36-90
1936 Madras to Colombo via Trichinopoly
Indo-Ceylon Special Christmas Flight
1936 Madras to Colombo via Trichinopoly
Indo-Ceylon Special Christmas Flight
Whilst air mail services had been established for most of the major cities of India, Ceylon had remained largely ignored. However, the groundwork for regular flights was laid in 1931. On 7 May 1931, Nevill Vintcent, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation in India, flew a De Havilland DH80A Puss Moth G-AAXJ (the first aeroplane to have been seen in Ceylon) from Colombo to Bombay carrying a special airmail edition of the Times of Ceylon. On 2 April 1932, Vintcent made a survey flight from Bombay to Colombo via Madras to provide data for Tata’s proposed regular service to Ceylon.
Following an agreement between the postal authorities of India and Ceylon, Tata Sons Ltd were given permission to fly Christmas mails from Madras to Colombo via Trichinopoly in December 1936. There were two flights, the first leaving Madras on 23 December with Indian mails only, returning on 24 December. The second flight, intended for British mails, completed the return journey on 24 December. However, the Imperial Airways flight (IE.506) from London was delayed with the result that only about 31 lbs of mail (about 3,000 letters) were carried.
The flights were made by Mr Homi Bharucha in a Miles M4A Merlin VT-AHC. Covers are known signed by him.
Regular airmail service to Ceylon was not inaugurated until 28 February 1938, with the introduction of the Empire Air Mail Scheme
Reference - Jeffrey Brown Indian Airmails
Following an agreement between the postal authorities of India and Ceylon, Tata Sons Ltd were given permission to fly Christmas mails from Madras to Colombo via Trichinopoly in December 1936. There were two flights, the first leaving Madras on 23 December with Indian mails only, returning on 24 December. The second flight, intended for British mails, completed the return journey on 24 December. However, the Imperial Airways flight (IE.506) from London was delayed with the result that only about 31 lbs of mail (about 3,000 letters) were carried.
The flights were made by Mr Homi Bharucha in a Miles M4A Merlin VT-AHC. Covers are known signed by him.
Regular airmail service to Ceylon was not inaugurated until 28 February 1938, with the introduction of the Empire Air Mail Scheme
Reference - Jeffrey Brown Indian Airmails
S 1-1, Madras - Trichinopoly
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S 1-2, Madras - Colombo
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Mis-Directed Mail
Cover intended for Croydon-Karachi-Bahawalpur and cancelled FRANCIS FIELD / 14 DEC 36. Wrongly affixed India-Ceylon Special Air Mail cachet. Detected at Madras on 24 Dec 1936, then forwarded to Sadiq-Garh Palace, Bahawalpur on 26 Dec 1936.
Cover intended for Croydon-Karachi-Bahawalpur and cancelled FRANCIS FIELD / 14 DEC 36. Wrongly affixed India-Ceylon Special Air Mail cachet. Detected at Madras on 24 Dec 1936, then forwarded to Sadiq-Garh Palace, Bahawalpur on 26 Dec 1936.
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36-91: Cover mailed in Saharanpur on 15 December 1936, and flown on the Madras - Colombo special flight on 23 December 1936.
Cover signed by the pilot Mr H. D. Bharucha.
Cover signed by the pilot Mr H. D. Bharucha.
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36-91: The only known French acceptance for carriage to Ceylon on the special Christmas flight, Bombay to Colombo, with a machine roller inward cancellation at Colombo dated 24/12, via Paris Avion 15/12, pale grey airmail etiquette cover, franked 6F50 postmarked red Paris 14.XII.36 machine cancellation, violet circular 'Special Flight Xmas' cachet, TATA.
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36:90: Underpaid Airmail (T 12c) cover from Calcutta to Colombo on First Special Airmail India-Ceylon Flight on December 1936.
cancelled at PARK STREET / CALCUTTA / 21DEC./ 36. On verso signed by Stephen H. Smith.
cancelled at PARK STREET / CALCUTTA / 21DEC./ 36. On verso signed by Stephen H. Smith.
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S 2-2, Trichinopoly - Colombo
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36-91: Extension to Ceylon of Karachi-Madras service, blue/black TATA imprint etiquette airmail cover franked 1 anna, special 'India-Ceylon / December 1936' used as canceller on Trichinopoly to Colombo, signed by pilot B.K.N. Rao. Scare signature.
