Early Colombian Airmails was Re: Spain Query

On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 23:57:39 GMT, Bob Ingraham <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:

>Interesting indeed, Rodney. I've never seen them before, and didn't know
>they existed before this thread came into being. I feel much the same way
>about Greece C1-C4. What easy stamps they would have been to forge!
>
>See the stamps at: <http://www.ingraham.ca/bob/greeceairs.jpg>
>
>See my album page at:
>http://www.ingraham.ca/bob/greecepagemedium.jpg>
>(I grabbed the photo off the internet. Even though it was only 72dip, it
>printed beautifully.)
>
>I was also fortunate not long ago to find one on cover.
>
>Bob Ingraham


Bob:

Lovely stamps.  They remind me of the early Colombian airmails 
(Scott C2-C11) Compañía Colombiana de navegación aérea
Scott #C2  http://www.sismondostamps.com/retail/ret_pics/43750.jpg 
http://www.siegelauctions.com/2003/858/3264A.jpg
http://www.linns.com/howto/refresher/semiofficialairmails_20030224/rc6_0224.jpg


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[From Harmers sale 4699 - 14 Feb. 2002]
Compania Colombiana de Navegacion Aerea. 1920 The multicoloured
"Curtiss" advertising labels, the complete set of nine different,
ungummed as issued, three of the less rare designs (Aeroplane over two
clouds, Left wings of biplane and Ocean liner) with a few small thins
and some other minor faults but chiefly fine. A colourful and
extremely rare set.  All except the Mother and Child signed 
Kessler (1-9) (Scott 2-10) estimated at £20,000 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Re: Compañía Colombiana de navegación aérea
(Guillermo ECHAVARRÍA MISAS, 1888-1985, one of the founders)
http://www.epm.net.co/viztaz/cdsiglo/400htm/h264514.jpg

The first passenger airline in the world, CCNA was founded on 
16 September 1919 and legalized on 26 September 1919. 
[It preceded KLM by 17 days.]  It was the first airline to 
officialy carry Colombian Airmail.

CCNA began work with four French airplanes that had been used 
in World War I. With the airplanes the French  pilots and 
mechanics also arrived.

The first airplane (a Farman F-40) arrived by boat at the 
city of Cartagena.
http://www.sspanzer.net/fly_ace/udet/farman-f40.jpg

It was customary, at that time, to name the airplanes with 
the names of the cities where they arrived. "Cartagena" was 
a biplane of wood and fabric. For several months the people 
went to observe it and to try the novel means of transport, 
that then, seemed but a diversion.

The first test flight was on 14 February 1920.  
[From the book "The Mule to the Airplane"]  one can see 
"a photograph of the queen of the Carnival in Barranquilla, 
Tulipán I, on 14 February 1920, after her "Baptism of the Air" 
in a Farman airplane of the Colombian Company of Airplane 
navigation.  A history of world-wide importance practically is
forgotten by  Colombians, and is that the first aerial company 
of transport of passengers was based on Colombia in September 
of 1919, 17 days before the Dutch KLM, considered oldest, 
still in operation."

Regular flights between the cities of Cartagena and 
Barranquilla settled down soon that took off and landed at 
irregular times.  The airplane "Cartagena" tragically crashed 
on 22 April 1920, (or 29 April) causing a great commotion 
amongst the citizens that observed it.

--Govt Record--
PLANE CRASH:  First in Colombia.  
DATE:  22-05-1920.  
LOCATION:  Barranquilla.  
AIRSHIP:  Farman, Model:  F-40.    NAME:  Cartagena.  
PEOPLE On board:  CAPT.  Jacques Jourdanet (dead), 
Pass.  Pepa R Vasquez (wound), Maruja Vasquez (wound) 
and Don Jaime Vasquez (wounded).  
CAUSES:  The company is Colombian Company of Airplane navigation.  
In the same book it appears another date is the 29-04-1920,
nevertheless we took previously indicated date.

The second plane called "Santa Marta", also had hard times.  
The  airplane only flew for a few days in good condition, 
because of an accident just a short time after her launch.

--Govt Record--
PLANE CRASH:  Second in Colombia.  
DATE:  20-07-1920.  
LOCATION:  Cartagena de Indias.  
AIRSHIP:  Farman, Model:  F-40.    NAME:  Santa Marta.  
PEOPLE On board:  CAPT.  Fratoni (dead), 
Pass.  Don Miguel Araujo (wounded) and Mr. Arturo Gerlein (dead).
CAUSES OF THE FACT:  It is not known.

The poor old CCNA also wanted to serve the interior, with a flight
between the cities of Barranquilla and Girardot, following the route
of the Magdalena River.  This was to be done in the third airplane
bought by them, call "Medellín".  With the CCNA's typical bad luck,
the airplane was dragged down by the river currents, while it was
berthed at the dock. 

Even before these events, the company thought about dissolving.
It closed down at the end at the end of 1920, gone with its 
beautiful stamps.

On 5 December 1919 a second Colombian airline company had been
founded.  This was SCADTA, based on the city of Barranquilla. 
It was a company of Colombian and German industralists.  From 
its beginning, it wanted to establish airmail routes to the 
interior via the Magdalena river, so it brought hydroplanes from
Germany. That company met with great success.  It absorbed the 
CCNA services in 1920  and continued to carry airmail until 1932.

Blair




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----==  Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----