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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0664.PDF
AIR POST STAMPS By DOUGLAS B. ARMSTRONG Editor of " The Stamp Collector ") Paris-Melbourne Flight Souvenirs READERS may recall the attempted flight from Paris to Melbourne by the French aviator, M. Poulet, in October- November, 1919, which was abandoned owing to severe engine trouble after reaching Calcutta on November 28, 1919. An interesting relic of this flight has lately come to light on one of the few official letters carried by M. Poulet from Bundar Abbas to the Director of Posts and Telegraphs at Karachi. This cover bears the imprint of the cachet originally used on the occasion of the first through aerial mail from Great Britain to India, but with manuscript alterations causing it to read " First Through Aerial Mail Pans to Melbourne via Charbar-Karachi, 1919." Latest Polar Flight Covers IT is becoming an accepted custom for aviators embarking upon important nights to carry with them a few letters or cards that will serve as souvenirs of the exploit. The status of such " flown covers " is well recognised by the majority of air post collectors, who welcome the opportunity of adding historical items to their collections, albeit of an unofficial character, always provided that the price set upon them is not an unreasonable one. Many instances might be quoted in support of the undoubted interest surrounding air post pieces that are, strictly speaking, only " souvenirs." Generally there is no serious objection to the practice when it is not overdone, but the case is altered where the missives are objects of private speculation. If American newspaper reports are to be believed, 100 letters or thereabouts were carried by Lieut.-Commander Byrd, R.E.T., upon his recent successful flight over the North Polar region. They were to be franked with the special Norwegian air post stamps prepared in connection with Amundsen's ill-fated attempt last year. So far, so good. The fly in the ointment is that every one of these letters was " flown " on behalf of a single American stamp dealer, and all other mail was refused. The dealer paid $1,000 for the privilege, and will doubtless reap the reward of his business acumen, but the collectible status of such covers is open to serious question. Another Canadian Semi-Official ALREADY a second type of vignette has been introduced for use in the semi-official air post service operating between Hudson (Ontario) and the Red Lake goldfields under contract with the Canadian Post Office Department since March of this year. The latest vignette is rather more elaborate than its predecessor, and bears the device of an aeroplane flying over a lake, on the surface of which a motor boat is speeding. Upon the 'plane itself appears the designation " ELLIOT FAIR- CHILD'S AIR SERVICE," whilst a scroll near the bottom of the stamp is inscribed " SPECIAL AIR DELIVERY." The whole is surmounted by a trophy of wings, and surface printed in red upon a yellow ground covered with a Swastika pattern. Two thousand copies of this vignette are said to have been printed in small sheets of eight. It represents, as before, the nominal value of 25 cents. Syria's New Air Stamps THE number of varieties of Syrian air post stamps was increased by 20 on May 1, 1926, when a new method of dis- tinguishing stamps reserved for aerial postage was adopted in accordance with the following official notification :— " Until such time as the post offices in Syria, Grand Liban and the Alaouites can be provided with special stamps intended for franking correspondence carried by air, the Syro- Lebanese values of 2, 3, 5 and 10 piastres shall be the object of a surcharge representing an aeroplane in flight." Thus three sets of four stamps were created, all bearing the device of a large aeroplane impressed in red. Moreover, the sets for Syria and Greater Lebanon exist additionally over-printed with the superscription " Secours aux Refugees," and surcharged with varying premiums in aid of a fund for the relief of refugees from the recent warfare in the Djebel Druze, so that altogether a score of new air post stamps has been evolved. Judging by the above quoted communique these overprints are merely provisional in character, and a further issue in definitive designs may be looked for at no distant date. Finnish Air Stamps Imminent So far the air post service in Finland has been conducted without