Hugh I. Wells, Condor Peruana de Aviación S.A.

Transcription

1 Table of Contents Vol 7, No. 1, January 2018 Page 2 Page 3 Editor s Notes Hugh I. Wells, Condor Peruana de Aviación S.A. Page 11 Colareta Revisited Lima 6 Page 12 The Llama (La Llamita) -- Time to Re-Examine this Iconic Issue?

2 Editor s Notes We received one article to publish since October regarding Hugh I Wells, an early aviation pioneer who obtained contracts to carry mail for the United States Post Office in the late 1920s. In 1935 he formed the Peruvian Condor Aviation Company. This article provides an interesting history of early air mail in Peru and an appeal to learn more about La Llamita issue (Scott 20). We have no more articles in the pipeline for publishing and need more material for future newsletters in either Spanish or English. Please send submissions to dnpaddock@hotmail.com. Note that this is a new e- mail address for me. Thank you. David Paddock, Editor. President: Chuck Wooster cwooster@aol.com Vice President & Webmaster Henry Marquez vepcar@gmail.com Editor: David Paddock dnpaddock@hotmail.com Web Site: Addresses: Post a message: Peru_Philatelic_Study_Circle@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: Peru_Philatelic_Study_Circle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com List Owner: Peru_Philatelic_Study_Circle-owner@yahoogroups.com 2

3 Hugh I. Wells Condor Peruana de Aviación S.A. Robert Parsons Little is known about Hugh Wells mail carrying operations in Peru. Despite having operated an airline since 1935 in Peru, it was another two years before he was granted a concession to carry the mails by air in Peru. The Compania Condor Peruana de Aviación S.A. was a relatively small airline; just four aircraft. By 1941, the Company was bankrupt, its assets confiscated by the Peruvian Government. Letters associated with the Hugh Wells companies are relatively scarce. In this article, I have illustrated all that I have recorded to date. Huestis Hugh I. Wells, born September 4, 1900, was one of those early pilots with experience gained in WWI, who spent the years leading up to his adventures in Peru engaged in pioneering air routes in the U.S. He is reported to have trained such pilots as Col. Charles Lindbergh and Clarence Chamberlin. When Juan Trippe s Colonial Air Transport acquired rights to fly the early U.S. airmail commercial route CAM-1 (New York, Hartford & Boston), it was Hugh Wells who piloted the first flight on July 26, 1926 (see Fig. 1). Later, in 1927, and still working for Juan Trippe, Wells flew the inaugural flight of the newly formed Pan American Airways (PAA) between Key West, Florida and Havana, Cuba. This marked the official inauguration of FAM-4. On October 28, 1927, the flight left Meacham Field in Key West at 8:25 A.M and arrived in Havana at 9:45 A.M, carrying fourteen bags of mail weighing 772 pounds. Hugh Wells was the pilot and Edwin C. Musick was the co-pilot. Heavy rain fell on Havana overnight delaying the return flight. Musick and Wells changed seats for the flight back to Key West on the morning of October 29 (see Fig. 2). In 1928 Wells was chief pilot for Fokker, the Dutch aircraft manufacturer. Duties included conducting Goodwill Tours for that firm. He later worked as pilot for the New York, Rio & Buenos Aires Line (NYRBA) during its pioneering efforts into South America. By 1935, Wells was in Peru. 3

4 Fig. 1 First flight cover from Boston to New York, July 1, The inaugural flight of CAM-1, Contract Air Mail route. Flown by pilot H. I. Wells (a pilot-signed cover). Fig. 2 A cover carried on the return flight of the inaugural FAM-4 service, Havana to Key West, October 28, Flown by pilot Edwin C. Musick and co-pilot H. I. Wells (both pilot and co-pilot signed). In early 1935, Wells formed the Tampa-New Orleans-Tampico Air Line Inc. of New York. With four Curtiss- Wright Condor airplanes he hoped to open up a route from New Orleans to Buenos Aires, via Bogota, Quito, 4

