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1927 Imperial Airways covers to or from India, all flown over the Cairo-Basra route, comprising January 12th first eastbound flight covers from Cairo and London both to Calcutta and 15th January first westbound flight cover from Karachi to Holland with red boxed "AIR MAIL SERVICE / BASRA - CAIRO / (KARACHI G.P.O)"; other 1927 covers with the same cachet in black (2) or red (2); 1928 (Mar 17) 1½a postcard uprated 3a and cover franked 5a both flown on the first combined flight of the Basra-Cairo and Marseilles-London air services with circular "BY / AIR" cachet (just 60 items flown); other covers with the "BY / AIR" cachet, most bearing blue or red air mail labels (5, one registered franked 3r1a); 1927 covers from Cairo to Calcutta (2); and an underpaid cover from G.B diverted to surface mail. (17). £600-700
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1927 (Feb 14-23) RAF Display cancels of Risalpur (Feb 18) with Delhi arrival backstamp and bearing a photographic By Aeroplane vignette, or of Delhi (Feb 22) with Lahore arrival datestamp (Feb 23), both franked 1a. Also Feb 14 covers from Karachi with KGV stamps cancelled by boxed "AIR MAILS INDIA / By Light Aeroplane / KARACHI G.P.O / WITH MESSRS STACK & LEETE" flown to Lahore (just 60 flown, stained) with Lahore RAF Display arrival c.d.s (Feb 17) or to Delhi with the Delhi RAF Display backstamp (Feb 18). These datestamps used on mail to or from Delhi during the First Indian Air Pageant of 17th-24th February. (4). £160-200
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1927 (Apr 1) Rangoon to Penang Air Survey Co. flight by Nevill Vintcent, cover franked 1a pair cancelled by violet boxed "RANGOON-PENANG / FIRST AIR MAIL / APRIL 1927" with a Rangoon c.d.s (Mar. 31) alongside, backstamped at Penang (Apr. 2). Very fine and rare, just 12 covers flown. Photo on Page 159. £600-750
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1927 (May 24) Croydon to Australia flight by Dennis Rook, which ended when he crashed near Aurangabad. Cover to Rawalpindi, flown as far as Karachi with KGV 1a cancelled at Drigh Road (June 22), fine and very scarce. Photo on Page 161. £200-250
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1927 (June 27) De Havilland Moth flight over Calcutta by Ft. Lt. W.H Vetch, ¼a postcard bearing a 3p stamp with the violet flight cachet, the reverse certified as flown and initialled by Vetch. Fine and rare, just 11 items flown. Photo on Page 161. £150-200
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1927 (July 2) De Havilland Moth demonstration flight over Calcutta, flown by Ft. Lt Vetch in the aeroplane that won the 1926 Kings Cup, a cover and card both with printed explanation in red and a moth cachet, KGV stamps cancelled at Calcutta (July 1) and backstamped at Park Street the following day. Very few of the postcards flown. (2). £150-200
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1927 (July 9) Amsterdam to Batavia and return flight by the Dutch aviators G.J Geysendorffer and J.B Scholte, cover flown on the return leg from Rangoon to Calcutta bearing a blue explanatory label, the 1a stamp cancelled at Myenigon, backstamped at Park Street (July 12), fine and scarce, just 50 covers flown. Photo on Page 161. £200-250
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1927 (July 12) Calcutta to Karachi return flight by Geysendorffer and Scholte, flown cover bearing flight vignette, a 1a cancelled upon arrival at Karachi, fine and rare, just 15 covers flown. Photo on Page 161. £250-350
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1927 (July 14) Karachi to Amsterdam return flight by Geysendorffer and Scholte, special printed cover depicting an aeroplane, addressed to Edinburgh, with India KGV ½a block of four cancelled at Amsterdam Central Station (July 23). Fine and scarce, just 33 covers carried. Photo on Page 161. £200-250
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1927 (July 15) Calcutta to Shillong flight by Ft. Lt. W.H Vetch, cover franked 1a, posted at Cherrapunji (July 17), backstamped at Shillong, with violet flight cachet. A few tiny tone spots, otherwise fine and scarce. 35 Covers were flown from Calcutta to Cherrapunji. Photo on Page 161. £100-120
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1927 (Nov 3) Paris to Saigon and return flight by Capt. Leon Challe, card carried on the return flight from Calcutta to Allahabad, cancelled at Park Street, arrival datestamps of Naini and Pioneer Press R.M.S, an explanation printed on the card. Handstamped violet "CONSULAT GENERAL DE FRANCE / CALCUTTA" on both the front and reverse. Fine and scarce, 19 cards flown. Photo on Page 161. £200-250
