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1924 Cover inscribed "By Experimental Aeroplane Flight to India" addressed to Rangoon, hand carried by Alan Cobham on his survey flight from England to India, franked by GB KGV 1/2d, 1d and 1 1/2d pair both with booklet adverts attached, each stamp initialled "AJC", the cover signed "Alan J. Cobham, Pilot of DH 50 aeroplane, arrived Rangoon 6/2/25". The reverse signed as genuine by H.F. Bennett and Stephen Smith. Cobham surveyed the route from England to India and on to Burma on behalf of the British Government, leaving London on 20th November 1924. He arrived at Calcutta early in January 1925 and flew on to Rangoon on 5th February. No official mail was carried on this flight from England, just a few covers being hand carried by Cobham. A rare flight cover. Photo on Page 104. £1,200-1,400
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1925-26 Calcutta to Risalpur R.A.F flights comprising 1925 cover to Nowshera with KGV 1a cancelled at Risalpur (Feb 2) and circular violet cachet "CALCUTTA - RISALPUR DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT / CALCUTTA / 1925", signed by Ft. Lt. Gordon (124 carried of which 89 were to Nowshera); and 1926 (Jan 2) 1/2a postcard to Risalpur with "HAWASAE / BY AIR" and oval "27 SQUADRON / ROYAL AIR FORCE" cachets and bearing a "BY AIR" vignette (faults), initialled "E.H.S" by the receiving Officer E.H Spence (51 flown). (2). £120-150
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1925 (Feb 5) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, cover flown from Calcutta to Akyab with KGV 1a cancelled upon arrival and a small blue aeroplane handstamp, initialled "AJC", just 34 covers carried. Photo on Page 104. £150-180
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1925 (Feb 7) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, cover flown from Akyab to Rangoon with KGV 1a cancelled upon arrival, signed "Alan J. Cobham". 49 Covers flown of which just 13 were signed in full. Photo on Page 104. £140-160
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1925 (Feb 8) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, 1a postal stationery envelope flown from Rangoon to Akyab and onto Calcutta, cancelled at Rangoon with an Akyab transit c.d.s on the front and a Calcutta backstamp, signed "Alan J. Cobham". 32 Covers flown of which just nine were signed in full. A fine and scarce Cobham flight cover. Photo on Page 104. £250-350
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1925 (Feb 16) Anglo-Indian Survey flight by Alan Cobham, 1/2a postal stationery postcard and a cover franked 1a both flown from Calcutta, the card flown to Delhi with a c.d.s and due mark of Havelock Square, the cover flown to Karachi and cancelled at Drigh Road. Both have the triangular flight cachet "Calcutta To Karachi" (altered to "Delhi" on the card), and bear the pink vignette "By Anglo-Indian Air Survey D.H. 50 / Calcutta to Karachi" (the right portion removed before use on the card), and are signed by the flight engineer Arthur B. Elliott. 40 Cards flown to Delhi and 100 covers to Karachi. (2). £180-220
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1925 (Feb 16) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, cover flown from Calcutta to London bearing an uncancelled 2a and the green vignette "By Anglo-Indian Air Survey D.H 50 / Calcutta to London" with the triangular flight cachet "Calcutta To London", a 3d charge mark applied in London E.C and a 3d due stamp cancelled at Kensington. Backstamped "WADDON AERODROME / CROYDON" (Mar 17) and signed by the flight engineer Arthur B. Elliott. Also blocks of five of the red "Calcutta To Karachi" and green "Calcutta To London" vignettes, and the rejected "Calcutta To London" vignette on blue paper, and an unused envelope intended for the Calcutta to Melbourne leg of Cobham's 1926 England to Australia flight with a printed explanation of Arthur Elliott's death, shot flying over Iraq. 121 Items flown to London. (5). £160-200
