An airmail exhibition opening May 1 at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first regularly scheduled U.S. airmail flights.
Open through May 27, 2019, “Postmen of the Skies” invites visitors to step into the exciting and memorable stories of the airmail pilots whose pioneering flights set the stage for today’s advanced airmail system and commercial aviation. Pilot goggles, leggings, helmets and log books along with route maps, telegrams and airmail-related pop culture artifacts will invite visitors to witness and experience the birth of commercial aviation. Visitors will also experience rare historic photos and see an archival “you-are-there” video that tells the story of the origins of airmail.
“The early years of the nation’s airmail service are filled with dynamic individuals and fascinating stories,” said Elliot Gruber, National Postal Museum director. “Few realize that the Post Office Department was instrumental in the development of our nation’s air-travel system.”
FIRST U.S. AIRMAIL SERVICE
In 1918, the first regularly scheduled U.S. airmail service began operations. Planes carried mail between Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City. The nation greeted the new service with enthusiasm. Crowds surrounded airfields in all three cities, eager to watch history in action. Citizens became more enamoured with their postal pilots as the service grew and news of the service traveled. By Sept. 8, 1920, mail was flying between New York and San Francisco.
The U.S. Post Office began turning over some routes to private airlines in 1925 and officially operated the service until 1927. The new airlines built their businesses on the postal routes, infrastructure and pilots. For the next decade, airmail contracts financed the fledgling airlines, serving to help build the nation’s commercial aviation industry.
CANADA’S FIRST AIRMAIL FLIGHT
While the first U.S. airmail flight took place on May 15, 1918, the first airmail flight in
Canadian history wasn’t far behind. One month later – on June 24, 1918 – Captain Brian Peck
flew a JN-4 Curtiss two-seater airplane between Montreal and Toronto.
EXHIBITION ARTIFACTS
“Postmen of the Skies” links to several of the museum’s large-scale, iconic artifacts found in the central atrium, including an original de Havilland DH-4 airplane, originally built for military use during the First World War and then used for mail delivery. After several crashes, the fleet underwent major upgrades for safety and reliability. The de Havilland on display at the museum was flown by one of the pilots featured in the exhibition.
“Dozens of pilots sacrificed their lives to fly the mail for the Post Office,” said Nancy Pope, curator of the exhibition. “At a time when mail was the central communication system, moving it securely and speedily was critical to businesses and important to individuals.”
The museum will also host several on-site events and programs on May in support of the exhibition opening.
USPS FIRST-DAY CEREMONY
The U.S. Postal Service will honour the beginning of airmail service by dedicating two U.S. airmail Forever stamps this year. The first, depicted in blue, commemorates the pioneering spirit of the brave pilots who first flew the mail in the early years of aviation. The first-day-of-issue ceremony will take place May 1 at 11 a.m. at the museum. The event is free and open to the public.
AIRMAIL SCAVENGER HUNT
The National Postal Museum will feature a gallery self-guide that will direct visitors to artifacts and exhibitions throughout the museum that highlight the history of airmail in the U.S.
Exhibitions including “Postmen of the Skies” and “Airmail in America” will be featured along with objects throughout the museum.
AIRMAIL GAME TIME
A gallery activity will feature airmail-themed board games as part of the story of how airmail affected U.S. pop culture. Visitors will be able to try their luck and test their skill at some of these vintage and reproduction games.
BOOK LAUNCH, SIGNING
The National Postal Museum and the American Philatelic Society will host the launch of Stamp of the Century, a book about the famous philatelic error known as the Inverted Jenny. This will be the first readable, popular study of this iconic postage stamp to appear in nearly 30 years.
The authors, Kellen Diamanti and Deborah Fisher, will be on hand from noon to 2 p.m. to talk with museum visitors and sign copies of their book, which will be for sale in the museum gift store. The authors will also be part of the museum’s “History After Hours” program on May 2 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. for an evening book talk and signing.