GAFFA

The Modern Aerophilatelic challenge

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from 1945 – 20??

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August, 2009 Coordinator and Editor Ross Wood Fourth Edition

How the Challenge is going

Much has happened since the last newsletter and this time I have again been assisted with lots of information from David Collyer on some areas that are still available and some helpful hints on building up your entry for the GAFFA Challenge in 2012.

Since the last newsletter I have new challengers in Chris Lloyd and Doreen Holmes, but have lost Barbara Bartsch. Welcome them to the challenge and be sure to look out for other people that may also wish to take up the challenge.

It was pleasing to see that one of our challengers for GAFFA entered in Melbourne Stampshow 2009, John Lucaci with the entry “ The Evolution of French Commercial and Postal Aviation Post World War II 1945-1970”. This exhibit was awarded 78 points and a Vermeil. Congratulations John on a fine entry and I hope that most of our challengers had time to look at the entry. It showed the complexity of the types of aircraft used and the routes that were undertaken in the 25 year period that the exhibit covered. As it is only three years to the culmination of the challenge and the next airmail class will be at Canberra in 2010 so if you have already obtained lots of material it could be time to enter it in Canberra this year. The only other Australian national that will have aerophilately as a class is Sydney in 2011.

Should you have come across some information that is pertinent to the GAFFA period David and myself would welcome that information so that it can be published for all the challengers to read.

The Challenge

GAFFA – still holding things together

The world has progressed from aeroplanes made of wood and tensioned by wire rigging. The Great After Forty Five Aero (GAFFA) Challenge looks at the start of the modern age of aviation.

At Sydney 2007 there were only two entries in Aerophilately both of which stopped in the 1930’s. Things got much better at Melbourne 2009 when there were thirteen entries in the class but all but one dealt with topics before the end of WW II.

Congratulations to John Lucaci of Townsville in Northern Queensland for his five frame entry The evolution of French commercial and postal aviation post World War II. The next exhibition in Australia for aerophilately is Canberra 2010 that closes in November. John has the jump of the rest of the challenge participants by already testing the water.

The previous issue of the newsletter was really a double issue. We hope that you found it interesting reading. This issue may have less but many of the topics covered have not previously been written about. There are 32 registered participants in the GAFFA challenge but a small group who would like and need additional support submits the content of your newsletter.

Continuing an analysis of Pacific Islands Monthly there is a record of Qantas internal PNG service in 1957. PNG is dependent on air transport and most mail from outside Port Moresby flew at some stage of its journey.

The Philas Library has turned up the Australian Postmaster General’s Department Annual reports that contain significant references to airmails. This issue contains statistics on the year years of the airletter / aerogramme service from 1944-1952. There is a second article on unsurcharged Australian internal airmail services after the end of WW II.

Thanks to John Lucaci for his efforts on French airmails from 1945 particularly in regard Postal du Nuit.

PNG Internal Air services (1957)

The following was taken from the August 1957 issue of Pacific Islands Monthly.

Qantas Services:

Qantas has acquired the licence of W.R. Carpentar airlines in 1945 and under took a majority of the PNG internal services until PNG was designated as part of Australian domestic aviation. Qantas was replaced in 1960 by TAA (Trans Australia Airlines) and Ansett –ANA.

· Lae – Hollandia (Dutch New Guinea): DC3

Alternate Wednesdays – Lae 11am – Madang – Wewak – Hollandia 3:30pm

Alternate Thursdays – Hollandia 9:30am - Wewak – Mandang – Lae 3:20pm

· Lae – Manus (Island): DC3

Alternate Wednesdays – Lae 8:00am – Finschhafen – Rabaul – Kavieng –

Manus 3:00pm

Alternate Thursdays – Manus 8:00am – Lae 2:50Pm

· Port Moresby – Kikori: Catalina

Alternate Fridays – via Kerema – Valmuru [returns same day]

· Port Moresby – Daru: Catalina

Alternate Fridays – via Kerema, Kikori (Returns same day]