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1926 (Jan 22) First flight from Karachi to Risalpur, flown by Ft. Lt. Spence of the RAF, 1a on 1/2a stationery envelope pen cancelled, with the oval cachets "27 SQUADRON / ROYAL AIR FORCE" and "AIRCRAFT DEPOT R.A.F", inscribed and initialled by Spence. Just 40 covers flown on what was then the longest non-stop flight (720 miles) to have taken place in India. Photo on Page 104. £120-150
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1926 (April 17) Madrid to Manila flight by the Spanish aviators Lts. Loriga and Gonsalez, cover flown on the Karachi to Rawalpindi leg via Agra franked 1a, backstamped upon arrival (Apr 19) and signed by Loriga. Small nick and 1cm tear at base, otherwise fine and rare, very few covers carried. Photo on Page 104. £180-220
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1927 (Jan 6) Air Ministers flight from London to Delhi, cover flown on the final leg from Karachi to Delhi with a printed explanation and violet "By the D.H 'City of Delhi'", numbered "3", a KGV 1a tied by Viceroy's Camp P.O c.d.s (Jan 10) on the day the aircraft was named "City of Delhi" by the Vicereine, Lady Irwin. Fine and scarce, just 27 covers flown. Photo on Page 106. £180-220
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1926-27 Stack & Leete flights comprising 1926 Baghdad to Karachi flight with Iraq 8a tied by Baghdad c.d.s (Dec 21) and boxed "IRAQ to INDIA" cancel; 1927 covers with KGV 1a or 1/2a pair cancelled by violet boxed "AIR MAILS INDIA / By Light Aeroplane / KARACHI G.P.O / WITH MESSRS STACK & LEETE" flown from Karachi to Lahore (2, sixty flown) or Calcutta. (4). £100-120
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1927 (Feb 17-23) Indian Air Pageant, Delhi, programme containing a photo of the aerodrome and five pages of events, and flown covers with "Royal Air Force Display 1927" despatch and arrival datestamps, from Peshawar, Risalpur or Ambala to Delhi, or from Delhi to Risalpur (2, one an official cover with KGV 1a, 8a, 1r service stamps), Peshawar or Kohat. Also 1925 (Dec 31) handbill advertising the 1926 (Feb 4-6) Grand Military Searchlight Tattoo at Fort William, dropped by RAF plane over Calcutta with circular cachet. (9). £180-240
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1927 (June 25) Amsterdam to Batavia flight by the Dutch aviators G.J Geysendorffer and J.B Scholte, cover flown on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg franked 1a and bearing the "Avail Air Mails and Save Time" vignette, backstamped at Rangoon, very fine. 48 Covers flown. Photo on Page 106. £150-180
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1927 (July 9) Batavia to Amsterdam return flight by the Dutch aviators G.J Geysendorffer and J.B Scholte, cover flown on the Rangoon to Calcutta leg with 1a cancelled at Myenigon and bearing a blue explanatory label, backstamped at Park Street, fine and scarce, 50 covers flown. Photo on Page 106. £150-180
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1927 (July 9) Batavia to Amsterdam return flight by the Dutch aviators G.J Geysendorffer and J.B Scholte, cover flown on the Calcutta to Karachi leg bearing a flight vignette depicting the aeroplane, the 1a cancelled upon arrival at Karachi (July 14), small ink marks, otherwise fine and very scarce, just 15 covers flown. Photo on Page 106. £200-250
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1927 (July 2) De Havilland Moth flight over Calcutta by Ft. Lt. W.H Vetch, flown card franked 1/2a and covers franked 1a (2) all with a printed explanation of the flight and a small butterfly cachet. Also a handwritten letter from E.L Widdicombe to Stephen Smith requesting a cachet for use on the air mail covers and showing six strikes of the butterfly cachet, and a letter from Widdicombe certifying that 11 items were flown on 27 June and 276 letters + 49 cards on this second flight on 2 July. The card and covers all initialled by Widdicombe who accompanied Vetch on the flight. (5). £120-150
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1927 (July 15) Calcutta to Shillong flight by Ft. Lt. W.H Vetch, cover flown on the first leg to Dacca with four line flight cachet, the 1a cancelled upon arrival, a few light tone spots but very scarce, just 19 covers flown. Photo on Page 106. £180-220