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1927 (Nov 3) Paris to Saigon and return flight by Capt. Leon Challe, cover carried on the return flight from Calcutta to Karachi with a flight vignette tied by the cachet "ROGER LATAPIE" (the name of Challe's plane) with violet "CONSULAT GENERAL DE FRANCE / CALCUTTA", a 1a cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, backstamped at Drigh Road (Nov. 6). A fine cover, 55 flown. Photo on Page 161. £150-200
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1927 (Nov 3) Paris to Saigon and return flight by Capt. Leon Challe, cover to London carried on the return flight from Calcutta to Paris franked 2a cancelled at Park Street, the cover with a printed explanation initialled by Challe and the cachet "CONSULAT GENERAL DE FRANCE / CALCUTTA". 93 Covers flown, 67 of them for English destinations. £100-150
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1927 (Dec.) England to Australia flight in the "Red Rose" by Mrs Jessie Miller and Capt. W.N Lancaster, page bearing the signature of Capt. Lancaster dated Dec. 20 (the day before the plane left Calcutta), and the two differing colour labels for use on covers flown from Calcutta to Akyab or to Rangoon, Manila and Australia. An interesting page, probably unique. £100-150
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1927 (Dec 21) England to Australia "Red Rose" flight, cover flown from Calcutta to Akyab bearing the grey vignette, franked by two ½a stamps cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta (Dec. 18), backstamped at Akyab (Dec. 22). Fine and scarce, 32 covers flown. Photo on Page 163 £150-200
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1927 (Dec 21) England-Australia "Red Rose" flight, cover flown from Calcutta to Rangoon bearing the white vignette, a 1a stamp cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta (Dec. 18), backstamped at Botataung and Rangoon (Dec. 31). A fine cover, 52 flown. Photo on Page 163 £120-150
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1927 (Dec 21) England to Australia "Red Rose" flight, cover to Manila, flown from Calcutta to Singapore, bearing the white vignette with three ½a stamps cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta (Dec. 18), backstamped at Singapore and Orchard Road (Jan. 9) and Manila (Jan. 25). Minor staining to the left edge of the vignette, otherwise fine. A very scarce flight to Singapore, just 12 covers carried. Photo on Page 163. £300-400
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1927 (Dec 21) England to Australia "Red Rose" flight, cover to Manila, flown from Calcutta to Singapore, bearing the white vignette with three ½a stamps cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta (Dec. 18), backstamped at Singapore and Orchard Road (Jan. 9) and Manila (Jan. 25). A very scarce flight to Singapore, just 12 covers carried. Photo on Page 163. £400-500
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1927 (Dec 21) England to Australia "Red Rose" flight cover flown from Calcutta to Adelaide, bearing the white flight vignette and two 1a stamps cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, the reverse inscribed "Received 3rd April 1928, Mrs A.J. Rees, Adelaide" and signed by Stephen Smith. The cover has a piece torn from the upper edge and two large tears below or adjacent to the right stamp, but is nevertheless a rare cover. Although 27 covers were flown to Darwin 24 of these were supposedly lost leaving just three covers available to collectors. Photo on Page 163. £200-250
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1928 (Jan 1) R.A.F Empire Cruise Seaplane flight by Gp.-Capt. Cave-Brown-Cave, souvenir picture postcard flown from Bombay to Colombo bearing the "Empire Cruise Bombay-Colombo" vignette and circular "BY / AIR" cachet, the India ½a cancelled upon arrival at Colombo, fine and very scarce, just 11 items flown. Photo on Page 163. £300-350
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1928 (Feb 3) R.A.F Empire Cruise Seaplane flight by Gp.-Capt. Cave-Brown-Cave, ½a postcards (2) and a cover franked 3p (2) + ½a all flown from Calcutta to Akyab, and a cover franked by two 3p pairs flown from Calcutta to Rangoon, the postcards with a printed Empire Cruise cachet showing the outline of India in red or green, the covers with a similar vignette on yellow paper. A fine group, all cancelled at Park Street, with arrival datestamps of Akyab (Feb. 4) or Rangoon (Feb. 8). 63 Postcards and 89 covers flown to Akyab and 92 covers flown to Rangoon. (4). Photo on Page 163. £320-400
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1928 (Feb 3) R.A.F Empire Cruise Seaplane flight, ½a postcards (2) and a cover franked 3p (2) + ½a all flown from Calcutta to Akyab, the cover with the yellow flight vignette, the postcards with the printed cachet showing the outline of India in red or green. 63 Postcards and 89 covers flown. (3). £240-300