Port Moresby – Daru direct [ returns same day}

· Port Moresby Samarai: Catalina

Alternate Tuesdays – Port Moresby – Samarai [returns same day]

· Port Moresby – Rabaul: Catalina

Alternate Tuesdays – via Moewe Harbour, Talasea, Jacquinot Bay, Rabaul

[returns via same ports]

· New Britain – Bougainville: Catalina

Alternate Wednesdays - Rabaul, Buka, Teopasino, Buin [returns same day]

· Central Highlands: DC3

Fridays – Lae 7:45am,via Goroka, Nondugi, Banz, Minj, Mt Hagen, Baiyer River, Kainantu, Wapenamunda [arrival back at Lae dependent on stops]

· Lower Highlands: DH Beaver

Fridays – Lae 7:30am via Nadzab, Kaiapit, Gusap. Aiyura, Finintegu, Rintebe, Bena Bena, Kainantu, Goroka [arrival back at Lae dependent on stops]

· Lae – Bulolo – Wau: DH Beaver

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday [ return flight from Wau does not stop at Bulolo]

· Lae – Bulolo – Wau – Port Moresby: DH Beaver

Wednesdays and Saturdays [return via same route]

· Madang – Goroka: DC3

Tuesdays – Madang 2pm – Goroka 2:35pm – Goroka 3pm – Lae 3.25pm

· New Guinea – New Britain – Bougainville: DC3

Fridays – Lae 1:30pm – Finschfen 2:20pm – Rabaul 4:30pm

Saturdays – Rabaul 5:45am direct to Lae 8:25am

Australian Airletters – the early years:

The Following has been extracted from the Annual report of the Australian Postmaster Generals Department (PMG) for 1946-1947 and 1947-1948

Airletter service: During 1946-1947 the Airletter service was extended to many countries, including the United States of America, and this facility, which was originally introduced as a light weight form of air communication to the Forces aboard and to civilians in Empire countries during war conditions, is now available to most overseas countries.

The standard charge for an Airletter is 7pence, and its popularity as an economical and speedy means of communication is illustrated by the following statistics

Year	Total posted for the year	Average weekly posting
1944-1945	3,132,975	60,259
1945-1946	4,589,480	88,260
1946-1947	6,705,000	117,400
1947-1948	7,537,500	144,950

In 1947-1948 Airletters comprised nearly 50% of the total air mail articles despatched aboard. In the case of the United Kingdom airletters represent 67% of air mail articles.

Airletter forms are on sale at all post offices and may also be manufactured and sold by private firms, subject to compliance with certain conditions designed to safeguard the interests of the public and the Department.

First GAFFA entry in Competition

Congratulations to John Lucaci of Townsville, Queensland for achieving a vermeil, 78 points, for his entry The evolution of French commercial and postal aviation post World War II that was show at Melbourne 2009.

The exhibit description read: This exhibit covers the re-opening and expansion of some of the internal and international air routes and services and the transition from “Prop propulsion to the Jet Age” following the liberation of France in WW II

This is the first GAFFA entry to test the waters. There were 13 entries in the class at the Exhibition and John’s was the only one to deal with aerophilately post WW II.

Australia – Immediate Post WW II – Ordinary mail services operated by Aircraft.

From 19 October 1937 airmail between Hobart and Melbourne and vice versa was paid at letter rate, 2d per ounce, without the airmail surcharge of 3d per half ounce. Australian Airmail Catalogue #772 and 773

“Par Avion” (Nelson Eustis) writing in the 1 November 1937 Australian Stamp Monthly, p. 445, noted the following points on the Melbourne – Hobart air mails at ordinary rates:

· Approximately one week’s notice was given

· Mail were carried both ways on 19 October 1937

· King Island and Flinders Island were included as intermediates

· Before the surcharge was lifted 35 lb of mail was flown per service

· When the service started more than half a ton of mail was carried

· On the 7am service 670 lb was flown from Melbourne to Hobart and 500 lb was flown from Hobart to Melbourne. The afternoon service out of Melbourne carried another 250 lb.

