Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I have had a particular interest in aviation pioneering, and in WWI and WWII soldier's mail, and quite a few cards to show in this category.
Here is a card which recently came into my possession:
It's a "Feld-Postkarte" mailed on February 3, 1915.
The sender is A. Behornick, a "Flieger Ersatz" (substitute flyer, probably a trainee) in the Posen (Poznan, Poland) department. Sent (home, to his father?) to Herrn Franz in Wurttemberg, Berkheim bei Leutkirch, which is in the south of Germany, southeast of Stuttgart, about 1000 km from Posen.
The image "Greetings from the Posen air base" depicts what appears to be an Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) model B.I which was a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft built in 1914, flying over the barracks and control tower. Plane is distinctive for its 3 strut bays and low-angled fin. Probably being used for training in this context...
I have many more to share. Next one is an artist's rendering of a Heinkel HE111 H-3, from 1941, being reloaded, also postally used.
Enjoy (and contribute!)
-Paul
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And no stamp - presumably mail on 'feld postkarte' was free.
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Strider,
I don't know the rules of German feld post, but I don't recall ever seeing stamps on them from first or second wars (other than air mail or other non-first class usages; the military air post stamps are an entity unto themselves and quite interesting)
Paul,
lovely card and appreciate the translation as well as the plane's ID and explanation for ID.
David
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OK, I'll post another one, to keep the 'intrawar' theme going. This one's from WWII:
First to the image source. It's an oil painting (Ölgemälde) by Victor Mundorff (1897-1973). I am very attracted to "artcards". Mundorff had a propensity for abstract advertising images, with later works commissioned by Volkswagen and Auto Union. Very cool stuff...
The image depicts the frantic turn-around of a Heinkel HE-111 bomber. Loader crews are wrestling with a 100kg bombs, ground crew are filling the starboard wing tank, and, at right, aircrew are examining charts in conference with the group leader in a peaked cap. Appears to be a summer shot at midday, and with some open water depicted below the plane's starboard wingtip. Second sortie of the day?
The plane itself is rendered in accurate detail, most likely the H-3 variant because of the lack of external hard points. These were located just outboard of the bomb-bay doors in variants H-4 and later. Period photos of the HE-111's belly are uncommon. The H-3 variant was the principal variant used during the Blitz of London, which commenced in September, 1940, and continued through May, 1941. Production of the H-3 variant itself commenced in September, 1939, and continued through November, 1941. The Oberkommando Luftwaffe had determined that, for effective conduct of the Blitz, larger bombs were required, which motivated production of a variant (the H-4) with external bomb racks. Production of the superseding H-4 variant began in late 1940 or early 1941.
Switching to the message side of the card, we see that it is also a Feldpost card, precisely franked with a FELDPOST cancelling device, dated August 12, 1941. The purple stamp gives us the Feldpostnummer of L 07181. In March, 1941, this number was assigned to Luftflotte 3, Luftnachrichten (Air Signal) Regiment 23.This is probably when the unit moved from France to support the Wehrmacht (Center) at the Eastern Front which commenced operations on June 22, 1941. From August, 1941, this unit was under Luftflotte 2 which was under the command of General Kesselring. I am reasonably assured that the scene was painted in the north of France.
The message on the card gives us clues as to where Regiment 23 was deployed. The sender was "Gefr. (Gefreiter = Private) Karl L____". (Surname matches the receipient's.) This line is under the purple cancel. The last word in that line is "Posen", Poland. This further confirms that, by August 12, Regiment 23 was at the Eastern Front. "Frau L____" was probably the sender's wife, sister, or mother, living in Mannheim, between Frankfurt and Stuttgart, 900 km distant. I would presume that the reason the card was sent was to inform the airman's family of his new location, so that letters could easily be received from them.
Interestingly, I purchased both this card and the WWI card above at the same time from the same dealer. Both previously collected by the same person?
-Paul
Whaddaya got?
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That's some impressive research, Paul. Thanks for posting it.
WhadoIgot? I collect mostly mid-20th-century bombers and American-manufatured airliners on stamps and postcards, and if the stamps are on cover, those too! Having been a victim of the modern cattle trucks called jet airliners, and having enjoyed flights in several types of propeller airliners, I have enjoyed trips to yesteryear via my postcards.
I do have a very few postcards that picture other early airliners, including the early DeHavilland Heracles biplane. Two types of postcards I have always grabbed when available show the interiors of airliners, especially those picturing cutaway views. Here are three of my "cutaway" postcards:
• The Boeing 247, which could be considered the first modern airliner except that you couldn't stand up straight in in the passenger cabin and it was noisy and uncomfortable. Its first flight was in 1933, and passengers soon learned to appreciate its relative speed and safety compared to earlier airliners. But a sweetheart deal between Boeing and United Airlines prevented any other airline from benefitting from both airliner and its engines. That led to the development of the Douglas DC-1, the DC-2, and the DC-3.