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1927 (July 17) Calcutta to Shillong flight by Ft. Lt. W.H Vetch, cover addressed to Shillong, flown to Dacca and then to Cherrapunji where it was inadvertently posted, franked 1a with the four line flight cachet. Fine and scarce, just 35 covers flown. Photo on Page 106. £180-220
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1927 (Nov 3) Paris to Saigon and return flight by Leon Challe and Raymond Rapin, cover carried back from Calcutta to Paris franked 1a + 2a with "CONSULAT GENERAL DE FRANCE / CALCUTTA" cachet and a Paris arrival backstamp (Dec 26), very fine, 93 covers carried of which just 26 were to French addresses. Also 1928 (May 14) cover franked by two 1/2a stamps, flown by the French aviators Doisy and Carol from Calcutta to Rangoon as part of their flight from Paris to Hanoi, with flight vignette and cachet and printed "Plane crashed at Akyab 16th May, 1928", fine, 74 letters and 44 cards carried. (2). £160-180
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1928 (Feb 3) R.A.F Empire Cruise Seaplane flight by Gp.-Capt. Cave-Brown-Cave, cover franked by two 1/2a stamps flown from Calcutta to Rangoon, bearing the yellow flight vignette with "by Seaplane" inverted in error. Also unused examples of the correct vignettes intended for use on covers flown to Akyab or Rangoon respectively. 92 Covers flown, but only four of these bore the vignette with this printing error. A fine and rare cover. (3). Photo on Page 106. £120-150
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1928 (Feb 3) R.A.F Empire Cruise Seaplane flight by Gp.-Capt. Cave-Brown-Cave, cover franked 3p (2) + 1/2a and a 1/2a on 1/4a postal stationery postcard both flown from Calcutta to Akyab, the card with a printed cachet showing India outlined in green, the cover bearing the yellow flight vignette, both fine. 89 Covers and 63 postcards flown. (2). £120-150
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1928-29 Baron Von Koenig's Berlin to New York round the world flight, photograph of the pilot signed "Fch Von Koenig, 20 HP baby plane to India from Germany, 25 Dec. 28", on a piece of paper again signed by Koenig and inscribed "This photograph taken at Teheran after the landing from Germany and Russia" (authenticated on the reverse by Stephen Smith and used in his book "Indian Airways"); leaflet for Klemm L25 aircraft also inscribed and signed by Von Koenig on 23 Dec. 1928; and a book illustration of the Wright Brothers first plane, also signed by Von Koenig. Also 1929 (Feb 2) illustrated Bengal Flying Club postcard flown by Von Koenig over Calcutta and posted franked 1/2a with triangular cachet, pilot signed; 225 cards flown but only 25 of these signed by Von Koenig. A unique group of signed items. (4). £200-250
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1929 (May 22) Bengal Air Transport Co. Calcutta to Darjeeling first flight, flown cover with 1a cancelled at Calcutta (64 flown); wrapper used for the air edition of "The Englishman" newspaper certified as flown by Stephen Smith; and a folded poster advertising the special edition of the newspaper inscribed and signed "This poster was carried by aeroplane on the first flight from Calcutta to Darjeeling on the 21st May, Stephen Smith", the last possibly unique. (3). £120-150
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1929 (Nov 4) First Day Covers of the Air Mail stamps all flown to England, comprising single 6a on cover from Calcutta signed by the designer "G. Grant, 4 Nov." in the stamp margin and on the cover; 3a + 6a on registered cover from Calcutta, containing a card depicting the committee of the Aero Philatelic Club of Calcutta, issued on the occasion of the first Air Mail stamps; and 8a or 12a single frankings on covers from Lahore (date unclear on the 12a cover). Also 1930 flight covers from Jodhpur to Hyderabad or Hyderabad to Karachi both with Air 2a signed in the margin by G. Grant; and a 1933 cover to England bearing 1/2a + Air 8a stationery cut-out ringed in blue crayon with the Postmasters explanation in the same crayon on the reverse "The eight ans stamp put here is cut from the embossed envelope and therefore cannot be recognised in payment of Postage", handstamped "T / CTS 40" and "INSUFFICIENTLY PAID FOR / TRANSMISSION BY AIR MAIL", a 3d charge mark applied in London. (7). Photo on Page 106. £400-500