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1928 (Feb 11) "Germania" flight from Cologne to Calcutta by the German aviators Koennecke and Hermann, page bearing the two labels used on covers flown from Etawah to Calcutta, and two labels intended for use on covers flown from Calcutta to Rangoon but never used as the flight was terminated in Calcutta, the page signed by Hermann upon his arrival at Calcutta on February 12th. Probably a unique souvenir of this flight, believed to have been produced by Stephen Smith. £100-150
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1928 (Feb 11) "Germania" flight cover carried from Etawah to Calcutta bearing the flight vignette and a 1a stamp cancelled upon arrival at Calcutta, signed by the German aviators Otto Koennecke and Johannes Hermann, fine and scarce, just 24 covers flown. Photo on Page 163. £200-250
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1928 (Feb 11) "Germania" flight cover carried from Etawah to Calcutta bearing the flight vignette and a 1a stamp cancelled upon arrival at Calcutta, signed by the German aviators Otto Koennecke and Johannes Hermann, fine and scarce, just 24 covers flown. £200-250
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1928 (Feb 13) Colombian Air Service by SCADTA, cover from Rawalpindi to Medellin, Colombia, franked 1a (3) + 3a and endorsed "air mail via Karachi - Basrah - Cairo" and "air mail Barranquilla to Medellin", bearing a green label "FROM BARRANQUILLA VIA COLOMBIAN AIR MAIL" tied by a Barranquilla c.d.s and 30c SCADTA stamp with EU overprint (USA issue) tied by SCADTA c.d.s of Barranquilla (Mar. 23). Backstamped at Basrah (Feb. 24) and Medellin with circular "BY / AIR" cachet. Flown by Imperial Airways to London via the Basrah to Cairo route, carried by sea to Barranquilla and then flown by SCADTA within Colombia. Scadta stamps were overprinted and sold in various overseas countries but were not available in India. Light vertical fold, otherwise fine and a remarkable cover, the only SCADTA cover recorded from India. Photo on Page 165. £350-450
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1928 (Feb. 17) England-Australia first solo flight by Bert Hinckler, printed card flown from Calcutta to Rangoon franked ½a, a Rangoon arrival c.d.s, a fine card carried on this famous flight. 50 cards were flown to Rangoon. Photo on Page 165. £200-250
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1928 (Feb. 17) England-Australia first solo flight by Bert Hinckler, printed card flown from Calcutta to Rangoon franked ½a, a Rangoon arrival c.d.s, a fine card carried on this famous flight. 50 cards were flown to Rangoon. £200-250
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1928 (Sep 2) Karachi to Croydon "Princess Xenia" return flight by Capt. C.D Barnard and F/O E.H Alliott, a 1½a postcard (faults, repaired corners at left) with Karachi (Sep. 3), Karachi Unpaid (Aug. 31) and Basrah (Sep. 6) datestamps, signed by Barnard and Alliott; and a cover with India ½a pair cancelled at Karachi (Aug. 23) and a G.B 1d tied by London machine (Dec. 10). Alliott and Barnard flew to India with the Duchess of Bedford but she returned by boat leaving them to fly the plane back to Croydon. The outward flight had taken 6 weeks; the return flight with a cargo of tea and a very small mail took just 4½ days. A rare cover and card. (2). Photo on Page 165. £400-500
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1928 (Sep 13) Amsterdam to Batavia first experimental flight by KLM, registered cover from Amsterdam to Bombay flown to Karachi, and cover from Baghdad (Sep 15) to Batavia, both with arrival backstamps and yellow air mail labels. (2). £80-100
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1928 (Sep 20) Amsterdam to Batavia first experimental flight by KLM, a ½a postcard and a cover franked by two ½a stamps flown from Calcutta to Rangoon, both with an aeroplane cachet and "INDO BURMA FLIGHT / BY DUTCH PLANE / 1st OFFICIAL MAIL". 111 Items carried on this flight by Capt. Koppen. (2). £200-240
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1928 (Sep 22) Amsterdam to Batavia first experimental flight by KLM, flown by Capt. Koppen. Covers from Rangoon to Bangkok franked 1a and 2a, actually flown to Singora as Bangkok was under water, backstamped upon arrival at Bangkok and signed by Stephen Smith. One cover inscribed "Rangoon-Singapore" but then redirected to Bangkok. Very scarce, just 35 covers flown from Rangoon. (2). Photo on Page 165. £300-350
