1911 World’s First Airmail Flight At Allahabad, Postal Covers

There are three postal covers honoring the 1911 world’s first airmail flight at Allahabad, now Prayagraj. Two are French Postal first-day covers from 1991 depicting the 80th anniversary of the flight. The other is that of an Indian postal first-day cover from 1961 depicting 50th anniversary of the same event. The biplane was piloted by a Frenchman Henri Paquet.

Also, the fact the biplane was a French Made Humber-Sommer. Thus both the French and Indian Post Offices celebrate the event with first-day cover. Although in two different years. Not many had known that Allahabad had made postal aviation history. With this first airmail flight From Allahabad to Naini in 1911. Covering a distance of 15 km in 13 minutes.

At this time of early aviation, biplanes, and monoplanes were not factory assembled. They were largely assembled by the person piloting the aircraft. Many of them were also flown in British India. The earliest is said to be that of Giacomo D’Angelis’ assembled biplane. The flight took place in Madras in March 1910. Click on the image for better view.

Did you know – considering the fact that the Wright Brothers had flown their first-ever aircraft barely a few years earlier in Dec 1903. Thus the first airmail flight within 8 years was indeed quite remarkable.

From the collection – Vintage Raja Ravi Varma “Shivaji” Oleograph Print.,  Cochin Harbour And Travancore, Old Photos 1915., Newly Completed Parliament House New Delhi, 1927., Victoria Terminus Bombay, 10 Postcard Views.

The images are of the actual items from my collection. And Not a photocopy, pirated, reproduced, stock photos, or taken from other sources.