5 Lima and La Paz. These four aircraft were originally built for the Bolivian government as bombers, to be used in the Chaco War between Bolivia and Paraguay, then in full swing. However, on May 18, 1934, the U.S. Government introduced a Resolution that banned the sale of arms and munitions to the Governments of Bolivia and Paraguay. Wells took possession of aircraft that had been ostensibly modified for commercial use. On assurances that the planes would not be used for military purposes, Wells received U.S. State and Commerce Department approvals to fly to Arica, Chile for the purpose of conducting surveys for a proposed commercial airline. In late March, 1935 the four Curtiss Condors left New Orleans. By the time they reached Lima, Peru, the U.S. Government had had a change of heart and had launched an investigation into the real intent of the aircraft. The Department of Commerce in Washington cancelled the permits of the planes and the licenses of the pilots under Wells command. At the request of the U.S. Ambassador to Peru, the four planes were detained at the Las Palmas military airdrome. Here they languished for the next six months until the Peruvian Government, finding there had been no charges laid nor any actions forthcoming, lifted the restrictions on the planes and their pilots. Wells immediately formed the Peruvian Condor Aviation Company (Condor Peruana De Aviacion S.A.) on October 7, Dr. Alfredo Alvarez Calderon, president of the Northern Peru Mining and Smelting Company, became the president of the new Aviation Company, while Wells became its vice-president. The Company s activities were confined to Peru; largely engaged in ferrying supplies to remote and isolated mining communities in the Lake Pias District and carrying tobacco from the plantations in the District of San Martín to Lima. Condor Peruana s Curtis BT.32 Condor OB-IIA Iquitos loading tobacco at Tarapoto. 5

6 The Company s business grew, such that the Post Office awarded it a concession to carry the mails in Circular No. 28 outlines the conditions of this contract, to be effective on August 23, 1937 (see Appendix A). The contract called for a weekly service between Lima, Trujillo, Chachapoyas, Moyobamba and Iquitos, and between Lima and Cuzco. The air surcharge was set at 15 centavos for each 10 grams. An additional air surcharge of 15 centavos would be levied, in effect a double air-fee, on correspondence to places along the coast and highlands of the country served by other air transport companies with a connection in Lima and Trujillo. International correspondence would be charged, in addition to the existing international airfare, an air surcharge of 15 centavos per 10 grams or part thereof. As indicated earlier, letters associated with Wells operation are relatively scarce. The first two Company stationery items (figs. 3 and 4) were of a simple design. Lettered Condor Peruana de Aviacion S.A. at the top of the envelope, these two covers differ only in the font that was used. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a more elaborate design on the Company s stationery; a design that Wells would incorporate in later personal stationery as well as for Company correspondence. These two covers, from the same correspondent in Iquitos, show the additional 15 centavos air surcharge that was applied to international mail. Postage was comprised of 15 air fee, Iquitos to Lima, plus S.1.50 air fee by Lufthansa, and 15 U.P.U. charge. Total S By 1939, Wells had reorganized as the Linea de Aviacion Condor Tampa. It s not clear whether this Company carried the mail but fig. 7 illustrates a new stationery design with differences in the lower panel, as well as the new Company name. Shortly thereafter, Wells company began to falter. With little assistance from the Peruvian Government he found it increasingly difficult to maintain regular schedules and wrapped up the Company s operations in March All of the Company s assets were expropriated on 23 May Wells must have remained in Peru for some time, as we find an example of personal stationery written by him in 1947 (fig. 8). It is perhaps noteworthy that this cover was carried on the 1 st Lima to New York flight of Peruvian International Airways (PIA), a short-lived airline that operated only 1947 to Wells passed away on March 17,