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1928 (Sep 30) Berlin to Tokyo flight by Baron von Huenfeld and Capt. Lindener in the "Europa", postcard flown from Calcutta to Tokyo franked ½a and 1a, with the cachets "BARON HUENFELD", "EUROPA / SS" and "TOKIO 18 OCT", fine and scarce, 47 cards flown. Photo on Page 165. £150-200
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1928 (Oct 4/11) Amsterdam to Batavia experimental flights, Calcutta to Rangoon leg, a cover and card intended to go by the 3rd flight and a cover for the 4th flight, all three actually flown on October 11th 4th flight after the 3rd flight crashed at Cawnpore, the 3rd flight items with a cachet explaining this. 87 Covers and 56 cards were intended to go on the 3rd flight; a further 96 letters carried on the 4th flight. (3). Photo on P age 165. £300-350
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1928 (Oct 4/11) Amsterdam to Batavia 3rd experimental flight, Calcutta to Rangoon leg, six cards franked ½a all with the aeroplane cachet and "3RD OFFICIAL MAIL", a boxed cachet then applied explaining the cards were actually carried on the 4th flight after the 3rd flight aeroplane crashed at Cawnpore. 56 Cards intended for the 3rd flight were carried on the 4th experimental flight. All superb. (6). £600-700
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1928 (Dec 24) Von Koenig Round the World flight, card flown from Karachi to Calcutta with a yellow air mail label and a ½a stamp cancelled upon arrival at Dharamtala (Dec. 26), signed by the pilot, the reverse with printed details of his flight from Berlin to Karachi. Light staining, nevertheless very scarce, just 15 cards flown. £100-150
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1928 German Round the World flight by Baron von Koenig in the "Kamerad", flown as a result of a competition for the most sporting amateur flight and in order to win the President Hindenburg Cup. A printed business card with Von Koenigs full name, inscribed "Teheran to Calcutta by "KAMERAD", Koeniger", addressed to Calcutta bearing a German 1m air post stamp with manuscript "KAMERAD V.K" and India 3a, sent registered from Park Street, Calcutta on 29th January 1929. Von Koenig arrived at Calcutta on December 24, and remained there until February 5th. Very fine and rare, just eight cards flown from Teheran to Calcutta. Photo on Page 165. £500-600
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1929 (Feb 5) Von Koenig Round the World flight, printed postcards flown from Calcutta to Akyab or Rangoon, both with KGV ½a cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta (Jan 15), with a cachet explaining that the flight was delayed until February 5th by unfavourable weather. 41 Cards flown to Akyab and 58 to Rangoon. (2). £250-300
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1929 (Feb 5) Von Koenig Round the World flight, printed postcard flown from Calcutta to Bangkok with ½a cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta (Jan. 15), Bangkok Feb. 14 cachet and a boxed cachet explaining that the flight was delayed until February 5th by unfavourable weather. Fine and scarce, 27 cards flown. Photo on Page 165. £160-200
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1929 (Feb 5) Von Koenig Round the World flight, printed postcard flown from Calcutta to Singapore with ½a cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta (Jan. 15), Singapore April 1st cachet and a boxed cachet explaining that the flight was delayed until February 5th by unfavourable weather. Fine and scarce, 62 cards flown. Photo on Page 168. £200-250
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1929 (Feb. 5) Baron Von Koenig Round the World flight, stampless cover flown from Calcutta to Tokyo via Singapore and Osaka bearing an explanatory label and "KAMERAD" aeroplane cachet, posted at Park Street, Calcutta (June 10) with a 2a due mark. Fine and very rare, just 7 cover flown to Tokyo. Photo on Page 168. £300-400
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1929 (Feb. 5) Baron Von Koenig Round the World flight, stampless cover flown from Calcutta to Tokyo via Singapore and Osaka bearing an explanatory label and "KAMERAD" aeroplane cachet, posted at Park Street, Calcutta (June 10) with a 2a due mark. Fine and very rare, just 7 cover flown to Tokyo. Photo on Page 168. £300-400
