Hello,  how was your weekend?  Too hot here for me. I slept to avoid the heat so did very little with stamps.   Fortunately a dry heat so the stamps all safe and sound.  

OK back to Austria.  Moving forward a few years now to 1968 and three stamps issued to commemorate  the International Air Mail Exhibition in Vienna.

This first stamp shows an Etrich Limousine. It was also known as the Etrich VIII Luft Limousine. It was a single engine monoplane built by the Etrich company in 1912. It had a cabin for one pilot and one passenger that was enclosed with wire gauze and celluloid windows which apparently is why it was name a Luft Limousine. And, it was the first military monoplane with an enclosed cabin.

The second stamp shows this much better know aircraft, a Sud Aviation Caravelle. I have shown  this type before so won’t repeat details about this aircraft other than to say it was Austrian Airlines first jet aircraft and during the 1960 it was the main aircraft in the airlines fleet I believe.

And finally this third stamp in the issue shows another well known aircraft, A DC8. Do you remember flying in one of those? especially the stretched version. I can still remember wondering how far back I could walk before I reached the back of the plane!  Apparently Austrian Airlines operated this type but after a little research I can find no details. Perhaps a reader will know more?

Have a philatelic week, see you soon,  and if you want to write I am at cddstamps@gmail.com    Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps

Hello,  welcome back to my blog.  Part II tonight and this stamp issued in 1961 to commemorate the first Austrian airmail flight.

You don’t need me to tell you it is a Hansa Brandenburg CI, 😊  a 2-seater armed single-engine reconnaissance biplane designed by Ernst Heinkel the famous German aircraft designer, who  built the Heinkel He 178 the world’s first turbojet powered aircraft and the first rocket powered aircraft the Heinkel He 176.

Anyway, I digress, eaily done!!  The CI served in the Austro – Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops in visual- and photographic reconnaissance, artillery observation and light bombing duties from early spring 1916 to the end of WW I.

It was used to fly the first airmail service when Austria established it’s first regular airmail route during WW1 on March 31, 1918  flying between Vienna and  Kiev.   One final piece of trivia,  especially for my US readers, this predates the first US airmail service by aircraft ( excludes balloon flight) by 2 months I think 😊. I just love what we can learn from stamps.

Have a philatelic weekend, see you soon,  and if you want to write I am at cddstamps@gmail.com   

Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps   

Hello, here we are with another series.  I have chosen Austria. I think you will like the selection of stamps I have planned because many will have more than just the aircraft on them, although not this first one. From the 1958 issue to commemorate the re-opening of Austrian Airlines with its inaugural flight from Vienne to London in 1958.

Austrian Airlines AG was founded on September 30, 1957 and the inaugural flight was on March 31, 1958. The red-white-red fleet then consisted of four chartered Vickers Viscounts V.779Ds with this one showing OE-LAB over the outline of the country.

This aircraft was originally built for Fred Olsen Lines, a Norwegian charter company which operated between 1946 and 1997 out of its base in Oslo.

In January 1958 it was leased to Austrian and served them for about 18 months when it was leased to BEA who operated it for the next 12 months. It was eventually purchased by Indian Airlines Corporation in 1962 .

A rather nice piece of artwork of the aircraft I thought.

I welcome comments  – you can email me at  cddstamps@gmail.com  See you next time. Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps

One more random selection tonight. Last night I showed one stamp that had been sold.  Tonight one that was listed today as we are working through some more Australia stock.

Lovely stamp and from what I think was a good issue to commemorate the Centenary of the first Air Mail flight in Australia by Maurice Guillaux in 1914.

Guillaux began the Sydney-bound flight on his Bleriot XI monoplane on July 16 from the showgrounds in the Melbourne suburb of Flemington. He arrived in Sydney two days later, actually 2 days, 5 hours and 43 minutes later having completed a flying time of 9 hours 35 minutes, with many stops along the way for fuel and to manage bad weather.  The trip was the longest distance airborne postal delivery at that time.  I am not sure if Qantas have since broken the record 🙂   Someone may know!!!!!!!!!

I welcome ideas for the next series of aircraft on stamps  and would be happy  to hear from readers on any related topic at cddstamps@gmail.com  See you next time.

Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps   

Tonight another random pick to show you – this one from Australia issued in 2011 to commemorate the Royal Australia Air Force aviation.

It shows a Wedgetail.  To be precise an E-7A Wedgetail which is operated by No. 2 Squadron, based at RAAF Williamtown, near Newcastle, just north of Sydney.

The aircraft is based on the Boeing 737-700 and modified for simultaneous tracking of airborne and maritime targets. It has a long range capability as it can be refuelled in flight.

The stamp comes from a set of 4 but sadly 🙂 it is no longer available from the store because it was sold last night. But there are many more very nice aircraft on stamps which you can browse and enjoy looking at, or buy, from the online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps   

And yes I am still thinking about a new series,  ideas welcomed  Just email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

see you soon…. Michael    cddstamps.com

Hello, welcome to another week. So I am thinking about a new series but until my brain gives a result I will resort to a few random stamps. This one from Ireland, and only because I was working with some Ireland stamps today.

