Hello and Happy New Year to you all. Any New Years resolutions? OK mine is to write more often I will try to, I promise, but only because my fan club has scolded me for not writing often enough for his enjoyment

I was sent this link..WarBirds Museum Philately you might enjoy it – just a few pictures of aviation related philatelic items but it inspired me to see what I had. I found this. Nice cover. Flown and signed, as well as being extremely interesting given the history of 111 Squadron.

The Squadron was first formed in Palestine on 1st August 1917 and equipped with Bristol Fighters, Bristol Scouts and Vickers Bullets. After a short spell in Syria the squadron was disbanded in 1920 but reformed in 1923 and became known as the “High Altitude” Squadron because of its extensive programme of research flying. In 1931 the squadron was equipped with the Bristol Bulldog. In 1938 it was re-equipped with the Hawker Hurricane and within one month of taking the aircraft it has set a new airspeed record for Edinburgh to London with an average airspeed of 408mph. In 1941 the Hurricane was replace by the Supermarine Spitfire. The squadron was disbanded again after the second world war but reformed in 1953 with the Gloster Meteor MK 8, and then the Hawker Hunter F4. The F4 set a new average airspeed record for Edinburgh to London of 717 mph.

There is so much more to the history of this remarkable squadron but for the sake of space and time I’ll leave it at that for now other than to ask one question. The squadron is more famously known by another name. Anyone know it? … without checking Google!!!! ok go on, have a look.. Maybe I will find a cover as a prize for a name selected at random from any emails I get by say 6th January to cddstamps@gmail.com

Best wishes.. and Happy New year to you all .. Michael

Hello, Hope you enjoy these scans. First a book I got for Christmas. Maybe I will be reading rather than writing over coming weeks Anyone read it? I think It will be most enjoyable.
And while on Charles Kingsford Smith I thought I would show you a cover.

Actually a card folded with two overlaps. Very nice in my view. Note the stamps look the same but one is Australia the other is New Zealand. Issued to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the first Tasman crossing from and return to Australia and Yes, the first flight was flown by Charles Kingsford Smith. I am sure I will be reading more about it in the book.

Now I am not giving this away but but thought I’d finish the year with a competition for another cover.. my choice.. maybe surprise you (and it wont be an A380 cover) 3rd correct answer, email me at cddstamps@gmail.com What was the registration of the aircraft that Charles Kingsford Smith flew on that first flight across the Tasman? Anyone know the names of his co-pilots for a bonus? One, a very well known aviator whose son I listened to at a lecture a few months ago.

Look forward to hearing from you… Happy New Year if I forget to write before then

Best wishes… Michael

Hello, Merry Christmas and happy holiday season to all of you.

After a rather long and very enjoyable brunch I sorted a few stamps.. and found this. Thought you might enjoy seeing it.

Aircraft was before my time

Do you know what it is? Have a read of BOAC

Merry Christmas… Michael

Hello everyone, Thought I’d show this video – courtesy of Boeing – of the 787 first landing, in case you had not seen it. Beautiful touch down I think you will agree.

Best wishes, and congratulations to everyone at Boeing who worked on the plane

Michael

Hello, Yes the 787 Dreamliner took off some 30 minutes ago as I write. Wonderful to see it fly.

If you didn’t see it live on the Boing site here is the video clip – just a minute.

And yes I have some covers.. for myself and a friend of mine – why not eh!!
More on these in coming weeks no doubt.

Well done again to Boeing, Best wishes.. Michael

Hello, first, I am pleased to tell you that Jane from Canada won the A380 Christmas Competition cover, and I gave a runner up prize to Chandra from India. Thanks for entering and I hope the research was interesting.

This picture I thought might interest aviation buffs.. I like it.

Heracles was the most famous of the Greek mythological heroes.
Like most authentic heroes, Heracles had a god as one of his parents, being the son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Alcmene. Zeus’s wife Hera was jealous of Heracles, and when he was still an infant she sent two snakes to kill him in his crib. well you would I guess !! Heracles was found prattling delighted baby talk, a strangled serpent in each hand. Now why you would name an aircraft Heracles I do not know. Something I missed? You tell me.
Maybe something to do with his extraordinary strength, courage ingenuity, and sexual prowess with both males and females as these were supposedly amongst his characteristic attributes. Sound like something you might associate with the aviation industry!!!!!!!
This aircraft, actual referred to as the H.P. 42 “Heracles” class of aircraft was the world’s first practical four engine aircraft and for a decade made an outstanding contribution to commercial aviation.

