Special Events

Wings Airmail Exhibition

The Pioneer Years – from 1914 to the 1930s

An award-winning display of aero-philately and associated items

presented by the Australian National Aviation Museum

 in association with the Australian Air Mail Society

and sponsored by Australia Post

 Queen's Birthday Long Weekend 

Saturday, Sunday & Monday 10th - 12^th June from  10am to 5pm

The main thread of this important exhibition is the development of Australian air mail in its formative years, from the tenuous first interstate airmail flight in 1914 to the tumultuous 1930s when governments, airlines and influential individuals were caught up in an ongoing battle to decide who would fly the mails. 

Covering many facets of Australian domestic and international aero-philately, thirty frames of unique historic pioneer air mails, including more recent covers carried by Qantas, TAA, Ansett and Virgin Airlines, will be on display. This is supplemented by TAA and Ansett memorabilia and a range of other interesting displays.

▼  The Australian Air Mail Society’s display seen when it was part  of  the Aeropex Air Mail Exhibition held at the Adelaide Town Hall.

 The secretary of the Australian Air Mail Society, Mr Chris Lloyd will be in attendance to respond to any enquiries regarding the exhibition. 

Seen below are just a few examples of the many interesting exhibits that can be seen at this important event

A typical letter, one of thousands sent on the first official air mail flight from Australia to England in 1931. The mail consisted of 25 bags, weighing a total of about 300 kilograms. Piloted by Charles Kingsford Smith, the legendary Southern Cross had to be called in at the last moment to carry the mail on the Darwin-to-Burma leg to meet up with the mail plane of Imperial Airways that would fly it on to England. The Imperial Airways aircraft that was intended to carry the mail on this leg had crash-landed at Koepang on Timor.

Dramatic incidents such as this were not uncommon in these years when safety and technology were relatively primitive sciences.

A special highlight of the event will be the official handing over by Australia Post to the museum of this highly significant item, a letter (or ‘cover’ in philatelic terms) carried by Ross and Keith Smith onthe very first flight from England to Australia in a war-surplus Vickers Vimy bomber in 1919.

An example of the first "International airmail" into Australia, as well as a unique artifact from the flight, it has been addressed to Ross Smith, the pilot of the flight.

Like most of the mail carried on this flight, this item is unusual in that its ‘stamp’ is not even a real stamp; it is called a vignette, a commemorative sticker often used on mail on important flights and hasno face value but usually creates an added value due to its philatelic relevance. ‘Real’ stamps were not required on this flight as it was not carrying official mail. Nonetheless, this is indeed a landmark item of considerable value that will be donated to the museum by Australia Post in recognition of the continued interest in Australian aero-philately. 

The cover will be officially handed over at 10am on the Friday before the event and will be on display over the long weekend.

One of the most unusual items of the display, this ‘postcard’ was one of just six made up from a 
left-over piece of the fabric used for patching the outer surfaces on the Southern Cross. The only time this medium was used, it was made up by one of the crew and flown both ways on the famous aircraft’s third crossing of the Tasman in 1934. Autographed by Kingsford Smith, co-pilot P.G. Taylor and radio operator John Stannage, this was just one of the devices the crew had to use to raise some cold hard 
cash during the depths of the Depression. Apart from its philatelic importance, this exceptional item has
a special place in Australian aviation history simply for what it is.

Normal museum admittances apply: 
Adults, $7.50; children, pensioners and students $3.50;   Family $15.

The museum is located at the corner of First Street and Second Avenue, Moorabbin Airport, Melways 87 G 4.
For a map and details of public transport to the museum see the About Us page

Disabled access and toilets are not a problem;
there are no steps on the museum’s premises, only a few shallow ramps.

Ample free parking is available near the entrance.  
Contact: Phone 9580 7752 Email: info@aarg.com.au    Web: www.aarg.com.au

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The proceeds of this event go towards the museum’s Beaufort Restoration Appeal 

Find out more about Air Mail Covers and Aerophilately
or visit the Australian Philatelic Federation

The Australian National Aviation Museum

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