British Aerophilatelic Federation

Over the days of STAMPEX and Philatex, the British Aerophilatelic Federation (B Ae F) celebrated the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Aerophilatelic Club, London,  (APC) only 20 years after man first flew. The  APC was one of the 2 founding groups which amalgamated into the B Ae F in 1985.

The main focus of the celebrations was the 200 frame display mounted on the “Village Green” at STAMPEX for which credit is due to John Hammonds for making all the arrangements. Some 40 members exhibited there with a number from overseas including several from our sister organisation in the Netherlands - De Vliegende Hollander, (Jacques Bot, Johaan van As, P Daverschot), Ken Sanford (Switzerland), Osvaldo Portaluppi (Brazil), David Lu (USA), Keith Griffiths (New Zealand), and Kuno Sollors President of  FISA. 

The first meeting was at Philatex on the afternoon of Friday, February 28, and we are indebted to Trevor Davis and Chris Rainey for making a room available. The main display was “Pioneer flights to the Arctic” given by Oded Eliashar from Israel.
This fascinating display embraced both flown and other relevant material including: Franklin's balloon dispatches of 1850, Andrèe’s Balloon Expeditions of 1896 and 1897, Roald Amundsen’s North Pole flight, the US Army Round the World flight, those of H Wilkins (later, Sir George Wilkins), Byrd and the Airship “Norge” all in the mid 1920s. Then followed the flights of  the “Graf Zeppelin”- LZ 127, Udet, Lindbergh, the Round the World flight of Wiley Post, the tragic flight of “Italia” and the transatlantic flights of Von Gronau, all in the early 1930s. 

Howard Hughes’ record-breaking flight of 1938 in a Lockheed Electra also featured as did Russian flights before WW II and German flights during it; an amazing display from a Gold medal collection which was greatly appreciated by the 20+ audience.
Additional displays were given by Dick Saundry (Boeing 747 first flights), John Marriner (GB Air Mail using perfin adhesives), John Hammonds (1943 Paris Air Mail Exhibition), Ken Sanford (PanAm Crash Mail), Keith Hanman (Rhodesia Air Mails from the 1930s), and, finally, Chairman Brian Asquith showing his Ethiopian air mails.

After the meeting, most of us adjourned to a nearby restaurant to continue the discussions on the displays - and much else!
The next day, Saturday, saw us back at STAMPEX for a display of Swiss Air Mails by B Ae F Patron Alex Newall. He began by describing the political background to the introduction of the carriage of mail by air in Switzerland and the events leading up to the flying displays of 1913 when the first Swiss air mail was born. Swiss Air Squadrons were established within the army and carried mail before the Post Office stepped in with the first official air mail service in 1919. Overprinted stamps were used for air mail until 1923 when the first definitive stamps were issued for carriage by air and these were mandatory until 1944 when normal stamps could be used although commemorative air mail stamps were issued thereafter from time to time. SWISSAIR was established in 1933 only to collapse - why is uncertain - in 2001.

Alex showed material from throughout the early years and closed with the last frame featuring examples of German initiatives e.g. Zeppelin flights (“Graf Zeppelin” and “Hindenburg”), catapult mail and the service to Russia operated by Deruluft. Keith Fitton proposed the vote of thanks for a tremendous display which represented only a fraction of Alex’ collection.

Shortly after came the official Reception and Lunch in the Hilton Hotel next door attended by around 60 members and invited guests. Brian Asquith welcomed everyone and thanked those who had contributed to the success of the celebrations, particularly Keith Hanman who had largely been responsible for organising the event. He then presented B Ae F tankards to visiting members: Jacques Bot from Netherlands, Osvaldo Portaluppi from Brazil and Phil Parker from USA.  He added how delighted he was to have Bill Randle with us as he had been the very first President of the B Ae F when it was first established in 1980.

Then it was back to STAMPEX for the final meeting - a joint one with the British Chapter of the American Air Mail Society (AAMS).

Frank  Jones, this time representing the AAMS Chapter, welcomed the 30+ attendees to a debate on “Aspects of Aerophilately” and, in particular, Distinguished Philatelists Dr Alan Huggins and Francis Kiddle, and AAMS Secretary Derrick Pillage. Brian Asquith, Chairman of B Ae F, briefly summarised the 80 year history of aerophilately in UK concluding that the Federation was in good shape - maintaining a membership of around 350, with a network of 7 Regional Co-ordinators who organise meetings around the country, the Air Mail News arguably the best publication of its type, successful auctions 2 or 3 times every year and 200 frames on display “downstairs”.
Many wide-ranging aspects  were the subjects of discussion and debate over the next 2 hours, among them: the criteria for “importance” in judging aerophilatelic displays; the need for closer co-operation between the UK and USA societies - indeed between the  B Ae F and local/specialist societies within the UK; the scope for greater flexibility in the use of collateral material offered by the “Open” class; the future scope for the employment of photocopies not only in displays but in competitive philately; FIP rules for international exhibitions;  the continuing need for more and more research and the publication of the results thereof; new approaches to collecting e.g. lateral aerophilately; and much more.

At the end, Phil Parker summarised his own belief that we must retain the “fun” element in aerophilately - without that, it will enjoy at best a restricted, possibly declining, future. And with that, apart from dismounting the displays the next day, the celebrations were over, at least for the time being, and we look forward to December 4 when the B Ae F has been invited to mount a display at the Royal Philatelic Society London to commemorate, once again, their 80th anniversary - for the last time this year!