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1930 R.A.F emergency air service due to flooding, 1/2a postcard flown from Reti to Jacobabad with 1st September arrival c.d.s, and August 24th cover franked 1a flown from Jacobabad to Reti bearing flight vignette and signed by the pilot Ft. Lt. Walter Akerman, both fine, few covers pilot signed. (2). £120-140
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1930 (Nov 4-22) R.A.F Demonstration flight from India to Straits Settlements and back, covers franked 1a flown on the outward journey from Delhi to Calcutta with four line flight cachet and signed by the pilot Ft. Lt D.F. Anderson (72 covers flown), or carried on the return flight from Allahabad to Delhi with oval cachet of 1st Bn. The Cheshire Regt. (73 flown), both fine. (2). £100-120
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1932 (Jan 2) Delhi Flying Club first flight covers from Karachi to Delhi, Jodhpur to Delhi with Air 3a tied by "AERODROME / JODHPUR" c.d.s and a Jodhpur Due handstamp, or from Delhi to Hyderabad (2), one of these signed by the pilot P.D Sharma. 175 Covers flown from Karachi or Jodhpur to Jodhpur or Delhi, just 77 covers flown on the return flights on January 5th of which just 13 were carried from Delhi to Hyderabad, very few covers pilot signed. (4). £150-180
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1932-33 First flights by foreign airlines comprising 1932 (Oct 6) Air France Marseille to Saigon route cover flown from Calcutta to Bangkok (91 flown); 1932 (Oct 7) KLM Bangoeng to Calcutta route cover flown from Akyab to Calcutta and then flown onto Brindisi; and 1933 (Mar 7) KLM flight from Karachi to Bushire, all three fine and scarce. (3). £120-150
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Zeppelin Mail. 1933 (July 24) Registered cover from Karachi to Pernambuco, Brazil, "By air mail to London, by Graf Zeppelin from Germany, Printed Matter, Registered", franked 9a9p for the Imperial Airways rate to London, two G.B 5d stamps cancelled in London to pay the printed matter rate for the Graf Zeppelin. Carried on the Graf Zeppelin 4th South American flight with two Zeppelin cachets and circular "MIT LUFTPOST BEFORDERT / LUFTAMT / BERLIN C2" in red, backstamped at Paris, Berlin (Aug 5), and Pernambuco (Aug. 9), a blue "Via Zeppelin / Friedrichshafen" label applied. A fine and scarce Zeppelin acceptance from India. Photo on Page 108. £900-1,100
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Zeppelin Mail. 1934 (July 31) Cover from Delhi to Pernambuco inscribed "By Airship "Graf Zeppelin" Germany-Brazil" bearing 1929 Air Mail 2a, 3a, 6a and 1934 1/2a, a Friedrichshafen c.d.s (Aug 18) and red circular "DEUTSCHE LUFTPOST / EUROPA - SUDAMERIKA b" on the front, backstamped at Stuttgart (Aug 6) and Recife (Aug 21). A scarce Indian acceptance cover carried on the 6th South American flight of 1934 by the Graf Zeppelin. Photo on Page 108. £700-800
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1934 (Oct 25) MacRobertson Air Race from England to Australia, cover carried on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg by the New Zealand contestants Sqn. Lr. Malcolm McGregor and Henry Walker with 9p cancelled at Mingaladon Cantonment, bearing green flight vignette and two cachets, fine and scarce, approximately 32 covers carried. Photo on Page 108. £150-180
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1935 Quetta Earthquake. Stampless covers to Great Britain, two with Air Mail labels or endorsements, three with June 11-14 Quetta datestamps and black straight line "QUETTA EARTH QUAKE POSTAGE FREE", the other with a June 15 Quetta c.d.s and the very scarce cachet "Quetta Earth Quake / Free Postage Concession / Withdrawn" in red on the reverse, the address panel with "T / CTS / 50" deleted and replaced by a Quetta R.M.S due handstamp but delivered free of charge in London. (4). Photo on Page 108. £260-320