A nice stamp in my view. The terminal at Dublin airport as it was back in 1961 when the stamp was issued – one of two issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Air Lingus. The aircraft shown are a Boeing 720 and a de Havilland DH 94 Dragon.

The de Havilland is named Iolar and commemorates the original Dragon EI-ABI ( you might just be able to see that on the stamp) which operated Aer Lingus’ first service from Dublin (Baldonnel) to Bristol on 27 May 1936. That original aircraft was sold in the UK in February 1938 and was lost during WWII.

There is more to read here if you have the time – http://irishhistoricflight.com/the-restoration-projects/de-havilland-dh84-dragon-ei-abi-iolar/

The 720 because it was the type Air Lingus used as its first jet back in 1960 when it started jet services from Dublin and Shannon to New York and Boston.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this random choice. Drop me a line if you have a country or whatever might make an interesting next series of aircraft on stamps at cddstamps@gmail.com

Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps    where I have  some interesting aviation related

Hello, one final piece on Poland and these two stamps from the 1954 issue of 6 stamps to commemorate LOT Polish Airlines.

There are many more stamps from Poland  showing aircraft and many with stunning views of historic buildings and places through the 1960s and onwards but I think  this is a fitting finish after 10 episodes, and I don’t want to bore you with more Poland although I have to say they are an interesting and enjoyable area to collect and read about. .  So another  topic soon.

Anyway this first stamp shows an Ilyushin Il-12 – maybe a bit of the artists impression of one!!! – and a view of part of the town of Kazimierz Dolny which is a small historic town on the Vistula River. It was a royal town of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland back in 1786 .

This next stamp again shows the same Il-12  and this time the City Hall of Wroclaw also referred to as the Old Town Hall. It is in the centre of the city’s Market Square and is a Gothic building dating back to the 13th century.

Hopefully from this series you feel like you have experienced some  new aircraft types and  visited some new places in Poland

I welcome ideas for the next series of aircraft on stamps  and would be happy  to hear from readers on any related topic at cddstamps@gmail.com  See you next time.

Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps    where I have  some interesting aviation related

Hello, Yes, part 9. I hope you have been enjoying these stamps from Poland. I certainly have, not only for the design, engraving and images but also the history I am reading.  So a few more. Two tonight and one or two more over the weekend.

These are two semi postal stamps from the 1952 Aviation Day issue – there was a 3rd stamp which was a regular issue but  just these two showed the aircraft you see.  While looking for some trivia about these I found a blog – written back in 2016 which I want to tell you about because the author talks about these stamps.   So no repeating from me, other than to say great blog article. https://slaniacrazy.blogspot.com/2016/02/poland-1952-aviation-day.html and a brilliant blog, especially if you  enjoy as I do the design work and engravings of Czeslaw Slania.

My trivia question here is this: SG describes the aircraft as being a Yak 18 – A  soviet trainer also used as a bomber while  the blog shown above  says it is a Zuch 2, a  Polish aerobatic and trainer aircraft. The two aircraft look very much alike. Anyone know more?

This is the other semi postal stamp and this is definitely a glider. 

See you next time    Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps    where I have  some interesting aviation related

Hello again,  perhaps  one more from the 1952 set I was talking about last night. This is the high value 5 zloty value and shows the steel mills and again the Ilyushin Il-12. A dramatic image of the landscape. It strikes me as somewhat Gotham city like.

Some aircraft trivia:   In a previous piece I wrote about the Lisunov Li-2 you may recall. Well there is a connection,  because the Il-12 was developed as a replacement for the Lisunov Li-2.  Initially it was planned to be a 4 engine 29 seater but this was changed to a two engine 27 seater configuration with the result it had a shorter range and slower cruising speed. It made its maiden flight in August 1945.  Ultimately there were various design and engine changes and a total of 663 were built, many used by Aeroflot as one might expect..

And the connection to Poland?  The first export customer for the Il-12 was LOT Polish Airlines, who placed an order for five Il-12Bs after it was displayed at the Poznan Fair in Poland in the spring of 1948.

See you next time    Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps    where I have  some interesting aviation related

Hello again.  I now have confirmation at least one person is reading the blog,  hahahahaha, I got an email about the aircraft I talked about last night.  How cool is that!!

Any others?  Or will I be sending all the “aircraft on stamps” stamps to that reader 😊

Tonight, the Ides of March here,   but nothing exciting has happened except more sales depleting our  stock – just love the pain of that, and did you know if you get an order in to us dated 15th March and  the value of the stamps purchased is $15 or greater you get a free pair of cddstamps tongs. (that is tweezers to those of us that speak English!!).  Go on, treat yourself!

So to another Poland stamp.  This from the 1952 issue of 4 stamps.  Rather nice.  Each of the 4 stamps shows an Ilyushin Il-12  flying over a scene;  a seaport, a farm,  a steel mill, and this one over Warsaw.   A beautiful set which  you might have in your collection.  Not  expensive but not that common to find either.

Just some trivia,  and  since Warsaw is one of the cities I really would like to visit one day,   have you been?  what is the name of the Church in the center of the image, and in what year was the Bell Tower  built?

 And all this from enjoying aircraft on stamps 😊

See you next time    Michael  cddstamps.com …. or visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps    where I have  some interesting aviation related