• The Douglas DC-3, which was the first truly successful modern airliner. Its first flight, as the Douglas Sleeper Transport or DST, was in 1934. Sleeping berths were soon replaced by regular seats, and the aircraft was then called the DC-3, after its smaller lookalike, the DC-2, which could reasonably be called the first modern airliner. I'm probably not the only Stamporama member who has flown in DC-3s. When I was in the U.S. Navy, I flew several times between Phoenix and my home town, Silver City, New Mexico, in Frontier Airlines DC-3s. The single stewardess handled out gum before takeoff so your ears wouldn't be too painful when they popped (the DC-3, obviously, wasn't pressurized):
• The postwar Canadair DC-4M utilized parts from the Douglas DC-4/C-54 and DC-6, and was powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin engines instead of radial piston engines to achieve a faster cruising speed; the same engine powered Britain's Spitfire fighter in the Second World War. The large air vents beneath the aircraft's propellers were needed to keep the engines cool for operations of Canadian airlines in the tropical nations and colonies of the British Commonwealth:
This postcard pictures a Northstar at Vancouver:
Bob
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CAUTION: This thread may veer off into the realm of Aviation Pioneering!
Here are a few links from past postings:
https://www.stamporama.com/discboard/dis ...
https://www.stamporama.com/discboard/dis ...
https://www.stamporama.com/discboard/dis ...
Harvey's posting "Tydol" jogged a memory. Tydol was a brand name of aviation gasoline, beginning in the 1930s, I believe. I thought of a particular card depicting refueling in 1912. Back then, gasoline was distributed in 5-liter or 10-liter tins. There were no bulk delivery stations like we have today. Hard to imagine... Anyway, this:
Monsieur Vedrine's Morane monoplane is being refueled with the Automobiline brand of tinned gasoline.
One distinctive aspect of Automobiline's early labels was that they had a diagonal layout, as can be seen on the postcard. The race was a one-off for speed, with 3 legs spread over three days, over two mountain ranges, about 1200 km total. The fascinating story of this infamous race is summarized by wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1911_Paris ...
Jules Vedrines won with a combined flying time of 738 minutes, after crashing into a spectator on takeoff on his first attempt to fly out of Paris. He was said to require psychiatric care following the race. BTW, Jules Vedrines was born just 18km from Issy le Molineaux, where the race started! The hometown favorite.
On the reverse, there seems to be nothing of much interest. Posted Monday, January 22, 1912. It's a good bet that nobody was flying that day:
"While specific daily records for January 22, 1912, in France are sparse, this period was part of a notable, severe winter spell in early 1912 across Europe, characterized by intense frosts, heavy snow, and frozen infrastructure." Thanks Google AI!
Senders message: a guy telling (his?) girl "Grio remis a mercredi" (See you Wednesday). The destination is about 200km from the sender's. Now we can guess the reason the postcard was sent. Funny, if the guy had gotten on the train the same time as his postcard, he would have seen her on Tuesday!
My greatest interest in "Airplanes on Postcards" has always been the Aviation Pioneering era, from the beginning of postcards (around 1904) through the many great air races through 1910. The card above is emblematic of my push forward in time from there...
Enjoy!
-Paul
PS, If the weather had reduced train schedules, perhaps the sender could not secure a ticket for the Monday trip! Because, his postcard would still have had a berth on that train...
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@bobstamp:
You might enjoy this YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpTPDUlT ...
It's General Hap Arnold's C-41, the only one left, and still in flying condition.
Awesome!
-Paul
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Hi Paul,
Nice cards!
I believe that "Ersatz" here refers to the unit rather than the sender's role or rank.
The unit would be the "Flieger Ersatz-Abteilung" at Poznan or perhaps an explicitly named "Flieger Ersatz-Abteilung Posen" unit.
There were other Flieger Ersatz-Abteilung units in both world wars.
There were also many "Ersatz" (replacement) units at different levels in the army including complete divisions such as the Garde-Ersatz-Division, also corps, battalions etc.
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Ohhh, nice work, nigelc!
Thanks for the clarification on the unit designation.
If "A", was in a replacement unit, then odds are he was a trainee at Posen.
Disclaimer: I'm not a student of base organization, or unit organization in this context. Not that I haven't tried. It can be very confusing!
One of those things you have to live to understand.
Folks, this is a benefit of posting on Stamporama!
Get your stuff out there for people to see and comment on.
-Paul
Login to Like
this post
05:07:23pm
Greetings!
I have had a particular interest in aviation pioneering, and in WWI and WWII soldier's mail, and quite a few cards to show in this category.
Here is a card which recently came into my possession:
It's a "Feld-Postkarte" mailed on February 3, 1915.