In the same issue “Par Avion” reported that there were other unsurcharged airmail services operating in 1937. On 1 January 1937 Australian National Airways flew mails between Adelaide and Kangaroo island. Initially the service was Kingscote to Adelaide via American River and Penneshaw. This service stoped on 26 June 1937 and was replaced on 28 June by a direct service between Adelaide and Kingscote. The flight time was approximately 4 minutes.

In the case of these services mail between the two ends of the service was flown without surcharge. From 19 October 1937 mail flown from Hobart to Melbourne was flown at 2d instead of 5d. Mail carried on this route but requiring air transport from Melbourne to destination was still required to pay the airmail surcharge.

These principles applied after WW II mail that was flown when there was no faster means.

The 1945-1946 Annual Report of the Postmaster General’s Department noted: In addition to air services operating between the mainland and Tasmania, which carry letter mails without payment of airmail fees, other air services were used regularly under contract for the carriage of all classes of mail matter replace transport by road or sea.

Adelaide – Kangaroo Island	1945-6 -7-8-9-50-1-2
Alice Springs – Borroloola	1945-6 -7
Alice Springs – Camooweal – Booroloola	1947-8-9
Alice Springs – Mt. Isa- Booroloola	1951-2
Alice Springs – Mt Isa – Cresswell Downs	1951-2
Alice Springs – Aradargada- Mt Isa	1951-2
Alice Springs – Alexandria- Booroloola- Katherine	1949-50
Alice Springs- Tennant Creek, Brunette Downs,- Alexandria	1950-1
Alice Springs- Huckitta	1945-6 -7
Alice Springs – Wyndham – Katherine	1945-6-7
Alice Springs- Wyndham – Katherine-Nutwood Downs	1950-1
Alice Springs – Katherine- Roper Valley	1951-2
Alice Springs – Wyndham – Roper Valley	1951-2
Alice Springs – Buffalo Springs – Katherine	1947-8
Alice Springs – Wave Hill – Katherine	1949-50
Alice Springs – Katherine	1948-9
Alice Springs – Mt. Irwin	1945-6 –7-8
Alice Springs – Wyndham	1948-9
Alice Springs - The Dinkum	1948-9- 50- 1
Alice Springs – Tieyon	1948-9 –50 –1- 2
Alice Springs – Utopia	1951-2
Derby – Kimberley District	1945-6 –7-8-9 –50-1-2
Derby – Cape Leveque	1951-2
Normanton- Koolatah	1945-6 –7- 8- 9- 50-1-2
Onslow – Ashburton Downs	1951-2
Perth – Lancelin	1951-2
Perth – Rottnest Island	1947-8-9- 50-1-2
Port Hedland – De Grey District	1948-9-50-1-2
Sydney – Lord Howe Island	1949-50-1-2
Tibooburra – Cordillo	1951-2

“Postal de Nuit” – Post WW II internal night postal flights of France

John Lucaci

After the Liberation the French Post Office and Air France to which Air Bleu had been attached after the Armistice of June 1940, united to from the Centre d’Exploitation Postal Metropolitain which became Centre d’Exploitation Postal (CEP) or as it was more well know as Postal du Nuit.

The aim of this organization was the establishment of a nightly metropolitan service without an air fee. This ambitious aim could not be achieved without the cooperation and goodwill of various Government Departments. Thanks to the experience, patience, perseverance and tenacity of some old hands from Air Bleu, in particular Didier Daurat and Raymond Vanier, authortisation for night landings was requested and granted, inrastructure built or repaired at short notice, flying procedures and protocols established, technical issues solved, pilots hired. Initially the aircraft were sequestrated German Junkers JU 52s

