British Aerophilatelic Federation

Are you a Member?

If you collect air mails and your interest encompasses first flights, air mail rates or routes, balloon or Zeppelin flights, pioneer flights, interrupted or crash mails, catapult mails, internal air mails, air mails to Europe, Africa, Asia, Middle East  or the Americas and you are not a member of the B Ae F, you may be missing out on much that can help to make your hobby still more interesting and rewarding!

Meetings: In addition to the regular Federation meetings in London during the two Stampex weeks and the AGM  in London, there are seven regional co-ordinators in the North East, North West, Midlands, South Coast, Solent, London and Scotland  who arrange several meetings each year in their geographical area. There are thus over 20 meetings each year across England and Scotland, participation in all of which is open  to all members.

Publications: The Air Mail News is published four times in the year. It is in A5 format with, usually, 72 pages and a card cover.  It  contains recent news items, a Question and Answer section and  articles with  illustrations supporting them.

Recent issues of the AMN have carried articles on the following:

Problem-solving: The Air Mail News  has a regular "Question & Answer" section in each issue. All enquiries are welcome and it is a rare occasion when a question fails to elicit a helpful and informative response.

Competitions: The Wotherspoon Cup and the Air Mail Trophy are competed for annually by members; a 16 sheet entry for each is all that is required.
 
 

There were 5 entries for the Wotherspoon Cup and 3 for the Air Mail Trophy. The latter was won by Keith Hanman with his “1934 Air Mails from Rhodesia and Nyasaland” after a very tight challenge from Lawrence Kimpton with his “New Zealand to Europe, 1937-1944”. The Wotherspoon Cup was also vigorously competed for with Richard Saundry’s “Air Mails from Argentina from 1934” just edging out by a single point Michael Crux’ “Switzerland - Wartime Air Mails”. 

2003 Elections
John Woolf stood down as President and Brian Asquith was elected in his place with Keith Fitton elected as the incoming Chairman. The other Officers and Committee members were re-elected.

The Treasurer, Gordon Goodwin, confirmed that the Federation enjoyed good financial health and recommended no change to subscriptions, at which point lunch was taken!

In the afternoon, Bill Trower displayed “Flight Path - Atlantic” and was presented with a Pan Am Share certificate which Richard Saundry had brought back from his recent visit to the FISA meeting in Arizona. Then followed the live auction with 350+ lots, with strong bidding both in the room and on the book for many of the excellent items on offer.

Retiring Chairman, Brian Asquith, then thanked Peter Little for the arrangements an the day, Bill for his display and Auctioneer John Hammonds, Peter Lister, Gordon Goodwin and Keith Fitton for their services to the auction, handing over to the latter his gavel of office.