Tonight  Lawrence Hargrave just because I came across an envelope with a few of these in it and thought you might enjoy this one, and a little about the man.  An Englishman, born in Greenwich who emigrated to Australia with his parents when he was 15.  Got to have some English recognition for this remarkable man  As you may know he had a lot to do with the invention of the flying machine, as in the box kite at the time. 

He is quoted as saying ..”The flying machine of the future will not be born fully fledged and capable of a flight for 1000 miles or so. Like everything else it must be evolved gradually. The first difficulty is to get a thing that will fly at all. When this is made, a full description should be published as an aid to others. Excellence of design and workmanship will always defy competition….    he did not patent anything he invented, I think I am right in saying that… How times change.!!

His inventions included the box kite in 1893, which greatly improved the lift to drag ratio of early gliders, curved aerofoils, particularly designs with a thicker leading edge and his work on the rotary engine which powered many early aircraft up until about 1920.

Of great significance to those pioneers working toward powered flight, Hargrave successfully lifted himself off the ground under a train of four of his box kites at Stanwell Park Beach (south of Sydney, Australia)  on 12 November 1894.  Really interesting man and you can read more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Hargrave

Or just enjoy the stamp. copies of which are of course is in my Bidstart Store  

http://www.bidstart.com/stores/michaelatcddstamps

Best wishes..   Michael  www.cddstamps.com

Hi, so much for my thoughts about writing more often. another week shot past. I did go to Hong Kong for a day so that took three days out of the week. Wonderful visit but too short really and certainly no time for the Mong Kok stamp arcade. Lovely flight on Qantas  there, and ok flight back. It was a night flight and sadly I did not sleep much. The drone of those 747 engines eh LOL..   I do prefer the A380  As for stamps tonight I found these while sorting today so thought would show all four and ask which would be your favourite. I know which is mine. Easy really given the designs I think by now you know I like.

My last quiz was one I thought I would get more responses to. About the Piper Cub.  For some interesting reading on this ;little plane I recommend a browse of  http://home.iwichita.com/rh1/hold/av/avhist/a8/a8_cub.htm   As for the answer to my quiz question. it is here…http://inflight.squarespace.com/featured/2011/1/10/how-bill-piper-and-his-piper-cub-taught-america-how-to-fly.html

best wishes to you all..

Best wishes.. Michael

William T Piper also has an airport named after him. It is in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and is referred to as the finest little airport in central Pennsylvania. I guess his name is very familiar  to all my readers given his aircraft were named after him. He was of course  an American airplane manufacturer, and founder of  the Piper Aircraft Corporation from 1929 to 1970. He was known as the Henry Ford of aviation. 

I guess you all know the name of his famous aircraft, the Piper Cub. But does anyone know how the plane got its name?   Maybe a little aviation philatelic prize to a name drawn from all entries received early next week. I am off to Hong Kong again so will mail by end of next week.   just email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

Have a great weekend 

Michael

Hello,  tonight’s stamp another from New Zealand, found as I sorted through a stock book I picked up in Hong Kong a few weeks ago while enjoying a leisurely afternoon in the Mong Kok stamp arcade. Interesting history to this aircraft and if you want to see some great pictures including this plane and some history of it have a browse of http://www.flytoanothertime.com/Fly_To_Another_Time/Lockheed_10_%26_12.html

and a little to whet your appetite  from  http://motataircraft.blogspot.com.au/2007/12/lockheed-10-electra.html

ZK-BUT (the MOTAT collections complete aircraft), used by Trans Island Airways, is an L10E (c/n1138). This aircraft was built as an L10A in 1939 as NC21735 for Standard Oil. In 1947 it became N10Y with Creole Petroleum, and was modified to L10E standard. It was imported to New Zealand in 1958, and served with Trans Island Airways as ‘Spirit of Tasman Bay’. This service was short lived as the aircraft was ground looped at Harewood (Christchurch) on February 18, 1959 and did not fly again. Used for fire training between 1965 and 1967, the aircraft was passed to the museum in 1968. Today this aircraft is on display in the main hanger, fitted with former Harvard R-1340 engines and painted as L10a ZK-AFD to represent the Union Airways/NAC fleet.

The real ZK-AFD made the last commercial flight on 20 May 1950, then went into storage in the open at Palmerston North, before being sold to Rural Aviation for parts in 1951. A plan to sell ZK-AFD (along with a sister aircraft) overseas was unsuccessful and the aircraft last flew in 1951. ZK-AFD was broken up 1961, but the fuselage survived, and this eventually found its way to Motat, where it was opened up as a ‘cutaway’ display. Currently this is in storage awaiting display space.

