Stamp Collecting: Aerophilately and Airmails

This website is dedicated to the men and women of the U.S. Air Mail Service, a little-remembered organization that laid the foundation for commercial aviation worldwide. With the cooperation of the U.S. Air Service, the U.S. Post Office flew the mail from 1918 until 1927. Through profiles, photographs and historical articles, this Internet website brings to life the human drama of those early days in aviation's infancy.

The Air Mail Society of New Zealand was founded in 1930 at the commencement of regular aerial services in that country. While based in Christchurch, the society has one quarter of its members elsewhere in New Zealand and another half residing in overseas countries. These members are kept in touch through a monthly newsletter and regular postal auctions.

The AAMS was founded in 1923, and is the second oldest aerophilatelic society in the World. There are 1,800 members Worldwide. The AAMS publishes the monthly magazine "The Airpost Journal" and the "Jack Knight Air Log", as well as the American Air Mail Catalogue, and many other aerophilatelic books. The AAMS holds an annual convention, as well as a Spring and/or Fall meeting during philatelic exhibitions in different parts of the country.

Acting as a liaison between Goodyear and Luftschiffbau Zeppelin from 1934 - 1938, Hal Dick became the only American to have flown 22 ocean crossings as a crewman on the German passenger airships, the Graf Zeppelin and the Hindenburg. He mailed numerous postcards to himself from aboard the airships, documenting his many flights. See some of them in this exhibit by Wichita State University Libraries. Dates, airship and flight information, and stamp and cancellation details are also provided.

Balloons in Philately; History of ballooning; Polish and Czech balloon mail since 1945; World hot air & gas ballooning championships and Gordon Bennett Cup; Results & philatelic issues.

Details of a book by Ken Sanford, listing all the known crashes, interruptions and forced landings of Imperial Airways and its predecessor airlines. The book includes a photo or illustration of nearly every Imperial Airways and predecessors’ aircraft that crashed or had a forced landing, and shows a cover and every known variety of cachet, label, manuscript marking or post office explanation, where mail has been recorded.

An article that appeared in APF News in June 2000. It is intended to serve as both a general introduction to the competitive exhibiting class of aerophilately as well as an encouragement to visitors to philatelic exhibitions to take a closer look at, appreciate and enjoy the subject of aerophilately.

The Irish Airmail Society was founded in 1989, following interest in Irish airmails shown by several philatelists, some resident in Ireland and others in Great Britain, Switzerland, Canada and USA. The philatelic interests of its members are very varied but very few specialize only in airmails. The main objectives of the Society are to study Irish Airmails in all its aspects, Early Flights, Rates, Routes, Recent Irish Flights, Aerogrammes, Airmail Stamps and Etiquettes, etc.

The British Air Mail Society (BAMS) formerly the British Aerophilatelic Federation (BAeF) was founded in 1985 and incorporates the Aero Philatelic Club, London (1923) and the British Air Mail Society (1958). The BAMS caters for anybody who has an interest in airmails of whatever period on a worldwide basis.

The society for all aspects of Dutch aerophilately

Examples of U.S. rocket mail covers from the collection of Paul A. Roales.

An online exhibition of crash covers, by Roy Lingen

Ken Sanford is an aerophilatelist and a part-time dealer in aerophilatelic and commercial aviation books and literature, and air crash covers. He has the world's largest stock of aerophilatelic books - both new and used, and a large stock of air crash covers.

Now the world's biggest aerophilatelic auction house. Selling 1000 worldwide aerophilatelic lots every two months.