Telephone 914 462-6647
Aerophilatelic & Commercial Aviation Literature, Crash &
Wreck Covers, First Flight Covers
September 2026
Welcome to the Aerophil
Aerophilately Home Page. My name is Ken Sanford. I am an aerophilatelist
and a part-time dealer in Aerophilatelic and Commercial Aviation Books &
Literature, and air crash covers. I am gradually donating my book stock to the
Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library. I have not yet updated my list. If there is a book in my list which I no
longer have, I might be able to find a copy for you. I still have a small stock of air crash
covers. Listed below are a few recent additions to my Book
List, Crash Covers List & Helicopter
Covers List.
We can accept payment by PayPal. Enquire for details
AIR CRASH MAIL OF THE
WORLD, Edited by Ken Sanford
This mammoth work is a
complete revision and update of “Recovered Mail” by Henri Nierinck,
and the American Air Mail Catalogue (AAMC), Sixth Edition, Vol. 1, Interrupted
Flights section. It covers all known air
crashes from which mail has been recovered and is recorded in collectors’
hands. Over 2,400 pages and 1600
illustrations of cachets, labels, post office memos, and crash markings, many
in full color. Pricing has been brought
up to date, to reflect the current market.
Prices are based on US$. Available
on a flash drive which can be plugged into a USB port. It will be in both PDF & Word
format.
This update the Nierinck catalog and the AAMC has been in the works for the
last few years. Many people have been
involved in it, from typing in the original Nierinck
text to providing cover & cachet illustrations. Many of the cachets are now shown on covers
in color, whereas previously they were simply black & white illustrations
of cachets. A great effort has been made
to add crashes and cachets which were not previously listed by Nierinck or the AAMC.
It could be said that
this project originated with the formation of the Wreck & Crash Mail
Society back in 1994. Certainly, many of the members of that Society have
contributed information and scans. The writer of this review has been
constantly involved since 2015 and can attest to the superhuman effort invested
by Ken Sanford in terms of energy, time, persistence and patience. The late
Henri Nierinck would have been thrilled to have been
the catalyst who inspired Ken to embark on and complete this phenomenal
project.
The sheer size of this
work precluded publication in book form. The advantage of the digital format is
that it is easy to make amendments and additions. Assuming that enough of those
collectors who purchase the flash drive send feedback to the Editor, it is
intended to periodically make available a revised flash drive. Updates please
to kaerophil@gmail.com
This will be the standard work on the subject, if
not in perpetuity, certainly for decades.
A 260 page Supplement
was issued in May 2026. It provides
numerous additional cachets, corrections, etc.
Price of flash drive: To the USA - US$42.00; To
all other countries – US$44.00 - UKŁ32.50 - Euro €38.00 (postage included)
Order from: Ken Sanford, 613 Championship Dr.,
Oxford, CT – USA 06478-3128. Make checks
payable to American Air Mail Society, or PayPal to kaerophil@gmail.com and add $1.70, UKŁ1.45
or €1.60
See my Travel Blog with photos from our recent
cruise in Winter along the Norwegian Coast - Ken's Travel Blog
BOOK “Railway Disaster Mail”
published by The Rossiter Trust click here
for details
NEW - 733. BRIDGING THE CONTINENTS IN WARTIME – IMPORTANT AIRMAIL ROUTES 1939-1945, by Hans E. Aitink and Egbert Hovenkamp. Originally published by de Stichting Luchtpostgeschiedenis Tweede Wereldoorlog, Enschede, The Netherlands, 2005. 227 pages, soft cover, A4 format. Written in English, details the major airmail routes during the Second World War period between 1939 and 1945. There are eighteen chapters. See Book List for details on the various chapters.
Reprint, New, soft cover. $50.00 plus applicable postage.
SPECIAL
CLEARANCE
625A. AUSTRALIAN AIR MAIL CATALOGUE,
1990, 5th Edition. Edited by Nelson Eustis, published by Hobby Investments Pty
Ltd. 307 pp. We have a few new copies
left. Special clearance price. $30.00
World War II Mail from
Switzerland to Great Britain, Canada & the United States - A Postal History
Handbook, by Charles J. LaBlonde. Published
by the American Helvetia Philatelic Society. Totally revised and updated from
published articles. Extensive archival
material. Over 230 illustrations. 5 new appendices on interesting and related
topics. Expanded bibliography. Separate postal rate overview &
summary. 75% airmail, but from an
integrated postal history perspective (rates, routes & markings). Spiral bound to lay flat. Out of stock, but we might be able to find a
copy
Train Wreck Cover - On 11 September 1932, a
Southern Pacific Railroad train derailed in the High Sierra Mountains of
California. Five railway mail clerks
were carried 150 feet down a steep embankement in one
of the mail cars that rolled down the canyon.
