Imperial Airways: the East The aim of the Imperial Airways Eastern Route, along with the parallel development of the Imperial Airways African Route, was to link the countries of the British Empire. Imperial Airways was formed on 31 March 1924 by amalgamating British Marine Air Navigation, Daimler Airways, Handley Page Transport and Instone Air Line. […]
Extensions to Calcutta, Rangoon and Singapore After the introduction of Imperial Airways London – Karachi airmail in 1929, the Eastern Route was gradually extended, first to Delhi in December 1929 and then to Calcutta, Rangoon and Singapore (1933) and Australia (1934) together with a feeder service to Hong Kong (1936). The extension to New Zealand
USA to Hong Kong, 1937 The weekly Pan American USA – Philippines (Manila) route (FAM 14) was extended to Hong Kong via Macau in April 1937. The Martin M130 flying boat China Clipper left San Francisco on 21 April 1937. The trans-Pacific route to Manila was via Hawaii, Midway Island, Wake Island and Guam. To
First Regular NZ-US Airmail, July 1940 The trans-Pacific flight from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Auckland on 12 – 18 July 1940 carried the first ever official airmail from America to New Zealand. The return flight from Auckland to San Francisco was on 20 – 24 July although the elapsed time was one day
Addition of Fiji to FAM 19, November 1941 For the flight leaving San Francisco on Wednesday 5 November 1941, Suva in Fiji was added to the Pan American route FAM 19 from USA to New Zealand as an extra stop between Canton Island and Noumea. Another change was that mail was now accepted from San
End of Pan American Service, Dec 1941 There were only three flights from San Francisco to Auckland via Fiji and two flights from Auckland (either 13 [1] and 27 November [1, 4] or 12 and 25 November [2, 3]) before the New Zealand – US service was suspended until 1946 due to the Japanese attack
WW 2 Airgraphs Airgraphs were developed by Kodak. The idea was that a letter was written on a special form which was then photographed. A large number of letters could be put on a single roll of film which was then flown to its destination. On arrival, the film was processed on to a roll
New Zealand – USA – UK: 1942-44 The Pan Am trans-Pacific air mail service FAM 19 between Auckland and San Francisco was suspended in December 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. That meant that there was no longer an all air service between New Zealand and Britain. With the cut in the Horseshoe Route
Attempted Jubilee Airmail To commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith planned a trans-Tasman airmail from Sydney to New Plymouth and a return from New Zealand to Sydney. Connection with the Australia – UK airmail would give the first official airmail from New Zealand to the UK. The
Cancelled Jubilee Flight The first through airmail from New Zealand to the UK was planned for 17 May 1935 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. The aim was to link up with the Australia – UK service at Sydney. The trans-Tasman air mail rate was 7d while the Australia – UK air
First PanAm Airmail 1938 Pan American Airways planned a regular trans-Pacific airmail service between Auckland and San Francisco, a distance of 6,900 miles. A survey flight was made in March 1937 by Pan Am’s chief pilot: Ed Musick. The first official New Zealand air mail to the United States left Auckland on 2 January 1938.
NZ – US Airmails: August 1940 – Oct 1941 Initially, the rate from New Zealand to Europe via USA was 6s 3d while from September 1940 it was reduced to 5s 9d. The rate from UK to New Zealand remained at 4s 6d. The rate to USA was 4s 0d and that rate could also
East Coast Airways On 16 April 1935, East Coast Airways (ECAL) started a regular passenger service between Gisborne and Napier. This was the first licensed regular passenger service in New Zealand. The planes used were two DH 84 Dragons. Gisborne – Napier An official airmail was only carried on the first flight from Gisborne to
NZ to US and Canada Although there was an experimental official airmail flight to the United States in 1938, a regular New Zealand – USA airmail service did not start until 1940. However, mail from New Zealand could connect with airmail services provided by other countries, including the USA and Canada. Before July 1930, the
US Military Post Offices in New Zealand The location of US ships, army divisions, etc. was not publically known and mail was sent via Fleet Post Offices or Army Post Offices. Numbers were allocated and the associated location often changed as units were moved around. Various Naval and Army Post Offices were based in New
First Regular US-NZ Airmail, July 1940 After the loss of the Samoan Clipper in 1938, Pan American did not set up a regular New Zealand – USA service until 1940. There were two survey flights in 1939, the first was from San Francisco to Auckland between 22 and 30 August while the second was between
1938 NZ to Samoa and Hawaii The first official airmail flight from New Zealand to USA was in January 1938 via American Samoa, Kingman Reef and Hawaii. The flight left Auckland on 2 January and the pilot was Ed Musick. To Samoa The first leg of the 1938 Auckland to US flight was to American
New Zealand Prisoner of War Mail About 9000 New Zealand troops were captured during World War II with about 4000 in Greece and Crete in April/May 1941 and 2000 in North Africa in November/December 1941 [2, 5]. Mail from POWs went free by surface, but air mail had to be paid for. Air mail from
Other Airmail 1940-41: New Zealand – USA – UK From July 1940, there was a regular trans-Pacific airmail service (FAM 19) by PanAm between New Zealand and the USA. However, this service was expensive. The airmail rate to the UK was 6s 3d, reducing to 5s 9d in September 1940 and there were alternative (partial)
USA to NZ via Hawaii, Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau, 1935 – 37 The first flight of the regular Pan American airmail service (FAM 14) from USA to the Philippines (Manila) left San Francisco on 22 November 1935. The route was via Hawaii, Midway Island, Wake Island and Guam. The aim was to provide a
Trans-Tasman Airmails Two figures dominate early direct flights to and from New Zealand: Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm. They made the first trans-Pacific flight from the USA to Australia in May/June 1928 in the Southern Cross, a Fokker monoplane and followed that with the first trans-Tasman flight to New Zealand in September. Kingsford Smith
Kingsford Smith and Ulm On 19 March 1931, Australia issued a set of stamps to commemorate Kingsford Smith’s World Flights. His 1928 flights included the first trans-Pacific flight from the USA to Australia, the first trans-Tasman flight from Australia to New Zealand and the first flight in the reverse direction from New Zealand to Australia.