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1929-34 Imperial Airways First Flight and commercial covers showing the development of Imperial Airways routes to, from and within India including 1929 (Apr. 7) London-Karachi route, first flight covers from London (3), Baghdad, Jask, Athens, or sent on the return flight from India (4); 1929 covers to or from Australia flown Calcutta-Karachi and Adelaide-Perth; 1930 (Feb. 2) first flight from Jask to Jodhpur or Delhi (60 of each flown); 1930 (Apr. 28) first flight from Delhi to Athens; 1931 (Feb 25) first India despatch by air all the way to Kenya or South Africa (2) and first return flight from Kenya; 1931 first reduced 8d rate from England; 1931 (April 12) first England to Australia experimental flight covers to Akyab, Rangoon and Singapore and first return flight (15, various stages), and second experimental England to Australia flight from India (2, also a cover from Singapore); 1931 (Apr. 14) first flight from Gaza to Jodhpur via the Indian Transcontinental route from Karachi; 1932 registered cover to Jeddah flown via Haifa; 1932 (Apr. 19) first flight from Limassol to Delhi; 1932 (Oct. 5) first flights to and from Bahrain and to Sharjah, first flight from Athens on the route via Bahrain and Sharjah; 1932 (Oct 17) Madras-Karachi first flight covers by Tata Airways carried by Imperial to South Africa or Palestine or from Greece; 1933 (June 30) covers from Belgium flown from Karachi to Calcutta by I.T.A first flight (2); 1933 (July 5) Basrah to Allahabad extension of the England-India air service via Karachi (only 14 flown); 1933 (Sep 17) Brussels to Rangoon, Sep. 21 Bahrain to Rangoon, Oct. 2 Rangoon to Sharjah and June 29 Zagreb to Calcutta first flights; also various commercial mail showing destinations and rates to or from India, with covers surcharged in India and G.B, 1934 cover franked 9½a bearing Czech 1kr postage due strip of three, etc. A fine lot containing some scarce covers. (78). £1,400-1,800
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1929 (May 21) Bengal Air Transport Co. Calcutta to Siliguri first flight, pictorial cover with 1a cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, backstamped at Darjeeling, and a printed newspaper wrapper "Press-Packet - The Englishman, per Bengal Air Transport Co." certified as flown by Stephen Smith. 64 Covers and a small quantity of "The Englishman" newspapers were flown. (2). £100-120
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1929 (May 21) Bengal Air Transport Co. Calcutta to Siliguri first flight covers all franked 1a, cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta and backstamped at Darjeeling, all superb. 64 Covers carried on this flight. (7). £280-320
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1929 (May 22) Siliguri to Calcutta first return flight by the Bengal Air Transport Co., stampless cover with a Darjeeling 2a postage due handstamp, backstamped at Darjeeling and Park Street, Calcutta, both sides with violet straight line "BENGAL AIR TRANSPORT CO, LTD". Fine and rare, just seven covers flown. Photo on Page 168 £160-200
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1929 (June 10) "Maryland Free State" Croydon to Calcutta flight by Van Lear Black, Geysendorffer and Scholte, newspaper wrapper franked by an uncancelled G.B ½d and India ½a cancelled upon arrival at Park Street, Calcutta, handstamped "MARYLAND FREE STATE", signed on the reverse by the pilot J.B Scholte. Fine and very scarce, just one cover and 13 newspaper wrappers flown. Photo on Page 168. £250-300
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1929 (June 10) "Maryland Free State" Croydon to Calcutta flight by Van Lear Black, Geysendorffer and Scholte, newspaper wrapper franked by an uncancelled G.B ½d and India ½a cancelled upon arrival at Park Street, Calcutta, handstamped "MARYLAND FREE STATE", signed on the reverse by the pilot J.B Scholte. Fine and very scarce, just one cover and 13 newspaper wrappers flown. Also a small photo of the plane. (2). Photo on Page 168. £250-300
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1929 (Nov 4) - 1930 (May 1) First flight covers bearing 1929 Air Mail stamp issue all signed by the stamp designer G. Grant, four covers signed in the stamp margins or on the stamps (two additionally signed on the reverse of the cover), four other covers signed on the reverse. One 8a pair includes the variety 'missing tree top' (S.G. 224a, £200); two other covers bear the 3a - 12a, one cancelled 4 Nov. 1929, the first day this issue could be used on a first flight cover, a further cover has the 2a block of four (stained) used on the first day of issue, 20 December 1929. Also two examples of the 8a Air Mail postal stationery envelope posted at Calcutta on the first day of issue, 1st May 1930 (very scarce, the first day wrongly given by Brown as July 22). (10). Photo on Page 168. £300-350
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1929 (Dec 30) Indian State Air Service pictorial first flight covers from Karachi to Delhi (4), Jodhpur to Delhi (9), Hyderabad to Delhi or Delhi to Karachi (32, all franked 2a with a 2a charge mark). Also 1930 pictorial Air Mail covers flown from Karachi to Delhi (3), Jodhpur to Hyderabad or Hyderabad to Jodhpur. (51). £500-600
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