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Tata Sons Ltd., special Christmas flight to Colombo
Cover flown from Trichinopoly to Colombo
ISC 36-90: Souvenir cover of Tata airlines cancelled with the large boxed cancellation FIRST SPECIAL AIRMAIL / INDIA – CEYLON / DECEMBER, 1936 and violet round cachet INDO-CEYLON AIRMAIL / SPECIAL / FLIGHT / X’MAS / 1936. Also on the front is a cds TRICHINOPOLY / 23 DEC 36 / 11.15 A.M. and on the reverse is the machine roller cancellation with a boxed CHRISTMAS MAILS / PLEASE POST EARLY and outside the box is COLOMBO / 6.- PM / 23 DEC 36. The cover also has an oval TATA SONS LTD. BOMBAY / AVIATION / DEPT. handstamp and is signed by H. D. Engineer.
Addressed to “Tata Sons Ltd., Aviation Dept., Care Aero Club of Ceylon, Colombo.”
Cover flown from Trichinopoly to Colombo
ISC 36-90: Souvenir cover of Tata airlines cancelled with the large boxed cancellation FIRST SPECIAL AIRMAIL / INDIA – CEYLON / DECEMBER, 1936 and violet round cachet INDO-CEYLON AIRMAIL / SPECIAL / FLIGHT / X’MAS / 1936. Also on the front is a cds TRICHINOPOLY / 23 DEC 36 / 11.15 A.M. and on the reverse is the machine roller cancellation with a boxed CHRISTMAS MAILS / PLEASE POST EARLY and outside the box is COLOMBO / 6.- PM / 23 DEC 36. The cover also has an oval TATA SONS LTD. BOMBAY / AVIATION / DEPT. handstamp and is signed by H. D. Engineer.
Addressed to “Tata Sons Ltd., Aviation Dept., Care Aero Club of Ceylon, Colombo.”
N 1-1, Colombo - Trichinopoly
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N 1-2, Colombo - Madras
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36-90: Ceylon-Indian Special Christmas Flight.
Pilot (H. D. Bharucha) signed cover from Colombo to Madras COLOMBO / FOREIGN / 24 DEC 36.
Pilot (H. D. Bharucha) signed cover from Colombo to Madras COLOMBO / FOREIGN / 24 DEC 36.
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36-90: Registered cover flown from Colombo to Madras.
The round souvenir cachet in violet, Indo-Ceylon Air Mail, Special Flight X'Mas 1936 in violet.
The round souvenir cachet in violet, Indo-Ceylon Air Mail, Special Flight X'Mas 1936 in violet.
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NIC
(Image Courtesy: Mike Robinson)
(Image Courtesy: Mike Robinson)
N 2-2, Trichinopoly - Madras
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36-90: Ceylon-Indian Special Christmas Flight.
Pilot (H. D. Bharucha) signed cover from Trichinopoly to Madras TRICHINOPOLY/ 24 DEC 36.
Pilot (H. D. Bharucha) signed cover from Trichinopoly to Madras TRICHINOPOLY/ 24 DEC 36.
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Tata Sons Ltd., special Christmas flight to Colombo
Cover flown from Trichinopoly to Madras
ISC 36-90: Souvenir cover of Tata airlines cancelled with the large boxed cancellation FIRST SPECIAL AIRMAIL / INDIA – CEYLON / DECEMBER, 1936 and a cds TRICHINOPOLY / 24 DEC 36 / 10.30 A.M. and on the reverse is the MADRAS G.P.O. DELIVERY / 24 DEC / 1936 / 16 - HRS. The cover also has an oval TATA SONS LTD. BOMBAY / AVIATION / DEPT. handstamp and is signed by H. D. Engineer.
Addressed to “Tata Sons Ltd., Aviation Dept., Care Madras Flying Club Ltd., Madras.”
Cover flown from Trichinopoly to Madras
ISC 36-90: Souvenir cover of Tata airlines cancelled with the large boxed cancellation FIRST SPECIAL AIRMAIL / INDIA – CEYLON / DECEMBER, 1936 and a cds TRICHINOPOLY / 24 DEC 36 / 10.30 A.M. and on the reverse is the MADRAS G.P.O. DELIVERY / 24 DEC / 1936 / 16 - HRS. The cover also has an oval TATA SONS LTD. BOMBAY / AVIATION / DEPT. handstamp and is signed by H. D. Engineer.
Addressed to “Tata Sons Ltd., Aviation Dept., Care Madras Flying Club Ltd., Madras.”