Resources: Bibliography, Links and Credits

Air Mail Pioneers. The Roll Call: Dedicated to the Pioneers of Commercial Aviation of U.S.A.
The Pioneers, 1956

American Air Mail Society. American Air Mail Catalogue, Volume One, Sixth Edition
American Air Mail Society, 1998

Amick, George. Jenny
Sidney, Ohio. Amos Press, c1986.

Beltrametti, Franco. Airmail Postcards
New York: Vehicle Editions, c1979.

Borden, Norman E. Air mail emergency, 1934; an account of seventy-eight tense days in the winter of 1934 when the Army flew the United States
Freeport, Me., Bond Wheelwright Company, 1968.

Boseman, J. The history of some interesting balloon post flights. With illustrations from the collection of the Netherlands Aero Museum
The Hague: International Society of Aero Historians, 1968.

Boughner, Fred. Airmail antics
Sidney, Ohio : Amos Press, c1988.

Boyle, Thomas H. Air Mail operations during World War II
Mineola, NY : American Air Mail Society, 1998.

Bruns, James H. Turk Bird: The Life and Times of Eddie Gardner
National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 1999.

Field, Francis J. Siege of Paris, 1870-1871, Balloon Posts.
Sutton Coldfield, Eng., F. J. Field, ltd, 1939.

Garber, Paul Edward. Air mail: How it Began
[Washington]: Airlines Postal Affairs Committee, Air Transport Association of America, 1969.

Garvey, William & David Fisher; Randy Johnson, editor / contributing author. The age of flight: a history of America's pioneering airline (United Airlines)
Greensboro, N.C.: Pace Communications

Glines, Carroll V. Airmail--How it all Began
Blue Ridge Summit, PA: AERO, c1990.

Holmes, Donald B. Air Mail, an Illustrated History, 1793-1981 1st ed.
New York : C.N. Potter : Distributed by Crown Publishers, c1981.

Jackson, Donald Dale and the editors of Time-Life Books. Flying the mail
Alexandria, Va. : Time-Life Books, c1982.

Kreider, Karen, Jim Mitchell & Floyd Norman. Walt Disney's The Perils of Mickey Mouse: The Mail Pilot.
Racine, Wisconsin, Western Pub. Co., 1993.

Kronstein, Max. Pioneer Airpost Flights of the World 1830-1935
Washington, D.C. : American Air Mail Society, 1978.

Leary, William M. Airmail Pioneers – The U.S. Air Mail Service 1918-1927
Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1985.

Leary, William M., Editor. Pilots' Directions
Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa Press, 1990.

Lewis, W. David, Editor. Airline Executives and Federal Regulation: Cases Studies in American Enterprise from the Airmail Era to the Dawn of the Jet Age
Ohio State University Press, May 2000.

Lipsner, Benjamin B. The airmail, Jennies to jets
Chicago, Wilcox & Follett, 1951.

Mackay, James A. Airmails, 1870-1970
London, Batsford. 1971.

Meyers, John, Editor. Airways to airlines: [a 50 year history of commercial aviation]
Aviation Book company, 1975.

Nielson, Dale. Saga of the U. S. Air Mail Service, 1918-1927
Miami, Florida: Air Mail Pioneers, 1962.

Nierinck, Henri L. Courrier récupéré: accidents d'avions (Recovered mail: airplane crashes, 1918-1978)
Antwerpen, Belgium: Réditions, 1984.

O'Sullivan, Thomas J. The Pioneer Airplane Mails of the United States
American Air Mail Society, 1985.

Short, Simine, Cheryl Ganz, Editor, Via Airmail: An Aerophilatelic Survey of Events, Routes, and Rates
American Air Mail Society. October 1992.

United States. Post Office Department. Air mail contracts. Letter from the postmaster general transmitting, in response to Senate resolution no. 394, certain information relative to air mail contracts, existing air mail routes in the United States, new routes to be established, and names of officers and attorneys that have been employees of the United States government within the past five years.
Washington, U. S. Government Printing Office, 71st Cong. 3d Session Senate. Doc. 315, 1931

United States. Post Office Department. Air mail contracts. Letter from the Postmaster General transmitting in response to Senate resolution no. 53 certain information relative to air mail contracts
72d Cong., 1st Session Senate. Doc. 70, 1932

United States. Post Office Department. Air mail. Hearing[s] before the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, House of Representatives, Seventy-third Congress, second session, on H. R. 3, H. R. 8578 and other air mail bills. April 20, 1933; February 15, 16, 20, 22; March 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 and 21, 1934.
Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1932

United States. Post Office Department. Annual Report of the Postmaster General of the United States.
Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, Reports used – fiscal year 1911 through 1935.