the aid of special stamps, but a prize contest has recently been opened by the Ministry of Posts for designs of a distinctive character for a series of Finnish air post stamps. The subjects must indicate clearly the purpose for which these stamps are intended. SEPTEMBER 9, 1926 SOCIETY OF MODEL AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERS. (S.M.A.E.) A. WELL-ATTENDED flying meeting took place at Sudbury on Saturday, September 4. Some eighteen machines were to be seen, and a very creditable display of flying was put up. During the afternoon a determined attempt was made to break the existing glider records (which up to this date stood at 48? sees, for fuselage gliders and 53| sees, for spa gliders), and this was finally accomplished as fair as the former figures were concerned by a glide obtained at about eight o'clock in the evening, the new record being : Fuselage glider, R. N. Bullock, 51J sees. Mr. Green was also doing well with a spar glider, his bestduration being 494 sees. Besides the gliding attempts, much good flying was donewith fuselage tractors by various members. Several new members were present with models, including Mr. J. vanHattum, who had flown over from Holland for the occasion Altogether the day proved one of the most successful meet-ings of the year. Will members kindly note that models for the S.M.A.E. exhibit at the Model Engineer Exhibition should be brought to the Royal Horticultural Hall, Westminster, on Thursday evening September 16, between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., when the society will be arranging its stand. B. K. JOHNSON, Hon. Secretary SIDEWIND. WE are informed that the Heinkel H.E. 5 seaplane, whichwon first prize in the recent German seaplane competition, was not only doped with " Cellon," but that " Cerric "materials were also used on the Napier " Lion " engine fitted on this machine AERONAUTICAL PATENT SPECIFICATIONS Abbreviations: Cyl. — cylinder! i.e. — internal combustion : m. — mnw,The numbers in brackets are those under which the Specifications -svill be printed and abridged, etc. APPLIED FOR IN 1925 Published September 9, 1926 12,607. GAS ACCUMULATOR CO. (UNITED KINGDOM), LTD.. and R. R. STEEL..Lighthouse, etc., lamps. (256,7!>4.) 12.827. ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY MOTORS, LTD., F. R. SMITH, and S. M. YIALE.I.e. engines. (256,716.) 12.828. ARMSTRONG-SIDDELEV MOTORS, LTD., F. R. SMITH, and S. M. VIALE.Gear (or pumps of i.e. engines. (256,717.) 12.829. ARMSTRONG-SIDDELEY MOTORS, LTD., F. K. SMITH, and S. M. VIALE. Driving of pumps for i.e. engines. (256,718.)13,217. A. ROHRBACH. Safety rudder for aeroplanes. (244,041.) 13,403. SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG-WHITWORTH AIRCRAFT, LTD., F. M. GREEN, and H. N. WYLIE. Metal airscrews. (256,724.)14,157. H. E. S. HOLT. Parachute apparatus. (256,735.) 15,518. S. E. SAUNDERS. Aeroplane having folding wings. (256.743.)18,809. H. JUNKERS. Building of wings. (238.212!) 19,688. D. J. MOONEY. Metal planes. (256,777.) 19,724. AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, apparatus for mooring- airships. (256,778.)26,209. R.E. Du BE. Horizontal-cylinder, opposed-piston i.e. engines. (256,820.) APPLIED FOR IN 1926Published September 9, 1926 4,134. B. G. TEXTILWERKE GES. and H. STROBL. Balloon fabric. (249,487.)4,492. G.G. TEXTILWERKE GES. and H. STROBL. Balloon fabric. (256,869.) 5,679. A. E. and H. O. SHORT and A. GOUGE. Air-propellers. (256,874.)12,276. R. ALKAN and G. LESOURD. Device for releasing projectiles on aircraft. (252.180.) FLIGHT The Aircraft Engineer and Airships 36, GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY, W.C.2. Telegraphic address: Truditur, Westcent, London. Telephone : Gerrard 1828. SUBSCRIPTION RATES ' FLIGHT " will be forwarded, post free, at the following rates:— UNITED KINGDOM I ABROAD* s. d. \ s. d. 3 Months, Post Free.. 7 7; 3 Months, Post Free .. 8 36 „ „ ..15 2 6 „ „ ..16 6 12 „ „ ..30 4 ( 12 „ „ ..33 0 * Foreign subscriptions must be remitted in British currencv. Cheques and Post Office Orders should be made payable to th» Proprietors of " FLIGHT," 36, Great Queen Street, Kingsway, W.C.2, and crossed Westminster Bank. Should any difficulty be experienced in procuring " FLIGHT " from local newsvendors, intending readers can obtain each issue direct from the Publishing Office, by forwarding remittance as above. 588
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