World of Stamps
Many collectors are interested in the collecting of covers with first flight cancels. Some collectors call this area of philately aero-philately.These covers are usually illustrated,especially the more recent issues, and have special postal cachets either cancelling the stamps or applied to the cover. The earliest first flight covers were basic with usually just a standard envelope with the current issue of stamps being used. A cachet was applied at the outbound office and a backstamp was applied at the arrival office. Not all first flights were between countries and in fact the first official flight route was established in 1918 between Washington D.C and to New York. More modern covers are illustrated and sometimes have the signatures of the crew.
Hong Kong To SanFrancisco 1939 New York to Azores 1989 Stockholm to Copenhagen
In 1911 the first aerial post was carried. This was known as the Coronation Aerial Post as it coincided with the Coronation of King George V. The flight was between Hendon and Windsor. Special postcards were printed to commemorate the event.
Special post boxes were used in Londo,Hendon and Widsor for posting the cards. Most of the flight posted in London were posted in advance and used dies 1-4. Dies 5-6 were used at Hendon. These are more scarce as they were not posted in advance. Mail sent from Windsor used dies 1-2. The die number is at the bottom of the postmark.
From the air to the sea. Read about paquebot cancels.
Paquebot cancels are applied to mail posted at sea. Previously " posted at sea" cancels had been applied. The first use of the paquebot cancel was in 1897. The word is French for "mail boat". French is used because it is the first language of the U.P.U.
According to U.P.U. regulations stamps of the country to which the ship is registered are used on board. This explains how stamps of one country can receive a cancel from another. Stamps would be applied on board and the covers would be cancelled at the port of call.
Guernsey Bisects
During World Warr 2 there was a shortage of 1d stamps on the island od Guetnsey. Permission was given for 2d stamps to be bisected and used as the 1d rate. Stamps used were the 1934 photogravure issue, 1937 dark clour issue and the 1940 stamp centenery issue.
