Biplanes Fly Air Mail Once Again!

The 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum has announced its planned re-enactment commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the first regularly scheduled U.S. Air Mail. On Wednesday, July 9 and Thursday, July 10, 2008 mail will be flown from the Geneseo, New York Airport during the week of the Group’s annual weeklong “Olde Aerodrome Days” Biplane Rally. This event precedes the 29th consecutive Geneseo Airshow, The Greatest Show On Turf, listed among North America’s top 10 Airshows.

Three scheduled flights will be departing Geneseo (Aerodrome Station No.1 [14454]) at approximately 11:00 A.M. both days, weather permitting, and will arrive in Rochester, (Aerodrome Station No. 2 [14692]), Niagara Falls, No.3 (14302) and Buffalo, No. 4 (14240) New York, where Postal Service officials, local media and dignitaries will greet the arriving aircraft. From these respective sites, canceled mail will then be placed on board these vintage biplanes and sent to Geneseo for distribution. No less than three, but as many as six, classic aircraft that actually flew C.A.M. Routes in the 1920s and ‘30s have acknowledged their planned appearance at this event. They include Stearman Models 4E and C-3B, a Pitcairn PA-6 and a PA-8 “Mail Wing” and possibly a Ford Tri-Motor and a de Havilland DH-4. The probability of these planes being escorted by other biplanes of similar vintage carrying photojournalists should present some unique photo opportunities to visitors at the landing sites.

A special cancellation has been designed by Aviation Artist and Event Coordinator Frank H. Schaufler, which is approved by the U.S. Postal Service. It is an oval format approximately 1.5 x 2.25 inches encircling wings used by the aircraft of C.A.M. Route 4 in April 1926 and flown by Maury Graham, Jimmy James, and Fred Kelly. Instead of the words “Contract” and “Route 4” on the wingtips, the dates 1918 and 2008 have been substituted. The words U.S. Air Mail are reproduced identically to how they appeared on the original logo. There are a total of eight individual cancellations, four for each date and four for each participating city. All cancellations have a different numbered Aeroplane Station and contain the words “Commemorating the 90th Anniversary” above “U.S. Air Mail.” Beneath the wings are the date and city of departure. Around the bottom of the oval are the other three locations printed in the same type font used on the original May 15, 1918 cancellations.

In addition, a special souvenir cachet has also been designed by Frank Schaufler and will be available for sale through the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum’s store or Web site. The cover itself is based on the transcontinental map series used between February 13, 1926 and January 25, 1927. Instead of the US map the artist has substituted a section of western New York State where the events will be held. It shows Lakes Erie and Ontario as well as the northern tips of some of the Finger Lakes. Arrows departing from Geneseo to their three destinations are also depicted. In place of the DH-4s on the original stamp are two of the biplanes that will actually be flying the mail this July. They are a Stearman Model 4E “Speed Mail” belonging to Todd Stuart from Key West, Florida, and the world’s only flying 1931 Pitcairn PA-8 “Mail Wing” owned by the Nemacolin Woodlands Vintage Aircraft Collection in Pennsylvania. The words “United States Air Mail” have been faithfully reproduced from the original 1926 artwork.

At present a limited-edition of 1000 sets of four are planned to be sold to collectors through the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum’s Web site, 1941hag.org. These will carry the Museum’s return address on the ones leaving Geneseo and its “TO:” address on the remaining three-quarters from the other sites so every set will have all four Aerodrome Stations and cancellations. These sets will also carry a photographic stamp-like label of the Pitcairn taken at the 2007 Biplane Rally by photojournalist Seth Goltzer. These are being listed as $25.00 for the set of four plus $2.95 S&H. The four set commemoratives can be pre-sold or reserved by calling HAG headquarters at 585-243-2100. All proceeds from the above covers go to the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of historical aircraft. An additional limited run of souvenir covers without stamps, return addresses, labels or cancellations will be available as single envelopes to anyone wishing to purchase them through the Museum for $3.00 each.

Plans to produce an exclusive Collector’s Edition similar to the one Schaufler designed in 1978 for the 60th Anniversary of this event are being discussed as well. This will be a two-sided, matted and framed version that will contain, not only the four canceled covers, but also each reverse side will have a printed facsimile of the original C-3, 24-cent Curtiss Jenny stamp used on the 1918 inaugural flights and current 42-cent stamp, which will have a back-stamp cancellation from the destination. The backs of these covers will also carry signatures of the participating pilots of each flight, Postal Service official, cachet aviation artist and label photographer. The front panel will also include a signed and numbered limited edition of 50 commemorative plaques signed by the artist, and a full-color Pitcairn photo of the label and signed by the photographer. The rear panel will include an enlargement of the Geneseo cancellation and artist’s Hallmark vignette.

Below are the Cachet and Cancellations of the Anniversary Cover.

All questions regarding this event or the pre-ordering of this material can be directed to:

AIR MAIL FLIGHT C/O
1941 Historical Aircraft Group
3489 Big Tree Lane
Geneseo NY 14454-0185
(585)-243-2100
office@1941hag.org

or

Frank H. Schaufler
251 Lawrence Rd.
Brockport NY 14426
(585)-392-4859
avgrAIRfix@hotmail.com

This may be one of only two sites commemorating this event this year using actual mail planes that flew the C.A.M. Routes. The other known location will be at Blakesburg, Iowa and held the week before Labor Day during the Antique Airplane Association’s annual Fly-In.

For more information contact:
Brent Taylor
22001 Bluegrass Road
Ottumwa , IA 52501-8569
(641)-938-2773