Hello, welcome to Friday. Time for some aviation and stamps.  I found this today and thought you might enjoy seeing it.   It is SG 117 from the 1967 Anniversary of the Pacific War issue from Papua New Guinea. It shows a  Curtiss P40K Kittyhawk of the Royal Australian Air Force.   As an aside, the stamp was issued 50 years ago and basically has no value, catalogued at 20p MUH and 10p Used.   Amazing really but just goes to show, no investment by those who collected back then expecting a value increase.  Anyway I ramble…….

The aircraft  – it was an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter  that first flew in 1938 and was used by most Allied powers during World War II. I remained in service until the end of the war. It was the third most-produced American fighter.   It made me think of a Spitfire…..      perhaps I was just thinking of them because they were dues to fly some airshows in the UK this month but, along with a Lancaster and some other Battle of Britain fighter planes, have been grounded with engine problems.

Have a great philatelic weekend,  I hope you are not grounded LOL  🙂  and, I just have to tell you, if you are looking to fill some gaps in your stamp collection please visit my online store. I know there are hundreds and hundreds of online shops these days but I think cddstamps offers something different in quality, price and service. Try us just once please 🙂   How else am I going to fund my flying and aerophilately 🙂  just joking….   visit us here   or copy this link to your browser   https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps     or read more at our website  cddstamps.com 

Best wishes   Michael  cddstamps.com

Hello, Friday night here and time for a stamp or two. These as you can see from The Falkland Islands. Issued in 1978  to commemorate the 26^th Anniversary of the first direct flight  from Southampton in England, to Port Stanley.

The aircraft, as shown on the stamps, was a Short Hythe Flying Boat tail number G-AGJN  named Hudson from Aquila Airways.  It made the journey, departing from Southampton on 21^st April and arriving in Port Stanley on 28^th April, flying via Lisbon, Sal – Cape Verde Is, Natal – Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo.  The return flight departed on 2nd May arriving back on the 8th following the same route and stops. The total flying time was 48 hours 15 minutes I have read.  The flights carried airmail in both the directions.

There is so much to read about these early flights and the airlines that flew flying boats. I will leave you with one reference you might enjoy.  This is not too long and in my view recommended reading

http://archive.pooleflyingboats.com/12%20A%20Compelling%20Swansong%20Aquila,%20Artop%20and%20TEAL.pdf

Enjoy your aerophilately. Have a great weekend           Michael  cddstamps.com

 

PS I deliberately deleted the address with photoshop; the original cover is still in pristine condition 🙂

Hello, Hope you enjoy seeing this stamp. Issued by Royal Mail in 1994. It is SG 1808, one of 10 Greetings stamps issued in the 7th series of Greeting stamps. I was sorting stamps today to add to the online store and found some of these.

It has an aviation them so thought I would show it here, and because I rather like it. It show “Biggles”.

Biggles  was a fictional pilot and adventurer and the title character and hero of the Biggles series of adventure books written by Captain W E Johns.

There is so much material here to do a competition but surely everyone knows Biggles and the stories.  I think 98 books were written.   Ok one question. What squadron was Biggles in?  email me at cddstamps@gmail.com  and I might just find a prize 🙂  for someone deserving 🙂

Enjoy your stamps, your aerophilately, your flying and your reading.

and of course, it goes without saying if you need this stamp for your collection you will find it in the cddstamps online store here 

Have a great weekend    Michael   cddstamps.com

 

 

Hello, I hope you enjoy seeing this stamp and this plane.

It is of course a Nimrod, a modification of the de Havilland Comet, developed by Hawker Siddeley as a maritime patrol aircraft.

It was designed in response to a requirement issued by the Royal Airforce to replace its fleet of Avro Shackletons.  It was operational from the October 1969 until March 2010.

In my last post I had a quiz about the 747.  I am pleased to be sending some aviation themed stamps to Jose in India, who got the answer correct – the launch customer of the 747, which was of course Pan Am.

Enjoy your aerophilately and if you are looking for some aviation themed stamps why not check out cddstamps online store  – if you click this link  or copy this to your browser   < https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps?show=store&keywords=aircraft >      you will find 60 listings.

Best wishes    Michael  cddstamps.com

Hello, one more from the Singapore issue I have been showing recently. This showing Changi Terminal 1 which was opened in 1981 – yes that long ago.  Also with a Boeing 747-200 which made its debut in Terminal 1.