The sender is A. Behornick, a "Flieger Ersatz" (substitute flyer, probably a trainee) in the Posen (Poznan, Poland) department. Sent (home, to his father?) to Herrn Franz in Wurttemberg, Berkheim bei Leutkirch, which is in the south of Germany, southeast of Stuttgart, about 1000 km from Posen.
The image "Greetings from the Posen air base" depicts what appears to be an Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG) model B.I which was a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft built in 1914, flying over the barracks and control tower. Plane is distinctive for its 3 strut bays and low-angled fin. Probably being used for training in this context...
I have many more to share. Next one is an artist's rendering of a Heinkel HE111 H-3, from 1941, being reloaded, also postally used.
Enjoy (and contribute!)
-Paul
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re: Aircraft on Postcards
And no stamp - presumably mail on 'feld postkarte' was free.
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Login to Like.
Auctions
re: Aircraft on Postcards
Strider,
I don't know the rules of German feld post, but I don't recall ever seeing stamps on them from first or second wars (other than air mail or other non-first class usages; the military air post stamps are an entity unto themselves and quite interesting)
Paul,
lovely card and appreciate the translation as well as the plane's ID and explanation for ID.
David
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
01:54:07pm
re: Aircraft on Postcards
OK, I'll post another one, to keep the 'intrawar' theme going. This one's from WWII:
First to the image source. It's an oil painting (Ölgemälde) by Victor Mundorff (1897-1973). I am very attracted to "artcards". Mundorff had a propensity for abstract advertising images, with later works commissioned by Volkswagen and Auto Union. Very cool stuff...
The image depicts the frantic turn-around of a Heinkel HE-111 bomber. Loader crews are wrestling with a 100kg bombs, ground crew are filling the starboard wing tank, and, at right, aircrew are examining charts in conference with the group leader in a peaked cap. Appears to be a summer shot at midday, and with some open water depicted below the plane's starboard wingtip. Second sortie of the day?
The plane itself is rendered in accurate detail, most likely the H-3 variant because of the lack of external hard points. These were located just outboard of the bomb-bay doors in variants H-4 and later. Period photos of the HE-111's belly are uncommon. The H-3 variant was the principal variant used during the Blitz of London, which commenced in September, 1940, and continued through May, 1941. Production of the H-3 variant itself commenced in September, 1939, and continued through November, 1941. The Oberkommando Luftwaffe had determined that, for effective conduct of the Blitz, larger bombs were required, which motivated production of a variant (the H-4) with external bomb racks. Production of the superseding H-4 variant began in late 1940 or early 1941.
Switching to the message side of the card, we see that it is also a Feldpost card, precisely franked with a FELDPOST cancelling device, dated August 12, 1941. The purple stamp gives us the Feldpostnummer of L 07181. In March, 1941, this number was assigned to Luftflotte 3, Luftnachrichten (Air Signal) Regiment 23.This is probably when the unit moved from France to support the Wehrmacht (Center) at the Eastern Front which commenced operations on June 22, 1941. From August, 1941, this unit was under Luftflotte 2 which was under the command of General Kesselring. I am reasonably assured that the scene was painted in the north of France.
The message on the card gives us clues as to where Regiment 23 was deployed. The sender was "Gefr. (Gefreiter = Private) Karl L____". (Surname matches the receipient's.) This line is under the purple cancel. The last word in that line is "Posen", Poland. This further confirms that, by August 12, Regiment 23 was at the Eastern Front. "Frau L____" was probably the sender's wife, sister, or mother, living in Mannheim, between Frankfurt and Stuttgart, 900 km distant. I would presume that the reason the card was sent was to inform the airman's family of his new location, so that letters could easily be received from them.
Interestingly, I purchased both this card and the WWI card above at the same time from the same dealer. Both previously collected by the same person?
-Paul
Whaddaya got?
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re: Aircraft on Postcards
That's some impressive research, Paul. Thanks for posting it.
WhadoIgot? I collect mostly mid-20th-century bombers and American-manufatured airliners on stamps and postcards, and if the stamps are on cover, those too! Having been a victim of the modern cattle trucks called jet airliners, and having enjoyed flights in several types of propeller airliners, I have enjoyed trips to yesteryear via my postcards.
I do have a very few postcards that picture other early airliners, including the early DeHavilland Heracles biplane. Two types of postcards I have always grabbed when available show the interiors of airliners, especially those picturing cutaway views. Here are three of my "cutaway" postcards:
• The Boeing 247, which could be considered the first modern airliner except that you couldn't stand up straight in in the passenger cabin and it was noisy and uncomfortable. Its first flight was in 1933, and passengers soon learned to appreciate its relative speed and safety compared to earlier airliners. But a sweetheart deal between Boeing and United Airlines prevented any other airline from benefitting from both airliner and its engines. That led to the development of the Douglas DC-1, the DC-2, and the DC-3.
