL

Treasure Hunting forCAM Covers

Lee Downer

Plan Now for CHICAGOPEX 2016Cheryl Ganz

It is not too early to plan to attend the AAMS convention at

CHICAGOPEX 2016, November 18-20. The show is being held at the

Westin Chicago Northwest Hotel in Itasca, Illinois, a short distance from

Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Most airlines fly into O’Hare and Chicago is

within driving distance from many Midwestern states. Watch the

CHICAGOPEX show website (http://www.chicagopex.org/) for more

information as it becomes available. The Scandinavian Collectors Club

will also meet at the show and that means a double convention for some

of us.

Aerophilatelic exhibitors are in the running for four special

awards in addition to the AAMS Grand Award clock and the AAMS

awards medal. One of these four special awards--gemstone globe paper-

weights--will look great on your desk or in your stamp room! Four gen-

erous sponsors made these special awards possible to recognize exhibits

other than the grand for best airmail exhibit in the show:

• David Ball, Single Frame Grand Award

• Andrew McFarlane, U.S. Airmail Exhibit Award

• Mark Banchik, Foreign Airmail Exhibit Award

• Cheryl Ganz, Aerophilatelic Research Award

All awards will be presented at the Saturday evening show ban-

quet.

Be sure to apply early to exhibit because frames are reserved for

society members for a limited time. Also, there is a limit on how many

single-frame exhibits will be accepted. The prospectus and application

will be on the show website. In addition, if you edit a journal or have

written a book lately, remember that CHICAGOPEX is one of three U.S.

shows with an annual literature exhibition.

Never exhibited but ready to give it a try? Let me know. Just

email me at cherylganz@yahoo.com and I will mentor you or help you

find a mentor to give you tips along the way. If you have an airmail col-

lection and a computer, you are ready to think about an exhibit!

APRIL 2016 PAGE 171PAGE 170 AIRPOST JOURNAL

AAMS Awards for Chicagopex

Write for

information

and prices

For more than half a century . . .Since 1939, first day cover hobbyists have been buildingcollections with Artcraft covers, the world’s most honoredcachet. It’s no wonder as every Artcraft cachet is a distinc-tively designed work of art that is engraved by master crafts-men on quality envelopes. Artcraft Engravings are availablefor all U.S. and U.N. new issues; they are sold at stampshops throughout the country or can be ordered direct.

THE WASHINGTON PRESSPublishers FLORHAM PARK, NJ 07932

To volunteer for theAmerican Air Mail Catalog

Production Team!Numerous challengingpositions are available

immediately. Enrich yourairmail experienceand knowledge.

Contact AAMS president Jim Graue atzepkat@gmail.com for information

February 2016Submitted by Judith Washington, Membership Secretary

New Members12311 Lawrence A. Weisz, Festus MO. AL, AS, CAM, PA, CF, FAM, Z,

FFUS, RP, HF, CL

12312 James W. Woodley, Brenham TX. AM, AAMC

Deceased07265 Dr. Terrence J. Martzia, Jr.

Lapsed09099 Michael T. Miyahara

10449 Lloyd E. Foss

11730 Steve B. Davis

12174 Raymond White

12274 Peter Huethmair

12278 Steven Austin

12279 Ron Neilson

— Summary —Total Membership — January 2016......................................................... 870

New Members................................................................................................ 2

Deceased......................................................................................................... 1

Lapsed............................................................................................................. 7

Total Membership — February 2016.................................................... 864

PAGE 172 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 173

AAMS Membership Report

Address Changes RequestedWhen relocating, please provide as much notice aspossi-

ble in order to keep your Airpost Journalcoming in a timely manner.

Send all addresses changes or corrections to membershipsecretary Judi Washington,

7 First St., Westfield NY 14787 or emailj.washington65@gmail.com

PAGE 174 AIRPOST JOURNAL APRIL 2016 PAGE 175

AmericanAir Mail Society

Dedicated to the research, study, documentation andpreservation of aerophilately worldwide through education,

study, research and services.Organized in 1923, Incorporated in 1944 as a non-profit corporation of

the state of Ohio

IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit organization APS affiliate #77

PRESIDENT: James W. Graue, 11911 East Connor Road, Valleyford WA

99036 (zepkat@gmail.com)

VICE PRESIDENT: Samuel J. Pezzillo, 1407 Montevallo Road, Leeds AL

35094 (spezzill@bsc.edu )

SECRETARY:William C. Fort III, 3835 Farcroft Dr., Fairfax VA 22030

(wcfortiii@aol.com)

TREASURER: Stephen Reinhard, P.O. Box 110, Mineola NY 11501

(sreinhard1@optonline.net)

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Mark Banchik, P.O. Box 2125, Great