Van der Linden, F. Robert. Airlines and Air Mail : the post office and the birth of the commercial aviation industry
Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky, 2002.

Vecsey, George. The Pioneers of Aviation Speak for Themselves
NAL Dutton, 1979.

Bingham, Caroline. DK Big Book of Airplanes.
New York: Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 2001.

Blackburn, Ken & Jeff Lammers. Kids' Paper Airplane Book
New York: Workman Publishers, 1996.

Blackburn, Ken & Jeff Lammers. The World Record Paper Airplane Book
New York: Workman Publishers, 1994.

Weitzman, David. Jenny: The Airplane That Taught America to Fly.
Brookfield, Connecticut. Roaring Brook Press, 2002.

Title: Monthly Air Mail.
Publisher: Liverpool, England : J.S. Davis, 1930-
Description: v. : ill. ; 22 cm.
Vol. 1, no. 1 (June 1930)-
Frequency: Monthly
Notes: Title from masthead.
Local Note: NPM copy has v. 4, no. 10 and V. 4, no. 11 bound in reverse order.

Title: Aero News.
Publisher: Springfield, Mass. : Aero Philatelic Society of America, 1926-
Description: v. : ill., maps ; 21 cm.
Vol. 1, no. 1 (July, 1926) = whole no. 1-
Frequency: Monthly
Notes: Title from caption.
Official organ of the Aero Philatelic Society of America.
Society changed name to American Air Mail Society with v. 1, no. 5 (Nov. 1926)

Title: Aero News.
Publisher: Dunkirk, N.Y. : Lake Shore Shop.
Description: v. : ill. ; 21 cm.
Frequency: Semi-monthly
Notes: Description based on: Vol. 1, no. 8 (June 30, 1930).

Title: Die Luftpost.
Publisher: Berlin, Kurt Dahmann.
Description: v. illus. 21 cm.
Notes: "Berichte aus aller Welt für den Luftpostund Raumfahrt-Sammler.
Organ der Aero-Philatelisten-Vereine und-Verbände.

Title: Aero-Newsletter.
Publisher: [Springfield, Mass.] : Aero Philatelic Society of America, 1923-
Description: 3 v. ; 28-33 cm. Size varies. Mimeographed.
No. 1 (Nov. 9, 1923)-v. 3, no. 7 (June 1926).
Frequency: Monthly -v. 3, no. 7 = whole no. 35.
Former Frequency: Irregular
Notes: Title from caption.

Title: The Air Mail Collector
Publisher: [Holton, Kan. : Gossip Printery], 1928-1932.
Description: 4 v. : ill. ; 22 cm.
Vol. 1, no. 1 (Nov. 1928)-v. 4, no. 11 (Sept. 1932).
Notes: Title from cover.
Vol. 1-v. 4, no. 11 also called: Whole no. 1-47.
Official organ of the American Air Mail Society.

Title: L'Aviette Postale.
Publisher: [Charleville : Imp. G. Lenoir]
Description: v. : ill. ; 21 cm.
Frequency: Monthly
Notes: Description based on: 3. Année, no. 14 (15 janv. 1927)
Organ de l'Association Amicale Aérophilatélique.

Title: Air Mail News / British Air Mail Society
Publisher: [London, England] : The Society,
Description: v. : ill. ; 26 cm.
Frequency: Bimonthly
Notes: Description based on: Vol. 2, no. 3 (June/July 1961); title from cover.

Title: The Aero Field.
Publisher: [Sutton Coldfield, etc., Eng., F. J. Field]
Description: v. ill., maps 22 cm.
v. 1-3 (no. 1-28), Apr. 1926-Mar. 1930; new ser., v. 1- Jan./Feb. 1937-
Frequency: Frequency varies.
Notes: Suspended Apr. 1930-Dec. 1936.
Indexes: New ser., v. 1-7, 1937-43, with v. 7.

Title: The Aero Philatelist Annals.
Publisher: [New York] The Aero Philatelists.
Description: v. ill. 26 cm.
v. 1- July 1953-
Frequency: Quarterly

Title: Jack Knight Air Log.
Publisher: Brookfield, Illinois : Jack Knight Air Mail Society, 1944-91.
Description: v. : ill. ; 20-28 cm.
Vol. 1 (Nov. 1943/Jan. 1944)-v. 48, no. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1991)
Notes: Official journal of the Jack Knight Air Mail Society.
Title varies; vol. 48, no. 1 (Jan./Mar. 1991): The Jack Knight Air Log combined with Aerophilatelic Federation of the Americas News. Issued Jan. 1945- as supplement to the Airpost journal and S.P.A. journal. Combined with: Aerophilatelic Federation of the Americas news, to form: Jack Knight Air Log & AFA News, Apr./June 1991.