• The Douglas DC-3, which was the first truly successful modern airliner. Its first flight, as the Douglas Sleeper Transport or DST, was in 1934. Sleeping berths were soon replaced by regular seats, and the aircraft was then called the DC-3, after its smaller lookalike, the DC-2, which could reasonably be called the first modern airliner. I'm probably not the only Stamporama member who has flown in DC-3s. When I was in the U.S. Navy, I flew several times between Phoenix and my home town, Silver City, New Mexico, in Frontier Airlines DC-3s. The single stewardess handled out gum before takeoff so your ears wouldn't be too painful when they popped (the DC-3, obviously, wasn't pressurized):
• The postwar Canadair DC-4M utilized parts from the Douglas DC-4/C-54 and DC-6, and was powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin engines instead of radial piston engines to achieve a faster cruising speed; the same engine powered Britain's Spitfire fighter in the Second World War. The large air vents beneath the aircraft's propellers were needed to keep the engines cool for operations of Canadian airlines in the tropical nations and colonies of the British Commonwealth:
This postcard pictures a Northstar at Vancouver:
Bob
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03:29:13pm
re: Aircraft on Postcards
CAUTION: This thread may veer off into the realm of Aviation Pioneering!
Here are a few links from past postings:
https://www.stamporama.com/discboard/dis ...
https://www.stamporama.com/discboard/dis ...
https://www.stamporama.com/discboard/dis ...
Harvey's posting "Tydol" jogged a memory. Tydol was a brand name of aviation gasoline, beginning in the 1930s, I believe. I thought of a particular card depicting refueling in 1912. Back then, gasoline was distributed in 5-liter or 10-liter tins. There were no bulk delivery stations like we have today. Hard to imagine... Anyway, this:
Monsieur Vedrine's Morane monoplane is being refueled with the Automobiline brand of tinned gasoline.
One distinctive aspect of Automobiline's early labels was that they had a diagonal layout, as can be seen on the postcard. The race was a one-off for speed, with 3 legs spread over three days, over two mountain ranges, about 1200 km total. The fascinating story of this infamous race is summarized by wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1911_Paris ...
Jules Vedrines won with a combined flying time of 738 minutes, after crashing into a spectator on takeoff on his first attempt to fly out of Paris. He was said to require psychiatric care following the race. BTW, Jules Vedrines was born just 18km from Issy le Molineaux, where the race started! The hometown favorite.
On the reverse, there seems to be nothing of much interest. Posted Monday, January 22, 1912. It's a good bet that nobody was flying that day:
"While specific daily records for January 22, 1912, in France are sparse, this period was part of a notable, severe winter spell in early 1912 across Europe, characterized by intense frosts, heavy snow, and frozen infrastructure." Thanks Google AI!
Senders message: a guy telling (his?) girl "Grio remis a mercredi" (See you Wednesday). The destination is about 200km from the sender's. Now we can guess the reason the postcard was sent. Funny, if the guy had gotten on the train the same time as his postcard, he would have seen her on Tuesday!
My greatest interest in "Airplanes on Postcards" has always been the Aviation Pioneering era, from the beginning of postcards (around 1904) through the many great air races through 1910. The card above is emblematic of my push forward in time from there...
Enjoy!
-Paul
PS, If the weather had reduced train schedules, perhaps the sender could not secure a ticket for the Monday trip! Because, his postcard would still have had a berth on that train...
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04:10:50pm
re: Aircraft on Postcards
@bobstamp:
You might enjoy this YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpTPDUlT ...
It's General Hap Arnold's C-41, the only one left, and still in flying condition.
Awesome!
-Paul
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Aircraft on Postcards
Hi Paul,
Nice cards!
I believe that "Ersatz" here refers to the unit rather than the sender's role or rank.
The unit would be the "Flieger Ersatz-Abteilung" at Poznan or perhaps an explicitly named "Flieger Ersatz-Abteilung Posen" unit.
There were other Flieger Ersatz-Abteilung units in both world wars.
There were also many "Ersatz" (replacement) units at different levels in the army including complete divisions such as the Garde-Ersatz-Division, also corps, battalions etc.
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Login to Like.
06:07:24pm
re: Aircraft on Postcards
Ohhh, nice work, nigelc!
Thanks for the clarification on the unit designation.
If "A", was in a replacement unit, then odds are he was a trainee at Posen.
Disclaimer: I'm not a student of base organization, or unit organization in this context. Not that I haven't tried. It can be very confusing!
One of those things you have to live to understand.
Folks, this is a benefit of posting on Stamporama!
Get your stuff out there for people to see and comment on.
-Paul
Login to Like
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