On 26 October 1945 with little pomp or ceremonies, a Junkers JU 52 F-BAKK piloted by G. Clement, an ex Air Bleu pilot took off at 22:35hr from le Bourget Airport for the first Postal de Nuit flight on the Paris-Bordeaux- Toulouse – Pau route with Didier Daurat as passenger. On the same night JU 52 F-BALD piloted by Brun took off from Pau on the reverse journey. Details of these flights were not publicised in the press and caught the majority of aero-philatelists unprepared. No special cachets were used and flown covers are difficulty to identify. The majority of known flown covers in collectors hands are those prepared, in anticipation of the flights, by the Cercle Aerophilatelique Francais (CAF) or in some cases by the staff of Air France for the airline archives and handed over to the CEP with instructions that they be posted on the first scheduled Night Postal fight

· 26/10/1945 – Paris – Bordeaux- Toulouse – Pau and vice versa

· 2-3/07/1946 – Paris – Lyon – Marseille – Nice and vice versa

· 04/05/1953 – Paris – Lyon – Montpellier – Toulouse and vice versa (trial flight – service commenced the next evening

· 29/04/1957 – Paris- Lille and vice versa

· 02/06/1958 – Paris – Strasbourg – Mulhouse and vice versa

· 13-14/11/1961 – Paris – Rennes- Brest and return

· 15 – 16/04/1964 – Paris – Ajaccio – Paris

· 15-16/04/1964 – Paris- Bastia- Paris

Saumur – La Reuion Special “Liberation” postal flight.

Fron John Lucaci

As part a Philatelic exhibition to commemorate the Liberation of Saumur, near Tours, a special postal flight took place on 20 May 1945 by Military aircraft between Saumur and the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion.

The aim of this flight was to re-establish postal links with this war isolated

Colony. At the time the war against Japan was still raging and while the mail departure from France was assured it was not the case with it’s arrival at the island of La Reunion.

A temporary Post Office was established in the local Chamber of Commerce premises to handle this special mail. An illustrated circular commemorative canceller, incorporating the Cross of Lorraine and a commemorative vignette to be affixed on the special “mail: were produced. 400 covers were despatched by 127 individuals, mostly soldiers garrisoning Saumur.

3,435 Vignettes were printed, in sheets of 4. They were issued ungummed amd, the bulk of the printing, issued perforated. Some sheets missed perforating and were sold as imperforate. Colour essays in either black or blue, some with doubled print are known

The mail consisted of 400 souvenir covers was flown on a military aircraft and arrived at Saint Denis, Le Reunion, on 2 June 1945. The was franked at 15Fr made up of 2Fr letter rate + 4Fr Registration fee + 9Fr air fee. Mail struck “T” in triangle indicates that the Poste Restante fee is to be collected from the addressee.

Lord Howe Island – Developing Airmails after WW II

Lord Howe Island lies 300 miles due east of Port Macquarie and 450 miles North East of Sydney. It was discovered on 17 February 1788 by HM tender

Supply. European settlement dates from 1834. Since 1912 the island has been administered by a board of control.

Up to the start of the Pacific War in December 1941 supplies and mails to and from the island came by ship. The Postmaster General’s Department Annual reports from 1944-45 to 1951-52 give details of how air services developed.

There is no mention of Lord Howe Island in the 1944-45 report. The 1945-46 report under the heading of Royal Australian air Force services noted that civil airmails were despatched to Lord Howe island by service aircraft. This situation continued into 1946-47

The report for 1947-48 under the heading of Lord Howe island noted that:-

Regular civil air services are not available to Lord Howe island. However, during the year survey flights were operated once fortnightly by Qantas empire Airways, between Sydney and Lord Howe Island and first class mail was invariably carried on these trips. There is no mention of mails continuing to be carried by Service aircraft

By 1948-49 the entry for Lord Howe island reads:- Qantas Empire Airways operated survey flights at weekly intervals between Sydney and Lord Howe Island., and first class mail was regularly carried without payment of air fees. Because of the extremely poor shipping service, negotiations are proceeding with the company for the carriage of all classes of mail by air. The report for 1949-50 differed only in that the word survey was omitted and there was a reference to all other classes of mail being carried by air.