Two types of H.P. 42 were constructed, four of them the 42 E or Eastern Class usually known by the name of the flagship “Hannibal” and four of them 42W or Western Class known normally as “Heracles”. Externally all aircraft were virtually identical but the Western Class which operated mainly in Europe and on part of the India service carried 38 passengers whereas the Eastern Class operating from Alexandria to Karachi and Lake Victoria carried only 24 but had provision for a large quantity of mail.

In service the H.P. 42’s proved completely successful and were probably more popular with their passengers than any aircraft in the world. Never a fast aircraft, the H.P. 42 was said to have a built in headwind, it was exceptionally comfortable and was the only aircraft at the time capable of offering a full catering service, with four or seven course meals and drinks served from a trolley. The cabin was quiet, and as it was slung beneath the wings all the occupants had good visibility; the low fuselage also meant that high steps were not required for entry.
I have not seen this aircraft on a stamp. Anyone help me out here?
Hope you enjoyed this.. Oh… and where did the picture come from? Any ideas.. there is a clue in the picture if you look carefully …

Write me, I enjoy hearing from you.. have a great weekend… Michael

Hello, well the signature on my cover was that of the CEO of Air France, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon. Now how many covers are there with that? The rest of my limited print of 13 covers have crew signatures..

You may find some flown covers with stamps from Ireland and Guernsey or San Marino, or Gibralter, or the Ceska Republic or Norway (I am dead serious here) and some other places like Switzerland and Aland ( yes really on a cover stated to be flown from New York to Paris…. can someone explain this to me ??? – and my favourite …. a cover with a stamp from Kenya franked 12 10 09.. ha ha ha ha… .. totally unrelated to Paris or New York and they may look nice and they may even be flown.. with lovely frankings …what do I know.. but while my covers are not postally franked.. hey that is very difficult to get I might add .. these are still in my humble view something special. no stamp or something just silly.. ?? you tell me..

and also … tell me.. if you were on an inaugural A380 flight with covers.. surely you would get signatures.. or photos.. ???

Best wishes.. .. Michael

Hello, what do you think of this.. No stamp I am afraid, but it is a flown cover, with a scribble on it. I guess that is how you will see and think of it. Maybe a bit more to it. Any guesses.

I’ll see if any clever person out there guesses. Clue: I am certainly not letting it go It has to be the only flown cover signed I would expect by this person

Oh, and don’t forget there are only a few days left to get your entries in for the Christmas Competition – scroll down for details. .. Michael

Hi.. I found these today while sorting some stamps. These from the 1979 issue to commemorate flight anniversaries. I rather enjoyed finding them. Hope you enjoy seeing them as well.

Please see previous post on the Christmas competition. It really is not that hard

Best wishes…. Have a great weekend…………. Michael

Hello, Hope everyone is well and getting ready for Christmas. Something to divert your attention from the more mundane preparations perhaps A competition for a prize I hope you will enjoy if you enter and win. This flown first flight cover.

The cover was flown (Singapore – London Heathrow, March 2008) by me and is produced by Buckingham covers, so is one of, if not THE best covers around. Comes with a certificate photocopy signed by me and Tony. I met Tony at Heathrow when I arrived, and also signed some covers for him.
To win please send me, by email to cddstamps@gmail.com , answers to the following. All entries must be received by my post on 12th December, to give me time to mail to you, for you to receive for a Christmas Present. I will print all entries, fold and place in a box and draw one entry as the winning entry. Please include your mailing address with your entry, No mailing address, No chance to win because I will not be able to mail to you.
1) Where in France did the A380 (powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines), successfully completed the Maximum Energy Braking Test? – name the city please.
2) At which airport in the UK did the A380 make it maiden flight to?
3) What was the purpose of the maiden flight to the UK for the A380 flight referred to above?
4) The two words “Singapore Airlines” is painted on the Singapore Airlines A380 aircraft – see the prize Flight Cover for what I mean – what is the measurement in metres of the lettering on the fuselage?
5) On which aircraft did SQ conducted pre-delivery tests on the A380 test aircraft? Please give the tail number, that is the aircraft registration given to the aircraft by Airbus.
6) What was the original lettering designation for the A380? It was not A380, it was something else until it got branded A380-800.
7) What is the maximum fuel capacity of the aircraft – in litres please
As of today 2nd December, how many A380 aircraft have Singapore Airlines taken delivery of?
Enjoy the research if you don’t already know the answers

Best wishes… Michael