Small size window envelope (2cent stamped envelope + a one cent stamp)
from New York, probably to Oakland, Calif.
Rubber stamp cachet "Received in bad condition at/Oakland,
Calif." plus manuscript "From Train Wreck 9/12/32" (it actually
occurred on the 11th) and then a rubber stamp "CLYDE E. SMITH/CARRIER #63
M./OAKLAND, CALIF.". Backstamped
Oakland Sep. 13. Scarce. $50.00.
Scan or fax copy available on request
Items from fire, which destroyed the
Burlington, Iowa Depot. It is a check
which was being mailed to a hospital services association, which was badly
burned. There are two mimemograph explanations from the Burlington Post Office,
which explain why the check is badly burned.
The original envelope in which the check was being sent, is gone. Unusual items. $75.00.
Scan or fax copy available on request
Volume One, Sixth Edition - AMERICAN AIR MAIL
CATALOGUE. This 500 page catalogue contains revised
and repriced listings of the following sections:
U.S.
Pioneer Covers - 1910-1916
U.S. Governmental Flight Covers
U.S. Air Express Covers
Crash Covers
Airport Dedication Covers
Mexico First Flight Covers - 1917-1939
US$42.00 plus actual postage
SPECIAL CLEARANCE - 263. LES BALLONS MONTES - BOULES DE MOULINS, PIGEONGRAMMES, PAPILLONSDE METZ, Gerard Lheriter. Valeur Philatelique, Nice, France, 1989, 253 pp.Very good & concise history of the Paris Balloon Posts. Gives background on personalities of the Siege, separate chapters on the more spectacular flights like the "Ville d'Orleans" & "Le Normandie". Describes all the various markings & cachets, including their value. Gives departure dates & mail postmark dates for each balloon. Lists all the aeronauts & passengers, lists those balloons from which plis confies are known, lists rarity of covers from each balloon, and gives weight of mail carried on each, and value of covers in French francs, including value according to country of destination. All illustrations in color. Complete listingof all lettre journals published & values. HC, NEW. SPECIAL SALE PRICE $38.50
AIRMAILS OF NEW ZEALAND, VOLUME
3 - INTERNATIONAL AIRMAILS 1940-1970, by Robin M. Startup, June 1997. Details
the international airmail services from wartime flying boat era up to the jet
age, and is a sequel to Vol. 2. See Item 638 in Book List.
CORSAIRVILLE, THE LAST DOMAIN OF THE FLYING
BOAT, Graham Coster.
The story of the crash of the Imperial Airways “Corsair”ť
in the Belgian Congo in 1939. The
complete story of the extreme effort to repair and fly the Short
flying boat out, which took 9 months.
See Item 680 in Book List.
KATALOG DER DEUTSCHEN LUFTPOST, Teil 13: Erstfluge 1991-1999 - ohne
Deutsche Lufthansa (Catalog of German Airmail, Volume 13: First Flights of
airlines to/from Germany, except Lufthansa German Airlines), by Erich Haberer, 2000. See Item 647 in Book List.
TURBULENCE ON THE GROUND - PANAM AND BEYOND, Ed
Parrey. Pub.
by author, 2000. Nostalgic trip out of
the past. The good and the bad at Pan
American World Airways. The reader will
be able to see what happens primarily on the ground at various airports. It is
at times funny, sad and romantic. The
action and adventures at those places are hectic, therefore part of the title
"Turbulence on the Ground".
Entertaining, interesting, humorous, intriguing. See Item 683 in Book List.
PAN AMERICAN'S PACIFIC PIONEERS, THE REST OF
THE STORY, by Jon E. Krupnick. Pub. by Pictorial
Histories Publishing Co., Missoula, MT - USA, 2000, 700 pp. 9 x 12 inch format. A pictorial history of Pan Am's Pacific
First Flights - 1935-1946. Most complete collection of rare survey flight
& first flight covers are shown in color as well as aircraft photos,
poster/baggage label/timetable art, etc. A fantastic book. An update of No.