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1929-34 Flight covers comprising 1929 (June 14) Alcock & Brown 10th Anniversary flight at Dum Dum, signed by the pilot J.B Scholtze; 1929 (June 25) Dum Dum to Naihati and back, flown by Miss Joan Page (2, one printed cover with red omitted from the Union Jack in error); 1930 (Oct 29/31) covers flown by Mrs Victor Bruce from Karachi to Allahabad or Karachi to Akyab, both pilot signed; 1931 (Apr 13) Bombay to Goa flight by Major Lopes; 1932 (Feb 20) Viceroys Cup Air Race flown cover signed by R.N Chawla and G. Geonka; 1933 (Mar 21) Dacca to Dum Dum first experimental flight; 1933 (Apr 21) Calcutta to Rangoon flight cover with elephant vignette, flown by Maryse Hiltz as part of her flight from Paris to Hanoi; 1933 (Sep 6) Edmonstone Island to Dum Dum first flight conveying a cargo of fish, with vignette and cachet, signed by the pilot W. Moylan; 1934 (Jan 19/20) Barnards Flying Circus with Bihar Earthquake Relief Fund vignette or "1st Parachute Delivery in India" vignette and cachet of "Robert Wyndham, the one armed parachutist". A fine group, some scarce. (12). £400-600
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Imperial Airways. 1927-36 Covers showing the development of routes to India with 1927-28 covers flown between Basra and Cairo (7, three with spurious 1/4 on 1/2a surcharges inverted, one carried on the first flight with combined Marseille to London air service); 1929 (April) first flights from G.B to India, Baghdad to Karachi, Karachi to London (3) or Basrah; 1929 third flight covers to Cairo or London, this cover signed by the Director of Civil Aviation in India and sent to F. Bertram at the Air Ministry with Service 4a unusually cancelled by the circular framed "BY / AIR" cachet, and 4th flight to London; 1931 (April 12/13) first flight from Calcutta to Rangoon or Delhi to Victoria Point, Merqui (30 flown); (30 flown); 1931 (Apr 11) first flight to Australia (2) and return service first flights from Rangoon (3), Allahabad or Calcutta, second flights by "City of Karachi" (3), May flight with "Asmani Ghari" cachets (2); 1932 (Jan 18) first direct air mail to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia; 1932 (Oct 5) Bahrain to Karachi first flight; 1936 "Scipio" crash cover with "DAMAGED BY / SEA WATER" cachet, etc. (39). Photo on Page 108. £600-700
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Imperial Airways. 1927 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) 1 1/2a 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). £420-480
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Imperial Airways. 1929-34 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), 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), 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, first reduced 8d rate from England, Apr. 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), Apr. 14 first flight from Gaza to Jodhpur via the Indian Transcontinental route from Karachi; 1932 registered cover to Jeddah flown via Haifa, Apr. 19 first flight from Limassol to Delhi, Oct. 5 first flights to and from Bahrain and to Sharjah, first flight from Athens on the route via Bahrain and Sharjah, 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), July 5 Basrah to Allahabad extension of the England-India air service via Karachi (only 14 flown), 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 9 1/2a bearing Czech 1kr postage due strip of three, etc. A fine lot containing some scarce covers. (78). £1,600-1,800
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1929-74 Covers showing the development of services by India Airlines including Indian State Air Service, Tata & Sons Ltd, India Trans-Continental Airways, Indian National Airways, Madras Air Taxi Service and Air Services of India, etc, also a few post war covers carried by foreign companies. The 1929-40 covers (88) include 1929 (Dec 30) Delhi-Karachi first flights with covers to or from Jodhpur (7); 1932 (Oct 15/18) Tata Karachi-Madras first flights (5, one the scarce first type printed cover with Union Jack above map of India, another cover to Malakal, Sudan); 1933 (July 7-11) Trans-Continental extensions to Calcutta, first flights on various stages (16), Oct 1st extension to Rangoon (3), Dec 1 Dacca-Calcutta first flights (2) and Dec 15th extension to Singapore; 1934 (Feb 9/11) Madras Taxi Service various legs (6), Dec 4th Lahore to Karachi weekly service (4); 1935 (Feb 25/26) Tata demonstration flights (7), October Bombay-Trivandrum demonstration flight (50 flown) and first return flight (2); 1936 Xmas flight (4); 1937 (Apr. 16/18) first flights to Bhuj (11), November Bombay-Delhi flights (5); 1938 (Feb 28) Madras to Colombo flight, March 3rd Trichinopoly-Trivandrum service (3), November 21st Bombay-Kathlawar service (7, three pilot signed); 1940 (May 3/4) Bombay to Baroda or Kolhapur services (3), etc. (121). £700-800
