I'm fascinated — and more than a little ignorant! — by the history of South American/Latin American airmails. I think that Roy is the resident expert in this area.
One airman that has especially intrigued me is Jean Mermoz, who flew for the French airline Latécoère. From Wikipedia:
"Jean Mermoz (9 December 1901, Aubenton, Aisne – 7 December 1936) was a French aviator, viewed as a hero by many in both Argentina and his native France, where many schools bear his name. In Brazil, he also is recognized as a pioneer aviator."
Bob, i am looking at the Lindbergh covers...hoping to score one for a reasonable price. I have seen the stamp of the French aviator but was not famiiar with his history.They had to be daredevils flying over the Andes.
Not only the Andes, but the Atlantic as well. The French were way ahead of both the Americans, English, and Dutch in developing civil aviation. Mermoz died in 1936 when his Latécoère 300 seaplane lost an engine over the South Atlantic.
The South Atlantic routes that the French pioneered were used for U.S. military flights during the Second World War.
Bob
Bob, i read an article in the American Philatelist about all the material airbases we had in French Africa...so much war material headed for Europe landed there first. Who Knew ? This Panagra covers show up every now and then and are not expensive. I have scores of Guatemala Exterior airmail covers..i will have to check and see if any are of the Interior variety. I wonder why more collectors do not do Latin America..after all they are our neighbors to the South . Either the area does not interest them or they find the good material difficult to find .
This story actually begins in the 1930s,Pan American Airways with the support of the United States Government mapped and developed airmail routes throughout the Caribbean which came to be known as "The Lindbergh Circle".Lindbergh was involved in pioneer flights preparing for the PAA route. The route started in Florida, came down the East coast of Central America , crossed the north east coast of South America and then proceeded up the various Caribbean island back to Florida . In South America there were efforts to compete with PAA. SCADTA was an early effort ,funded in large part by Germans, and LATI funded by Italians. The story gets better as WW2 approaches. I myself like cover collecting and history and there is a lot to learn in this area.
re: Latin American Airmail Services
I'm fascinated — and more than a little ignorant! — by the history of South American/Latin American airmails. I think that Roy is the resident expert in this area.
One airman that has especially intrigued me is Jean Mermoz, who flew for the French airline Latécoère. From Wikipedia:
"Jean Mermoz (9 December 1901, Aubenton, Aisne – 7 December 1936) was a French aviator, viewed as a hero by many in both Argentina and his native France, where many schools bear his name. In Brazil, he also is recognized as a pioneer aviator."
re: Latin American Airmail Services
Bob, i am looking at the Lindbergh covers...hoping to score one for a reasonable price. I have seen the stamp of the French aviator but was not famiiar with his history.They had to be daredevils flying over the Andes.
re: Latin American Airmail Services
Not only the Andes, but the Atlantic as well. The French were way ahead of both the Americans, English, and Dutch in developing civil aviation. Mermoz died in 1936 when his Latécoère 300 seaplane lost an engine over the South Atlantic.
The South Atlantic routes that the French pioneered were used for U.S. military flights during the Second World War.
Bob
re: Latin American Airmail Services
Bob, i read an article in the American Philatelist about all the material airbases we had in French Africa...so much war material headed for Europe landed there first. Who Knew ? This Panagra covers show up every now and then and are not expensive. I have scores of Guatemala Exterior airmail covers..i will have to check and see if any are of the Interior variety. I wonder why more collectors do not do Latin America..after all they are our neighbors to the South . Either the area does not interest them or they find the good material difficult to find .