633, which was published in 1997. See Item 684 in Book List.
WINGED COURIER, by Harry Klein. Pub. by Howard
B. Timmins, Cape Town, South Africa, 1955, 130 pp. A history of aviation in
Southern Africa. Excellent coverage of the early airmail services, including
Union Airways, Imperial Airways, BOAC and South African Airways. Very good
black & white photos. See Item 732 in Book List.
Links to other Aerophilatelic Web Sites
NEW Ocean Liner
Catapult Mail Service - Covers all aspects of the Catapult service
Crash
Mail - Miscellaneous information on crash covers, including some
for sale
Pellegrom,
Erwin - Ballooning stamps of the world
Latecoere & Aeropostale Website - Information
about these historic French airlines which served Africa & South America
Australian Air Mail
Society – contact Martin Walker at: saphilatelist@gmail.com
Airships Blog - A Zeppelin History site. Discussion about the Hindenburg, crash covers from the Hindenburg, etc.
Aerodacious
- From the "Aviation top 100" Aerodacious:
Web-Catalog of First Flights including Pioneer, Government, CAM's, FAM's, JETs, Post-Deregulation,
Canadian, World-Wide First Flights -
Lots More & Everything Air Mail - Covers, Stamps & Labels
Rudy Pinto's Aerophilatelic Blog -
Miscellaneous aerophilatelic items connected with India
Faces
of the Hindenburg - short profiles of the 97 people who were onboard the Hindeburg when it crashed
Zeppelin
Study Group
The
"Jenny" Stamp One Frame Exhibit
National Postal Museum - Hindenburg Crash Mail
Arago - Images of all U.S. Airmail Stamps
Benjamin Lipsner Airmail Collection - National Postal Museum
Dick's
Rocket Dungeon - Rocket Aerophilately
Boeing 747SP Flight Covers
The Canadian Aerophilatelic Society
The
Harold G. Dick Zeppelin Postcard Collection
The Pan Am
Flying Boat Service via Wake Island - Stamps & Covers - Dirk H.R. Spennemann
FIP
Aerophilately Commission - The international philatelic federations are
united in FIP (Federation Internationale de Philatelie). FIP sponsors international philatelic
exhibitions and has created regulations for the judging of airmail exhibits at
such exhibitions.
The Romanian Air Mail Service - Bibliography of articles on Romanian air mail services
Ephemeral Treasures - Aviation
history and personal aviation experiences figure heavily on Bob Ingraham's Ephemeral Treasures web site. Most pages include illustrated images of
contemporaneous stamps, covers, and postcards.
New Zealand International Air
Mail Flights and Airmail covers
Postal Label
Study Group -
Publisher of the Worldwide Airmail Label Catalog
Airmails of Siam - A
Handbook, by Nils Ramm-Ericson
Hindenburg Crash Mail - The
Scout Covers - An article about Scout franked
Hindenburg crash mail from the Netherlands
The
Flying Dutchman (De Vliegende Hollander) Airmail
Society - The society for all aspects of Dutch aerophilately
Balloon
Mail website - Balloons in Philately - History of ballooning. Polish
and Czech balloon mail since 1945. World hot air & gas ballooning
championships and Gordon Bennett Cup: Results & philatelic issues
A to Z -
Aerophilately and Airmails web directory that is part of a comprehensive site,
providing resources for collectors - Also has a link to all aerophilatelic
items for sale on eBay at any given time
Pan
American's Pacific Pioneers - A great website covering all aspects of Pan
Am in the Pacific - aircraft photos, covers, posters, baggage labels, and other
Pan Am memorabilia
Astrophilatelie - Gesellschaft der Waltall-Philatelisten
- World Space Philatelists
Stampdomain
- Miscellaneous aerophilatelic information, links to aerophilatelic web pages
Metropolitan
Airpost Society - New York
John Dziadecki's Zeppelin Web Site
Jens Schenkenberger's Luftschiff
Homepage
Contract Air Mail (CAM)
Routes - A list of which airlines operated specific Contract Air Mail
(CAM) routes
Scout
Air & Space Mail - This special collection highlights the wonder
of flight and Scout topical philately. Catagories
include air flight, balloons, rigid airships, rockets, and even feathered
flight. This tribute to aerophilately is sponsored by Scouts on Stamps
Society International http://www.sossi.org. SOSSI specializes in the
collecting, study, and enjoyment of stamps and other postal items celebrating
the Boy Scout and Girl Scout (Guide) movements.