The 1950-51 noted a major change in arrangements. There was a weekly air service. As from 24 December 1950, Trans Oceanic Airways replaced Qantas Empire Airways as the airline operator for this route. There was no reference to air service to Lord Howe Island in the 1951-52 report

Australia – United Kingdom Air Services 1944-45 to 1951-52

This material is taken from the annual report of the Postmaster General’s Department. It follows the Australia financial year of 1 July to 30 June.

1944-45 Report

The Empire air service from Australia was suspended in February 1942. At later times air services were provided between Perth and India by Catalina flying boat and Liberator aircraft. As accommodation was only available for airgraph mails, ordinary airmail for Europe was forwarded by ship to America and thence by air to the United Kingdom. From July 1944, airmail despatches were re-established to the United Kingdom via the Empire route, passing through India and Egypt. Initially these mails were forwarded by sea to Ceylon and thence by aircraft to England. When additional air services across the Indian Ocean were introduced, mails were regularly conveyed all the way by aircraft

In June 1945, a through service was established between Sydney and Hurn (United Kingdom). The service was operated by Lancastrian aircraft that were scheduled to completed the journey in three days. By the end of the 1944-45 year all classes of air mails were being carried from Australia over this route four times weekly. Accommodation for civil airmail has not been available on aircraft operating from United Kingdom, or from Ceylon to Australia

1945-46 Report

In July 1945 the following services operated between Australia and the United Kingdom:

· Perth- Colombo Twice weekly by Liberator aircraft

· Perth- Karachi Once weekly by Catalina aircraft

· Sydney-Hurn (UK) Once weekly by Lancastrian aircraft

Service to Colombo and Karachi connected at those ports to onwards air serviced to the United Kingdom

In July and august 1945, the frequency of the Lancastrian service was progressively increased to three trips per week and the service by Catalina aircraft was discontinued.

In April 1946 the pre war route via Darwin and Singapore was resumed. Shortly afterwards Hythe flying boats replaced the Liberator aircraft. The Lancastrian aircraft that travel from Sydney to Hurn (UK) in three days, are used for through mails only, that is mails for the United Kingdom and beyond. Airmails for all countries en route are conveyed by the Hythe services that require six days for the journey

Due to improved facilities, the extensions of the airletter service to other countries and the resumption of airmail communication with Liberated countries, there has been a substantial increase in the airmail despatched. The average weekly loading at the close of the year being 3,000 lb compared with 1,200 lb at the beginning of the year

During the period December 1945 to June 1946 over 10,000 lb of mail forf America was despatched via the United Kingdom, this contributed substantially to the increase for the second half of the year.

1946-1947 Report

There were six (6) services weekly between Australia and the United Kingdom – three by Lancastrian aircraft and three by Hythe flying-boats. The transit time between Sydney and London was three days by Lancastrian and six days by flying-boat.

At the start the Lancastrians were used only for airmail through to the United Kingdom and beyond. The Hythe flying boats were used for other countries served by this route. As more space for mails became available on the Lancastrians additional despatches were transferred to these aircraft. At the end of the year all airmails except those for Sourabaya were carried by Lancastrians.

The rate of the development of volume of traffic was not as marked as the preceding year. The average weekly loading to United Kingdom, excluding American mail, was 3,220 lb. 7.4% of the airmail to London was for America. This figure decreased with the opening in September 1946 of the Sydney – Vancouver air service

1947-1948 Report

There were six (6) services weekly between Australia and the United Kingdom. Three by Lancastrian and Constellation aircraft and three by Hythe flying boats. The Constellations were introduced during December 1947, and it is intended that this type of aircraft will eventually provide all the services on the route. Transit time between Sydney and London was four days by Lancastrian and constellation and eight days by flying-boat.