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Stephen Smith. 1929 (Apr 16) Stampless Official Paid cover with "Privy Purse Buckingham Palace" official cachet sent form London to Smith in Calcutta, the enclosed letter thanking him for his letter to the King sent on the first India to G.B flight; 1930 programme of the first exhibition in India of flown air covers, held at the residence of Sir David and Lady Ezra, signed by Smith; and 1992 commemorative stamps, cancel and booklet. £70-100
| Everest Flights | |
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1932 (Jan 7-12) Calcutta to Baghdogra and return flight over the Himalayas near Mount Everest by the Americans Richard Halliburton and Moye M. Stephen on their world flight, cover bearing the flight vignette and "MOUNT EVEREST TRIP" vignette, both sides with the "American Fliers / In "Stearland" Biplane" cachet. Signed by Halliburton, a 1/2a cancelled at Calcutta (Jan 13), small split caused by a rather heavy backstamp, otherwise fine and a scarce Everest flight. 50 Covers flown. Photo on Page 108. £300-350
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1932 (Oct 15) Printed covers commemorating the conquest of Mount Kemet, at 24,447ft the highest mountain then climbed, listing the six British climbers and their two porters and depicting the expedition leader F.S Smythe, all with additional "First Flight " imprint and carried on various legs of the first Tata service between Karachi and Madras, both outward and return flights, eight with a little light staining, two with more severe staining or other faults, one very fine, unusual covers which are rarely seen. (11). £150-200
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1933 (April 5) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, flight over the summit of the mountain, flown cover addressed to "Charles H. Hawes, Mechanical supervisor, West Wharf, Port Triest, Karachi" with KGV 2a tied by violet "HOUSTON MOUNT EVEREST FLIGHT / 5 APR. 33 / PURNEA" c.d.s. The addressee was the mechanical supervisor when the Westland aircraft were assembled at Karachi after being unloaded from S.S "Dalgoma". Just 25 covers, one for each member of the expedition, were carried on this first successful flight over Everest piloted by Ft. Lt. McIntyre and received this circular datestamp. A fine and rare cover. Photo on Page 108. £800-1,000
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1933 (April 5) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, flight over the summit of the mountain, flown cover addressed to "Phillip Vallantine, Make Up Dept, Gaumont British Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherds Bush, London" with KGV 1a3p pair tied by violet "HOUSTON MOUNT EVEREST FLIGHT / 5 APR. 33 / PURNEA" c.d.s., sent by S.R Bonnett, aerial photographer of the Gaumont British Film Corporation. Just 25 covers, one for each member of the expedition, were carried on this first successful flight over Everest piloted by Ft. Lt. McIntyre and received this circular datestamp. Small (1cm) tear at right edge, otherwise a fine and rare cover. Photo on Page 108. £800-1,000
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1933 (April 5) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, flight over the summit of the mountain, flown cover addressed to "Mrs W.E Young, 28 Cornford Grove, Balham, London, S.W.12", with "HOUSTON MOUNT EVEREST FLIGHT / 5 APR. 33 / PURNEA" c.d.s., sent by her son Kenneth E. Young, a mechanic with the expedition. Just 25 covers, one for each member of the expedition, were carried on this first successful flight over Everest piloted by Ft. Lt. McIntyre and received this circular datestamp. A few minor stain spots and a couple of opening tears at upper edge, otherwise a fine and rare cover, the c.d.s superb. Photo on Page 112. £800-1,000