Symbols on
Airmail Stamps - Website showing various sysmbols
on airmail stamps. Hosted by Justin Milliun,
email: jmilliun@ieee.org
M.
Osborne Covers - First flight and airmail covers
Airmail Society of
New Zealand
Baxley Stamps - Selling & Buying Ryukyu Islands FFC and other Asian First
Flight Covers. See our Ryukyu Islands FFC price list
Henry Gitner
Philatelists, Inc. Email: hgitner@hgitner.com
- Zeppelin & Airship covers and stamps & a huge stock of flight covers,
first flights, catapults, rocket mail, etc.
Vernon
Pickering - Philatelic Literature, including some aerophilatelic titles
Osborne-Kaufmann - Your American-European Stamp Connection
Bob Friedman - Email: covercnr@eaze.net - CAMs, FAMs, Jets, Airport Dedications
American
Air Mail Society World's largest and
second oldest aerophilatelic society. Publishers of the monthly Airpost Journal, and numerous catalogs & books for the aerophilatelist. The next AAMS Convention will be
held at NAPEX, McLean, Virginia from 5-7 une 2015.
See: www.napex.org/future.html
British Air Mail Society
Catapult
Mail - All about catapult mail
Jim
Forte - Worldwide Postal History &
Airmail History
Johnson Philatelics, South Africa - Interesting selection of crash covers,
philatelic auctions & British Africa aerophilately - Nice African
covers
Shades Stamp Shop, Christchurch,
New Zealand - Miscellaneous Flight Covers
Paul Roales's
Rocket Mail Web Page
Joe Frasketi's Space Covers
- Space and other Topical Covers
Internationaler Aero-Philatelisten
Club "Otto Lilienthal"
Smithsonian National Postal Museum - Airmail
in America
FISA -
International Federation of Aerophilatelic Societies
Vietnam
& Indochina Postal History & Air Mail Covers
The Airgraph
website - Links to various books and resources on airgraphs
Aircraft
Photo Stamps - 174 aircraft images
Aerophilately Postal History Resources
The Pan Am Flying Boat Service via Wake Island - Stamps
& Covers
Aerophilately
Auctions - Johannes E. Palmer
Indian
Night Air Mail Service - January 1949
Charles
Lindbergh - U.S. Air Mail Service Pioneer
The
Development of Airmail in Bahrain
NEW
Airmail
Stamp Museum Interesting
Airmail Stamps and Their Symbols
NEW Today
in Postal History – Lots of information about various aviation events
Links to Various Aviation Web Sites
The Golden Age of
Air Travel -- Boeing Clippers
Thirty Thousand Feet - A large aviation directory with thousands of links to
aviation web pages, aviation news, FAQs, and other sources of commercial,
military, and general aviation information
The
'AirNet' Website - Over 20,000 aviation & flight simulation links
Airline
Postcard Swap Page - On this site you will find a swap list of mainly
airline issued postcards, including a picture of every swap card available
Airmail
Pioneers -This website is dedicated to the men and women of the U.S. Air
Mail Service, a little-remembered organization that laid the foundation for
commercial aviation worldwide.
www.flyingclippers.com
- FlyingClippers.com aims to recreate the days of Pan American Airways and
their Fabulous Flying Ships and aviation’s Golden Age 1934-1946. Here you will
learn about the 28 planes that changed the way we travel and think about the
world. Includes information on the China Clipper and Boeing B-314 and a shop
for related items.
De Havilland
Comet web site - Lots of information about the world's first commercial
jetliner, including a discussion forum
Ross-Barrett
Historical Aeronautics Collection - 5,000 books & photos relating to
man's history of flight. Denver Public Library
Navy Lakehurst
Historical Society - A society for people interested in the history of the
airship base at Lakehurst, New Jersey
Pan Am Archives at
the University of Miami - Photos of
classic Pan Am Aircraft. To download, put cursor on photo, right click the
mouse, and save to hard drive in normal manner. You must have an image viewer
program like Paint Shop Pro to view them
Pan
Am Historical Foundation - Pencil sketches
of Pan Am aircraft by Robert Taylor & Watercolors of Pan Am aircraft by
John McCoy from the "Famous Flight" series, which you can download.
Pan Amigo
News - for former Pan Am Employees
Papers of G.U.