Neck NY 11022 (mebanchik@aol.com)

DIRECTORS AT LARGE:David Ball Steve Tucker

David E. Crotty Patrick A. Walters

ADVISORY EXECUTIVE BOARD (Past Presidents):Cheryl Ganz Jonathan L. Johnson, Jr. Stephen Reinhard

A. D. Jones Kendall C. Sanford Allen Klein

Derrick Pillage Greg Schmidt Mark Banchik

Samuel J. Pezzillo Andrew McFarlane

LEGAL COUNSEL:Robert J. Horn, Jackson Lewis LLP, 10701 Parkridge Blvd., Suite

300, Reston VA 20191 (Robert.Horn@jacksonlewis.com)

Application for MembershipApplicant to provide two references, philatelic preferred.

Applicants under the age of 18 must be guaranteed by parent or guardian.

Membership may be terminated in accordance with AAMS Bylaws.

Write to the treasurer for membership application (address above).

American Air Mail SocietyMembership and Subscriptions

Annual membership dues for new members, which includes a subscrip-

tion to the Airpost Journal is $30 domestic, $40 Canada, $50 Mexico and

$60 worldwide.

All foreign dues include first-class airmail shipment.Publication

Monthly Official Publication: Airpost JournalEditor and Advertising: Vickie Canfield Peters, 11911 E. Connor Road,

Valleyford WA 99036 (vcanfieldp@gmail.com)

Publications CommitteeChairman: Jim Graue, 11911 East Connor Road, Valleyford WA 99036

(zepkat@gmail.com)

Member ServicesAuction Manager:Don Lussky, 1332 N. Webster St., Naperville IL 60563

Publications Sales Manager:Greg Schmidt, 1978 Fox Burrow Court,

Neenah WI 54956 (gschmidt7@new.rr.com)

Merchandise Sales Manager: J.L. Johnson, Jr., 248 Shore Ave., Eastern

Point, Groton CT 06340 (fam14@tvcconnect.net)

Historian: Len Lukens. 4601 South Pacific Highway, #2, Phoenix OR

97535

Membership Secretary: Judi Washington, 7 First St., Westfield NY 14787

(j.washington65@gmail.com)

Webmaster:David Crotty (webmaster@AmericanAirMailSociety.org)

Convention Coordinator: Ken Sanford, 613 Championship Drive, Oxford

CT 06478-3128 (kaerophil@gmail.com)

Advance Bulletin ServiceBulletins for future first flights and airport dedications can be sent to

members providing their names and email addresses to Alan Lieberman

at aams.abs@verizon.net.

PAGE 176 AIRPOST JOURNAL

APJ ADS AAMS EXCHANGE DEPARTMENTBUY — SELL — WANT LIST

All members, including Life Mem-bers, are entitled to two free 25-word“Wanted and Exchange” or “ForSale” notices per year in the APJ Adssection of the Journal.

RATESTWENTY CENTS PER WORD.

Minimum $5 per insertion.Remittance must accompany orderand copy. The Airpost Journal, 11911E. Connor Road, Valleyford WA99036. Ads can also be emailed tovcanfieldp@gmail.com.

Ads must be received by firstof the month preceding publicationdate.

FOR SALELOOKING to sell? To trade? To

buy? Use the APJ classifieds. Sendyour ad to the editor at the addressabove or submit via email.

WANTED and EXCHANGEWANTED: FAMs addressed to

Room 816, 116 Nassau St. NYC(Pioneer Stamp Co.) during 1935 to1950 era. Send email to Jerry A.Katz, jerryakatz@aol.com 4/16

* * *MICHIGAN Port Huron Pioneer

Route No.637,003 on either postalcard or envelope, etc. Send scan topawmaw14@verizon.net or copieswith asking price to P.A. Walters,12315 Lavender Loop, Bradenton,FL 34212 4/16

* * *LOTS OF great lots! The AAMS

Auction, held bi-monthly, offersgreat covers and memorabilia atgreat prices. Many lots go for a min-imum bid of 50 cents. Contribute toboth the society and your collection.See page 172 for information.

This space is available for your

FREE CLASSIFIED AD

Buy Trade Sell

Totally new look! Full colorfor the illustrated covers.Volume One is 690 pages

and weighs5 pounds.

Contents:•CAM 1 through

CAM 34•Philippine Islands•Foreign Flag

Flights

Price: Non-Members = $75; AAMS Members = $60plus $8 postage and shipping (U.S. address only)

For foreign shipping rates, contact Judy Johnsonat the APS (814-933-3803.)

Send orders with check or money order to:Stephen Reinhard, Box 110, Mineola NY 11501

American Air Mail Catalogue,7th Edition, Volume One, now available!