Today you won’t see many 747s at all. I saw one on Hong Kong yesterday. Bit of a novelty really.  It was first flown in 1970. I remember seeing the first one come into Manchester (then Ringway) Airport on a proving flight in August 1970. A BOAC plane.  Argghh nostalgia!

Perhaps a little competition quiz. Easy one I hope. What airline was the launch customer for the first model 747?  send your answer to cddstamps@gmail.com. I will pick a winner at random in a few days and mail a small selection of stamps showing aircraft on the stamps.

Have a great weekend.  Michael  cddstamps.com

Hello, tonight one more from the 1991 issue to commemorate the Singapore Civil Aviation Authority and the History of Aviation.  I hope you like this one.

Showing Concorde and Paya Lebar airport.  You may well ask why Concorde at this airport.  A brief history.

The airport was built in three years, from 1952 to 1955. Very fast by any standards. It replaced Kallang,  which we saw on the previous stamp. It was a hub for the then Malayan Airlines who had their first flight outside Southeast Asia from there in 1958 operating a DC4 leased from Qantas fly and flying to Hong Kong.  The 1960s would have been an interesting time for aircraft spotter.  Some nostalgia – British Eagle flying Britannia aircraft flew into Paya Lebar and other aircraft to fly there included Comets 4Cs and the then new VC10.  From 1979 to 1980 British Airways in conjunction with Singapore Airlines began Concorde services from London to Paya Lebar.

In 1980 it was renamed Paya Lebar Air Base and was transferred to the Royal Singapore Air Force.

Enjoy your aerophilately   Michael  cddstamps.com

Hello, tonight one of the 4 stamps issued in 1991 to commemorate the Singapore Civil Aviation Authority and the History of Aviation. A lovely set and I will show more in future posts.

This $2 stamp shows Kallang Airport. Kallang was Singapore’s first civilian airfield. It opened in 1937 to cater for both seaplanes and aircraft such as the DC2, which is shown on the stamp. At the time it was regarded by many as the finest airport in the “British Empire” because of its all weather capability for both seaplanes and aircraft.

Enjoy your aerophilately   Michael  cddstamps.com

Hello, I have been meaning to write just never made the time. Hope you enjoy seeing these. I usually only show one stamp but since these 4 make up the set and all depict the same aircraft I thought it worth showing all 4.

Issued on 1952 SG 738 – 741 the aircraft is an Ilyushin Il-12, a Russian twin engine cargo plane developed in the mid 1940s for small and medium haul routes and as a military transport aircraft.

One stamp is used and the other three are mint hinged. Quite nice condition as well centered.

Enjoy your aerophilately    Michael  cddstamps.com

Hello, apology for long time between posts but I have been away again. This time a lovely weekend in Hong Kong. I did find time to visit the Mong Kok stamp arcade and enjoy browsing the many stamp shops there. I found quite a few of interest. This lovely mint unhinged pair.

It is SG 707 from the 1950 Centennial of Canterbury commemorative issue. The stamp does not show a 707!!!!, it shows a Lockheed 10 Electra flying over Timaru. Timaru is located 157 kilometres southwest of Christchurch on the eastern Pacific coast of the South Island..

The Lockheed 10 Electra is an American twin-engine, all-metal aircraft developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in the 1930s.  This plane gained considerable fame as one was flown by Amelia Earhart on her ill-fated around-the-world expedition in 1937.

I hope you enjoy seeing this pair. Enjoy your aerophilately.

Michael

cddstamps.com

Hello, yes it has been a while since my last post but as you may recall I have been overseas. One place visited was Scotland, with a side trip to Barra.

Barra is a short-runway airport situated in the wide shallow bay of Triagh Mhor at the northern tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.  The airport is unique, being the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a beach as the runway.

The beach is set out with three runways in a triangle, marked by permanent wooden poles at their ends. This most always allows the Twin Otters (as shown on the card and the aircraft we flew in on) that serve the airport to land into the wind. At high tide these runways are under the sea. Flight times vary with the tide.

Great experience and one I highly recommend if the opportunity ever presents itself. The card was bought in the tiny village of Castlebay, hand cancelled by the wonderful staff at the local post office, but then with another cancel once the card got into the mail system. The stamp is the new  £1.17 (Scotland) country value definitive.

Best wishes   Michael