Electras were replaced by larger capacity ex-military Lodestars and DC-3s after the war.

Isn’t stamp collecting wonderful

Michael

Hello, you know what it is like when you get engrossed in something, everything else tends to take a back seat, and my blog writing has taken a back seat while I have been sorting stamps, cataloging them. scanning them and loading them to my Bidstart store. Of course that could be good news for you because I maybe able to help you fill gaps in your collection at very reasonable prices.

Anyway, about this stamp from New Zealand  I found (not yet listed but will be in a day or two)  Hope you enjoy seeing it.

The Boeing seaplane: The B & W was the first Boeing product, named after the initials of its designers, William Boeing and Navy Lt. Conrad Westervelt.

The first B & W, completed in June 1916, was made of wood, linen and wire. Similar to the Martin trainer that Boeing owned, the B & W had, among other improvements, better pontoons and a more powerful engine.

The two B & Ws were offered to the U.S. Navy. When the Navy did not buy them, they were sold to the New Zealand Flying School and became the company’s first international sale. The B & Ws later were used for New Zealand express and airmail deliveries, set a New Zealand altitude record of 6,500 feet on June 25, 1919, and made that country’s first official airmail flight on Dec. 16, 1919.

Hello, well a few days have shot past, partly because I have been sorting the stamps I picked up in Hong Kong last weekend. Hope you like this set.

I have a few of these, issued in 1998 to commemorate the the inauguration of Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok (brilliant airport I might add) –  SG 924 – 929, Catalogue value is £2.20 and have decided to give one set away to the first 2 orders I receive in my Bidstart Store if you send me an email and mention you saw this posting.

you can find my store http://www.bidstart.com/stores/michaelatcddstamps

I have loaded 390 items (all Hong Kong) over past few hours (taken me a few days to get them ready of course). I think you will find these are a rather lovely selection and at very affordable prices. Many harder to get higher value items as well. Just type the SG number of the stamp you are looking for in the Search Store For field.

Over the next few days I will be loading more, mostly definitives. Got a few hundred to sort so it will keep me busy.

Have a great weekend.. Michael http://www.cddstamps.com

oh, and have a look at this page – it is new and may be useful to you. http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm

I just got to thinking and there was this cover in my head. Nearly 4 years ago.. The reason I was thinking this, is,  I am off to Hong Kong on Saturday and   well…  why not show you this cover.  I am trying to remember the flight.. cannot.  was so many years ago ….  How sad….  or just old age    but I hope you enjoy the cover anyway. Signed by the Captain.. and I do remember him.. just not the flight..  oh and the reverse is signed by another 11 of the crew.. I must have had a good time eh!!!!!!

Best wishes.. Michael

Hi,    hope you like seeing these. Lovely set. I was filing them today after listing them in my Bidstart Store.    Shameless plug. but if I don’t tell you you wont know will you

Easy to find.. just type Fiji into the “Seach Store For” box and you will see them

http://www.bidstart.com/stores/michaelatcddstamps

Enjoy..    Michael

Hi,   Hope you enjoy seeing these. Issued in 1976 to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Air Services in Fiji.  Not sure why this date but it could be related to Fiji Airways . I found this that might be of interest

Air Pacific Ltd. was not the first airline to connect the islands of Fiji. Fiji Airways, an airline backed by Guinea Airways, was established in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1932. It began short-lived services in the spring of 1933, according to A History of the World’s Airlines by R.E.G. Davies.

 In 1947 New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NZNAC) began a flying boat service connecting New Zealand with Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. This was called the “Coral Route.” ( I showed a cover for this route some weeks back you may recall) The Australian airline Qantas also began flying to Fiji in the late 1940s.

 Harold Gatty, the famous aviator dubbed “the Prince of Navigators” by Charles Lindberg , established a second airline called Fiji Airways in September 1951. I suspect this is the reference to 25 years

Anyway, if you like these.. and how can you not, I have them in my Bidstart Store  How can I not miss the chance to promote that.   http://stampwants-stamps.bidstart.com/Fiji-SG-532-535-MLH-set-/34562588/a.html  

Enjoy your stamps and flying   Michael    www.cddstamps.com

Hello,  am back from Melbourne and the opening day, yesterday, of the World Stamp Expo 2013. What an excellent day it was. Met up with some people I had only had email contact with previously, visited many standholders, and, made a few purchases, well one is so tempted.  Hope you like this cover I found.

Michael
www.cddstamps.com, and of course

http://www.bidstart.com/stores/michaelatcddstamps