"Scotty" Allan - National
Library of Australia MS4911 Papers of G.U. "Scotty" Allan - Famous
Australian pilot
Aviation
History Online Museum - Aircraft photos
available for download
Igor Sikorsky Archives
Amelia
Earhart Web Site
Charles
Lindbergh Website
China
National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) Website
Links to General Philatelic Web Sites
NEW Stamp Auctions- StampCircuit.com - World
Largest Stamp Auction Network, New Auctions Added Daily
NEW Stampboards - Postage Stamp Chat Board and Stamp
Bulletin Board Forum
PhilaGuide - The Golden Guide for Philatelists - Links
to various websites, such as auctions, philatelic experts, postal authorities,
stamp agencies, stamp dealers, exhibitions & shows, libraries, philatelic
words & terms, postage rates and more
just4stamps.com
- Links to various philatelic websites, such as
auctions, philatelic bureaus, specialist societies, forums,
thematic links and more
Worldwide
Postal Rates - Canada & Great Britain rates available now, and more to
come
CollectStamps.About.com
- Net Links to dealers and a customer oriented Stamp
Buyers Guide. Some dealer links have postings of material available
AskPhil - Ask various questions about numerous
philatelic subjects. This website was introduced with philatelic
information in five major categories, as follows:
- "How
To" Articles
- Planning Your Philatelic
Estate
- Salm Foundation Reports
- The "AskPhil" Reference Library
- Public Philatelic
Auctions - Lots of information about auctions, including worldwide philatelic
auction houses
Wreck &
Crash Mail Society - If you are interested in Air Crash, Shipwreck or
Trainwreck covers, you should be a member of this growing society. The
next Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in
London during the London 2015 Exhibition in May 2015. The
exact date is to be determined
Wardrop's Philatelic Links - to 100s of Philatelic websites
Stamp
Shows - Listings of upcoming shows
American
Philatelic Society (APS)
JJF's Philatelic
Links - Philatelic links of all kinds
StampFinder.com
- Philatelic Yellow Pages - find philatelic web sites fast
Stamp
Auction Central - A listing of most of the major philatelic auctions, and
upcoming auctions, many containing aerophilatelic material
Stamp Today
Directory - Free daily stamp and philatelic news online from hundreds of
news sources around the world
NEW UniSquare - Online stamps marketplace and
auctions - Buy, sell and auction stamps with no listing fees. Build free web
store and more
NEW Internet Philatelic
Dealers Assocation – Internet
Dealers on which you can depend
Crash
Covers List
E-mail your order for books
or crash covers, giving your full name, mailing address & e-mail address to
following address: kaerophil@gmail.com
All prices are in U.S.$ -
Postage & handling at actual postage cost. Payment must be by US$
check or money order payable on a U.S. bank, or in equivalent UK pound check.
Please make check payable to "Ken Sanford". Sorry but we don't
accept credit cards, but we do accept PayPal payment in US$, UKŁ or Euros €.
This website is a member of the Internet Philatelic Dealers Association & Aerophilately WebRings
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The Wreck & Crash
Mail Society
The Wreck & Crash Mail Society was
formed in the latter part of 1994, and is devoted to the collecting and study
of all aspects of delayed and/or damaged mail and interrupted mail
services. Currently the Society is composed of four study groups, namely:
the Air Crash Study Group, The Railroad Wreck Study Group, the Ship Wreck Study
Group, and the Suspended Mail/Conflicts Study Group.
The Society publishes a quarterly journal "La
Catastrophe", which contains articles on all aspects of wreck and crash
mail, as well as news on new cover discoveries, auction realizations on wreck
and crash mail, and questions from members who are seeking information on their
crash and wreck covers and the stories behind them.
The Wreck & Crash Mail Society normally holds an annual
meeting (so far, all have been held in London), where members display parts of
their collection, meet other collectors of wreck and crash mail, and exchange
information and material with fellow members.
If you have an interest in this area of postal history, the organisers believe that the Wreck & Crash Mail Society
will fulfill your interest. Annual membership dues are as follows:
Digital version: UKŁ15.00, US$20.00, Europe €15.00. Australia
$30.00
Hard copy: UKŁ25.00, US$35.00, Europe €35.00. Australia $55.00
which includes a
subscription to four issues of "La Catastrophe".
Go
to: The Wreck & Crash Mail Society
for details and a membership application form
revised 4 September 2026