KLM flight to Australia, 1931 In May 1931, KLM added an experimental flight from Batavia to Melbourne to their regular Amsterdam – Batavia (Dutch East Indies) service providing a through service from Amsterdam to Australia. This prompted Imperial Airways to quickly plan two experimental flights from London to Australia and return. The regular service by
Competition: KLM 1931-38 KLM planned an experimental airmail from Amsterdam to Melbourne and back in April/May 1931. This prompted Imperial Airways to plan two experimental flights from London to Australia and return. Regular KLM service to Batavia Since 25 September 1930, KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij or Royal Dutch Airlines) had operated the longest regular airmail
Experimental Airmail UK – Australia In April 1931, Imperial Airways planned two experimental airmails from London to Melbourne and return. This was the first official air mail between Great Britain and Australia. Letters could be addressed to New Zealand and were accepted in New Zealand for the two return flights from Australia. Carriage between Australia
Northerly Route, November 1929 – January 1930 Imperial Airways had problems with the Italian government about flying over Italian territory and so, on 2 November 1929, the route was changed from the Mediterranean to a more northerly route through central Europe. Changed route: Flown through Central Europe, 2 November 1929 The new northerly Imperial Airways
IA London – Karachi, April – October 1929 Although covers to and from intermediate destinations as well as covers to Australia and New Zealand were carried on the first flight, the first official acceptances were some time later. For example, mail from London to Persia was accepted from 25 May and to Greece from 1
IA London – Karachi, First Flight 1929 A major step in providing an airmail service between New Zealand and the UK was the weekly Imperial Airways London to Karachi service which started on 30 March 1929. The journey took 7 days. The first flight This cover was carried on the first flight from Croydon Airport,
Air Orient and KLM It was late 1933 before Imperial Airways extended its airmail route to Singapore. Meanwhile, both France and The Netherlands had started regular services to their colonies in the Far East. KLM started a regular airmail service between Amsterdam and Batavia in the Dutch East Indies in September 1930. Air Orient began
Extension to Hong Kong The Eastern Route of Imperial Airways was gradually extended with the first flight to Hong Kong being in March 1936. On 23 March 1936, an Imperial Airways service to Hong Kong was started, connecting with their London – Australia route at Penang. The mail leaving London on 14 March connected with
Late fee Acceptance of letters for a sailing of the trans-Tasman steamer closed several hours before the boat sailed. However, letters were still accepted on payment of a special late fee. The cover is routed Per Air Mail Via Australia and so would be sent to Sydney by sea and then sent to Karachi by
ANA and New England Airways From 1 January 1930, Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm’s ANA flew a Brisbane – Sydney service. This was extended to Melbourne on 1 June 1930 and to Tasmania on 1 January 1931 with the first air mail to Tasmania being on 1 May 1931. Their services ceased on 26 June
Internal Airmails 1934-1938 Although there were experimental air mails between 1930 and 1932, the first regular service did not start until late 1934. Airmails were developed along with freight and passenger services. The first regular New Zealand airmail service connected Hokitika with Haast and Okuru in December 1934. It was operated by Air Travel (NZ).
Early External Flights New Zealand is distant from other countries. The Tasman Sea between New Zealand and Australia is two-thirds the width of the Atlantic Ocean and is notorious for sudden violent storms. That not only meant that air mail is very important to New Zealand external communications, but that it was relatively late (1940)
UK – NZ via Karachi 1929 – 34 Mail could be sent to New Zealand by the London – Karachi air mail service from 1929, although it was not until July 1930 that airmail could be sent from New Zealand. The cover shown below is one of only three known covers addressed to New Zealand
NZ – Tasmania, 1931 – 1934 There were several services between Melbourne and Tasmania and there were acceptances for them both from and to New Zealand. The first was with the short-lived ANA service in 1931. Services were then started by Hart Aircraft Service and Matthews Aviation in 1933 and by Holyman’s Airways in 1935.
Crash of the Scipio, Cygnus, Calpurnia, Belfast The Short S17 Kent flying boat Scipio crashed on landing in Mirabella Bay, Crete on 22 August 1936. It was carrying mail on the Alexandria – Brindisi leg of the Imperial Airways Australia – England airmail service. On 5 December 1937, the Short S23 Empire flying boat Cygnus
NZ via Perth – Adelaide The West Australian Airways (WAA) trans-continental airmail service between Adelaide and Perth started in June 1929. Mail both from and to the UK was carried on the first flights. Mail addressed to New Zealand was flown on the first flight from Perth, but it was not until August that mail
New Zealand to Persia, 1932 From June 1932, air mail was accepted from New Zealand for Persia, Iraq, Palestine and Egypt as well as for Africa. Mail was carried to Karachi by surface with the first flight leaving Karachi on 27 July. No special cachet was applied. Route The route from Karachi was along the
Papua and New Guinea, 1938 In May 1938, Carpenter Airlines began a regular air mail service between Sydney and Papua New Guinea. Mail was accepted from New Zealand for the inaugural flight and addressed to New Zealand on the return flight. On 30 May, a DH 86 of Carpenter Airlines flew from Sydney to Townsville