With the exception of mails for Indonesia, a country where the Lancastrians and constellations do not call, all mails for places on the United Kingdom route were conveyed by these fast services. It is expected that the flying-boats will shortly be replaced by Constellation aircraft

In October 1947, the pre-war system of applying zonal charges for mail to countries served by the United Kingdom air route was re-introduced. This resulted in substantial reductions in the air fees to many countries.

1948-1949 Report
The policy of replacing the Lancastrian aircraft and the Hythe flying boats with Constellation aircraft was continued. At the 30 June 1949 mail services were provided by Constellation aircraft operating four times weekly and covering the journey from Sydney to London in four days

1949-1950 Report

Constellation aircraft provided four services per week to United Kingdom taking four days to fly the distance. Weekly despatches of second class and third class air mail commenced in December 1949

1950-1951 Report

Constellation aircraft provided four services per week to United Kingdom taking four days to fly the distance. An airmail parcels service was introduced in late November 1950

1951-1952 Report

There were six (6) services weekly between Australia and the United Kingdom. These were operated by Constellation aircraft three by Qantas Empire Airways for the Australian Government and three by British Overseas Airways Corporation for the United Kingdom Government. The route flown is Sydney- Djakarta – Singapore- Calcutta – Karachi – Cairo or Beyrouth – Rome or Zurich – London. The through journey is normally completed in three days

During the time of the 1944-1945 report Australia was still involved in WW II. Air services had limited capacity. By the 1945-1946 Report temporary types of aircraft were operating a service from Sydney to London in three days for Lancastrian’s and six days for Hythe flying- boats. December 1947 saw the introduction of Lockheed Constellation aircraft and the phased replacement of the Lancastrian’s and Hythe flying-boats. By the middle of 1949 the Sydney London route was serviced by Constellation aircraft.

RULES OF THE CHALLENGE

I see the challenge as governed by the following (minimal) rules and guidelines

• Study of mail carried by air from 1945 until today.
• Based on Aerophilately exhibiting rules
• Single frame or 3 to 8 frames
• Anyone can enter
• The Challenge will be held as part of the National Exhibition in Western Australia in June 2012
• Venue to be decided but will be published in forthcoming newsletters but in 2012
• Does NOT have to be a new exhibit
• Novice (first time National) exhibitors will get special recognition at the formal challenge dinner.

Though the challenge has been widely advertised there are still some interesting areas that have not yet been taken up. Though I have had several additional challengers since the last newsletter I would still like more as there is still some interesting countries that had large scale developments after 1945.

CURRENT CHALLENGERS

Doreen Holmes	Australia
Bernard Beston	British Guiana
Boon Swee Yen	Malaysian 1945-65
Colin Riddell	Cocos Island 1945-1957
Darryl Fuller	Israel 1948-56
David Collyer	TBA
David Figg	Polar Flights
John DiBiase	TBA
Dingle Smith	Jamaica
Erica Genge	Coronation Flights
Gary Brown	Aden 1945-1965
Geoff Kellow	Sierre Leone
Hans Karman	The rebirth of Schipol and the KLM
Glen Stafford	TBA
Ian McMahon	Canada
John Lucaci	France
John Moore	Australia 1945-1955
John Sadler	Australian Balloon Mail 1966 …
Ken Sanford	Air Crash Mail of Pan Am and Affiliated Airlines 1945 to 1988
Malcolm Groom	Australia during the 2s 3d Rate period
Phillip Levine	Gold Coast
Jenny Banfield	Iraq
Ross Duberal	Fiji
Torsten Weller	Re-Opening Australian Airmails 1945-60
Charles Bromser	Shuttle Flights
Ross Wood	Czechoslovakia 1945 to 1970
Mike Rhodes	Mexico
Hubert du Geusclin	Australian Flying Boat Airmails 1945 …
Bob Gooding	Pacific Airmails since 1945
John Tollan	Burma Airmails 1945-1988
Gary Watson	From Australia by Air
Yvette and Jeff Trinidad	TBA
Chris Lloyd	TBA

Ross Wood

GAFFA Challenge Coordinator

August, 2009