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1933 (April 21) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, flight over the summit of the mountain, flown cover addressed to "Miss Evelyn Coats, Corsebar, Paisley, Scotland", bearing five KGV 1/2a stamps tied by two strikes of "HOUSTON MOUNT EVEREST FLIGHT / 21 APR. 33 / PURNEA" in magenta and backstamped at Purnea (Apr. 24), the enclosed letter written by Lord Clydsdale, who flew over Everest on April 20th. This datestamp (dated April 5) was used on 25 items of mail on the first flight over the mountain, on one single cover carried on the second flight (dated April 20) and on this single cover carried on the third flight over Everest on April 20th (with c.d.s dated April 21). A unique and important cover for any collection of Everest or India air mail postal history. Photo on Page 112. £2,400-2,800
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1933 (April 7) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, cover carried on the first survey flight by Air Commodore Fellowes franked 3p and 1a cancelled at Purnea (Apr 8), bearing the flight vignette featuring a Union Jack and an aeroplane over India, both sides with the circular flight cachet in violet showing Mt. Everest, backstamped at Calcutta and signed by Stephen Smith. 87 Covers were flown and sold at one guinea each, the fee going to R.A.F charities. Photo on Page 112. £150-180
| World War Two Flights | |
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1941 Indian Air Mail Society "V" Campaign flights comprising September 7th Chittagong to Calcutta flight (40 flown, "Trump Cards" cover), September 12th R.A.F flights from Chabra to Calcutta (20 flown, "Don't Believe in Rumour" cover), Danjam to Calcutta (2, 23 flown, "Run Nazi Run" and "Esau Stars" covers), Dogboi to Calcutta (4, 35 flown, "Don't Believe in Rumour", "Esau Stars" and two "Run Nazi Run" covers with differing pilots signatures), Heho to Calcutta (2, 32 flown, "Run Nazi Run" and "Don't Believe in Rumour" covers), all pilot signed and posted in Dum Dum, a fine lot, as few as seven examples of certain covers flown on some flights. (10). Photo on Page 112. £500-600
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1941 (Nov 21) Indian Air Mail Society "V" Campaign covers carried on R.A.F flights from Burma to Calcutta comprising covers flown from Myitkiyna (2, differing signatures, 44 flown), Maymyo (2, differing covers, 18 flown) or from Shwebo ("Don't Jump to Conclusions" cover, 44 flown), all pilot signed and posted in Dum Dum, fine and scarce. (5). Photo on Page 112. £250-300
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1942 Indian Air Mail Society "V" Campaign covers carried on U.S.A.A.C flights over enemy territory comprising October 29th cover with "Carried on Reconnaissance flight over Enemy Occupied Territory By U.S.A.A.C" cachet (32 flown); November 4th cover with "BOMBING RAID / HONG KONG / By U.S.A.A.C" cachet (28 flown); November 7th covers (2, "Run Nazi Run" and "The Missing Link") both with "Carried by U.S.A.A.C on Reconnaissance Flight over Enemy Occupied Territory" (39 flown), all pilot signed, the first two posted at Calcutta, the last two with a Stephen Smith cachet explaining that they were not posted after carriage as airmen were officially advised to cease souvenir airmails from this date. Fine and scarce. (4). Photo on Page 112. £200-250
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1942 (Oct 15) Cover endorsed "Par Avion Chittagon a Calcutta par U.S.A Transport" and signed by the pilot Cpl. M.A Hebert, R.C.A.F, handstamped "BY AIR" and "By U.S.A Douglas Army Transport", posted at Calcutta. Fine and very scarce, just seven covers carried on this operational flight. Photo on Page 112. £140-160
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1943 (Jan 1) Stampless cover to Dum Dum carried on the China National Airways Corporation first flight from Danjan to Calcutta, handstamped boxed "BY C.N.A.C", inscribed and signed by the pilot M.A. Hebert. Fine and scarce, 19 covers flown. Photo on Page 112. £100-120
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