7 Appendix A Iniciación del servicio postal aéreo, provincial, por la Compañía Cóndor Peruana. Lima, 23 de agosto de 1937 CIRCULAR No 28. Señor Jefe de la Oficina de Escala de Aviones de... Confirmo a usted el telegram No 446, fechado el 21 del actual, cuyo texto es el siguiente : No 446. Correos Cuzco, Trujillo, Chachapoyas, Moyobamba, Iquitos. Urgente. Comunícole que, a partir lunes 23 presente, iniciaráse provisionalmente servicio postal aéreo por la Compañía Cóndor, sólo para cartas, entre Lima, Cuzco y Lima, Trujillo, Chachapoyas, Moyobamba e Iquitos, cobrándose tarifa aérea de quince centavos mas franqueo ordinario por cada carta diez gramos. Punto. Instrucciones remitiransele primer avión. Punto. Este servicio es únicamente con destino montaña. Punto. Aviones saldrán de Lima para Cuzco los viernes a las seis de la mañana y para Trujillo los lunes a las dos y media de la tarde. Punto. Caso útilizarse doble línea aérea se cobrará doble franqueo. Cortés. LIMA. De acuerdo con los nuevos arreglos llevados a cabo con la Compañía de Aviación Cóndor Peruana, se aceptará también correspondencia epistolar para Cajamarca y Tarapoto, lugares de escala obligada de los aviones de dicha Compañía. Los despachos aéreos deberán hacerse formulando los respectivos pasavantes por triplicado, en los que se anotara el peso neto de los envois. Un ejemplar se remitirá, mensualmente, a la Contaduría General; otro se entregará a la Compañía transportadora y el tercero se conservará en el archive de esa oficina. Las oficinas de escala de los aviones de la Compañía Cóndor, admitirán al transporte aereopostal correspondencia para lugares de la costa y sierra del país servidos por las demás Compañías de transporte aéreo con conexión en Lima o Trujillo, cobrando por este servicio doble tarifa aérea, más el franqueo ordinario. En lo que respecta a la correspondencia en tránsito para el extranjero, se cobrará, además de la tarifa aérea internacional vigente, la tasa aérea de S.0.15 por cada 10 gramos o fracción. La Compañía de Aviación Cóndor Peruana transportará en cada viaje, gratuitamente, hasta cinco kilogramos de correspondencia official. En consecuencia, las oficinas de escala podrán despachar correspondencia official de acuerdo con las siguientes cuotas :. Dios guarde a Ud. M. Cortés, JEFE GENERAL DE CORREOS Boletin Postal Telegrafico y Ratiotelegrafico, Ano XXXIV, No. 343, Agosto 31 de 1937, pp

8 Fig. 3 Airmail letter from Lima to U.S., 9 October 1936 from Condor Peruana de Aviacion S.A. Air surcharge was S.2.70 (5-10 grams) plus 10 UPAE postage. Fig. 4 Airmail letter from Lima to U.S., 5 January 1937 from Condor Peruana de Aviacion S.A. Air surcharge was S.1.35 (5 grams) plus 10 UPAE postage (overpaid 5 ). 8

9 Fig. 5 Airmail letter from Iquitos to London, England, 19 October Carried by Condor Peruana to Lima and then by Lufthansa via Chile. The letter was assessed postage consisting of S.1.50 international air surcharge + 15 domestic air fee + 15 UPU letter charge. 9

10 Fig. 6 A similar airmail letter from Iquitos to London, England, 16 November Carried by Condor Peruana to Lima (b/s 18 Nov. 1938). Fig. 7 Airmail letter from Lima to U.S., 11 February 1941 from Linea de Aviacion Condor (Tampa). Air surcharge was S.1.20 plus 15 UPAE postage. Fig. 8 Airmail letter from Lima to U.S., 25 September 1941 from Hugh Wells. 10