Author: Metropolitan Airmail Cover Club.
Title: M.A.C.C. bulletin.
Publisher: Malverne, N.Y., 1951-
Description: v. illus. 20-21 cm.
Frequency: Monthly
Notes: Reproduced from typewritten copy.

Title: The Air Stamp Review and General Advertiser.
Publisher: New York City : K. Lissiuk Philatelic Co., Inc.
Description: v. : ill. ; 23 cm.
Frequency: Quarterly?
Notes: Description based on: [Vol. 1], issue no. 2 (Feb. 1930)

Title: The Aero Philatelist's Bulletin.
Publisher: [New York] Aero Philatelists, Inc.
Description: v. 28 cm.

The National Postal Museum
2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002
https://postalmuseum.si.edu

The National Archives and Records Administration
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20408
https://www.archives.gov
Records of the Division of Air Mail Service, 28.4.6
https://www.archives.gov/research_room/federal_records_guide/
post_office_department_rg028.html#28.4.6

National Air and Space Museum – Smithsonian Institution
7th and Independence Ave, SW
Washington, D.C., 20560 USA.
https://airandspace.si.edu

The College Park Aviation Museum
1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Dr.
College Park, MD 20740
http://www.collegeparkaviationmuseum.com

Airmail in America Exhibit

The Benjamin B. Lipsner Airmail Collection Finding Guide

The 1918 Race to Chicago by James H. Bruns

Air Pickup by James O'Donnell

National Air & Space Museum – Smithsonian Institution

Airmail Pioneers

College Park Aviation Museum

American Air Mail Society

The Glenn Curtiss Museum

Mike Newcomer Illustration and Design

Aerofiles – American Aviation 1903-2003

https://www.centennialofflight.net
Curious about the first hundred years of flight? Try this comprehensive website.

https://airandspace.si.edu
Access the "Educational Services" section of the National Air and Space Museum for activities and curriculum materials.

https://www.faa.gov/education/
The Federal Aviation Administration offers information on the history, science, careers and current state of aviation; materials for educators; and activities for children.

https://www.nasa.gov
NASA provides extensive avenues of exploration for teachers and students.

http://invention.si.edu
Become engaged in invention through the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the National Museum of American History Behring Center.

The Air Legion
(FBO 1929, Silent)
Directed by Bert Glennon
Actors:
Ben Lyon
Antonio Moreno
John Gough
Martha Sleeper.
Plot: The son of a legendary WWII flying ace is hired as an airmail pilot based on his father's reputation. Unfortunately, the son is a coward who would rather wound himself than fly in dangerous weather. He saves his reputation by saving the life of a fellow pilot.

Air Mail
(Universal 1932)
Directed by: John Ford
Actors: Pat O'Brien, Ralph Bellamy, Slim Summerville , Gloria Stuart, Jim Thorpe
Plot: The lives, trials and tribulations of a group of airmail pilots flying in and out of a small airport in the Rocky Mountains.

The Air Mail Mystery
Serial
(Universal 1932)
Directed by: Ray Taylor
Actors: Walter Brennan , Lucile Browne, James Flavin, Wheeler Oakman , Al Wilson
Plot: The trials and tribulations of early U.S. airmail pilots.

The Air Mail
(Paramount-Lasky 1925, Silent)
Directed by: Irvin Willat
Actors: Warner Baxter , Mary Brian , Billie Dove , Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Plot: A crook cons his way into a job as an airmail pilot in order to steal valuables. A good woman and the moral strength of his fellow pilots make him see the error of his ways.

The Air Mail Pilot
(Superlative 1928, Silent)
Directed by: Gene Carroll
Actors: James Fulton, DeWitt Jennings, Earl Metcalf
Plot: Airmail pilots are perplexed by a series of airmail robberies.

The Aviator
(United Artists 1985)
Directed by: George Miller
Actors: Christopher Reeve, Rosanna Arquette , Jack Warden , Sam Wanamaker
Plot: An airmail pilot is forced to take the daughter of a VIP in his airplane along with the airmail. The airplane crashes in the mountains and the pair must struggle to survive.

Blaze of Noon
(Paramount 1947)
Directed by: John Farrow
Actors: Anne Baxter , William Bendix , Howard DaSilva , Sterling Hayden , William Holden , Sonny Tufts
Pilot: Based on a novel by Ernest K. Gann. Four brothers turn in their lives as carnival stunt fliers to work for the U.S. Airmail Service.

Ceiling Zero
(Warner Bros 1935)
Directed by: Howard Hawks
Actors: James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Stuart Erwin, June Travis, Barton MacLane
Plot: An adaptation of the Frank Wead play. An irresponsible airmail pilot drives his manager crazy with his stunts, one of which results in the death of a young pilot.