11 Colareta Revisited Lima 6 Jose Colareta illustrated a number of numerical markings from Lima used in the 1850 s. He listed values from 1 to 5½ Reals and they can be found used in blue, black and red inks. The cover in Figure 1 has a numeral 6 (Figure 2) in the same blue ink as the Vapor and Lima CDS handstamps. It was addressed to Montreal Canada and directed Via Panama y de las Estados Unidos. Effective January 1850, Peru allowed letters to be prepaid to Panama at the rate of 3 reales per ½ ounce, making this a double weight letter. It was carried to Panama on the PSNC steamship Santiago, departing Callao on January 11, 1955 and arriving at Panama on January 20, It was placed on the United States Steamship Company steamship North Star, which departed Panama on January 20 th and arrived in New York on February 8, Upon arrival it received a New York steamship cancel and was rated at 40 cents due. It was immediately forwarded to Canada and received an arrival Montreal backstamp on February 11, Finally, it received a manuscript 2 shillings due mark, equivalent to 40 cents. The only other example of this marking that I have seen is also on a double weight letter to the same addressee in Montreal 1. It entered the mails in Lima on September 25, 1854 and arrived in Montreal on October 29, However, this letter was rated at 50 cents due in the New York, and 2 shillings, 6 pence in Montreal. This was either a mistake or the rate was reduced from 25 to 20 cents per ½ ounce on January 1, Figure 1 Double weight letter from Lima to Montreal, Canada 1 Wierenga, Theron J., New York Steamship Markings on Two Lima-To-Montreal Covers, The Chronicle, Vol.58, No.3, August 2006, pages

12 Figure 2 7 x 8.5 mm The Llama -- Time to Re-Examine this Iconic Issue? I acquired a Peru Scott 20, the two centavos Llama (La Llamita) and wondered if I had a genuine stamp or a counterfeit after I read that Counterfeits are plentiful in the Scott catalog. I did more research, but two additional sources didn t help me determine if I had a genuine Scott 20, or a counterfeit. One of the sources referred to reprints and did not mention counterfeits at all. The reprints reference was found in the book, Reprints of 19 h Century Postal Adhesive Stamps and their Characteristics, published in In it, E.D. Bacon provides a description of how to tell the original stamp from what he terms reprints. He did not address the counterfeits. So, I turned to Stanley Gibbons, who stated this stamp, (SG 23), was issued for letters circulating in Lima only. Forgeries exist. Apparently, there were various forgeries that appeared, but this source makes no mention of reprints. Gibbons then states to beware of forged cancellations on genuine stamps, not mentioned in the Scott listing. Indeed, the used stamp catalog value is approximately 6 to 7 times than the mint version in both Stanley Gibbons and Scott. If anyone has any knowledge of whether reprints exist of this stamp, or if they are all forgeries, or both reprints and forgeries exist, and how we can tell the difference, we would like to explore this issue in more depth. Likewise, a catalog or listing of valid cancellations would be beneficial. A place to start might be Filatelia Peruana, which published an article in Spanish in Number 117, 1980, pp This article is available on the PPSC web site (see page 2 for the website address). If you can help us better identify and understand the issues of La Llamita, please contact the editor at dnpaddock@hotmail.com. Illustrations of forgeries of La Llamita issue 12

13 Two Centavos Blue - "Llamita" March 1, 1873, 19 x 17.5 mm, last stamp made in Lima using the Lecocq machine. 31,000 stamps printed between February & July of 1873, in vertical strips of 100 stamps each, rouletted by three cuts between each pair of stamps. The 2 Centavos denomination was due to a rate reduction decree given December 20, 1872, for mail circulating within the city of Lima. ~'oii = ~ [t;j ~ ==-""""'-..""7". m Ultramarine Da rk Blue Blue Ught Uoht Blue Grey Blue Rouletted cut between stamps m m ell -=--- ~-- Grey -Uamitas" "Uamltas" are considered reprints m m Paper join m.'----- ej] / ej] ell ", N:m~, ]I ~1.=- -:. r... -: m --- It m ~-- Grey l.iijht light Grey 13