The Flying Mail
(Associated 1926, Silent)
Directed by: Noel M Smith
Actors: Joseph Girard , Eddie Gribbon , Kathleen Myers , Frank Tomick , Harry von Meter , Al Wilson
Plot: An airmail pilot is fooled by crooks into thinking he has married a crooked woman as part of a scheme to rob the U.S. mail.

Night Flight
(MGM 1933)
Directed by: Clarence Brown
Actors: Clark Gable , Helen Hayes , John Barrymore , Lionel Barrymore , Myrna Loy , Robert Montgomery , William Gargan
Plot: The lives and loves of a group of airmail pilots living and working in South America.

Only Angels Have Wings
(Columbia 1939)
Directed by: Howard Hawks
Actors: Cary Grant , Jean Arthur , Thomas Mitchell , Richard Barthelmess , Rita Hayworth, Sig Ruman , John Carroll , Noad Beery Jr
Plot: The lives and loves of a group of airmail pilots living and flying in South America.

Pirates of the Sky
(Pathè 1927 Silent)
Directed by: Charles Andrews
Actors: Charles Hutchison , Wanda Hawley
Plot: The government forces a daredevil pilot to help them track down a missing airmail airplane.

The Sky Spider
(Action Pictures 1931)
Directed by: Richard Thorpe
Actors: Glen Tryon, Pat O'Malley, John Trent
Plot: Two brothers, both airmail pilots, are after the same girl. The romantic triangle is complicated by an airmail robbery.

The Sky's the Limit
([unknown]1925, Silent)
Directed by : Harry L Fraser, I W Irving
Actors: Jack Geddings , Alphonse Martell , Jane Starr, Bruce Gordon
Plot: Airmail pilots face danger from thieves trying to steal the mail.

Snowed In
Serial
(Pathè 1926 Silent)
Directed by: Spencer Gordon Bennett
Actors: Tom London, Walter Miller, Allene Ray
Plot: A serial of the dangers faced by U.S. airmail pilots.

The Aero Equine Express March
Music by Charles H.E. Remondino
San Diego, California. Burlingame Publishing Company, 1930.

Come Josephine in My Flying Machine (Up She Goes!)
Music by Fred Fischer and words by Alfred Bryan,
New York. Shapiro, Music Publisher, 1910.

Come Take a Trip in My Air Ship
Music by George Evans and words by Ren Shields
New York. Chas. K. Harris, 1904.

The Flier's Dream
Music by Ida Westerberg, words by Jesse G.M. Glick
Mill Valley, California. Ida Westerberg, 1907.

Four Songs of the Air Service
Music by Eric Coates and words by Edward Lockton
London, England. West and Co., 1918.

I Am a Knight of the Open Way
Dedicated to the conquerors of the sky
Music by Dorothy Mayhew, words by Joy York,
Hollywood. California. Dorothy Mayhew, 1937.

I could Live in an Airplane
Music by G. Ellwin Willats and words by A. Macarthur
San Francisco, California. Willats Music Bureau, 1911.

I'm the King of the Air
Dedicated to Art Smith
Words and music by G. Forbes Marrack
San Francisco, California. Forbes Publishing Company, 1915.

Like an Angel You Flew into Everyone's Heart
Dedicated to Charles Lindbergh
Words by Harry A. Stone and John McLaughlin, music by Jimmy McHugh and Irving Mills
New York. Jack Mills, Inc., 1927.

Lindbergh (The Eagle of the U.S.A.)
Words and music by Howard Johnson and Al Sherman
New York. Shapiro and Bernstein and Company, 1927.

Lindbergh March for Piano
Music by Billy James
New York. Jack Mills, Inc., 1927.

Lucky Lindy
Words by L. Wolfe Gilbert, music by Abel Baer
New York. Leo. Feist, 1927.

Silver Wings (Keep 'Em Flying)
Words by Christine Hill, music by Edward Sumner
Hollywood, California. Christine Hill, 1941.

Take Me Up With You Dearie
Words by Junie McCree, music by Albert von Tilzer
New York. The York Music Company, 1909.

Wait ‘Till You Get Them Up In The Air Boys
Words by Lew Brown, music by Albert von Tilzer
New York. Broadway Music Corporation, 1909.

Sylvia Ekezie and Lillie Fujinaga of LIOBmedia, who are responsible for the design and creation of this website.

Nancy Allison Wright, President, Air Mail Pioneers for her continued assistance in tracking down photographs and biographies of early airmail pilots.

Mike Newcomer, for his well researched and well drawn illustrations.

Fad to Fundamental: Airmail in America, was written and organized by Nancy Pope, Lynn Heidelbaugh, Kimberly McCray and Esther Washington of the National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Additional thanks to the entire Museum staff, especially Bill Lommel and James O'Donnell.