Baghdad Air Port 1934 - Macrobertson Air Race UK to Australia
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Baghdad Air Port 1934 - Macrobertson Air Race UK to Australia
I am trying to find some information, hopefully photos, of aircraft at Baghdad Airport in October 1934!
The 1934 Macrobertson Air Race, from England to Australia had Baghdad as the first compulsory stop after leaving the UK.
I'm particularly interested in anything that includes the KLM DC2, named Uiver, in Baghdad.
My reason for asking for info is to try to link a postmark dated Oct 21, 1934 on a flight cover which I own and which has KLM written on it which tends to link it with Uiver, and Baghdad.
I've tried attaching a scan of the cover, but the forum won't let me.
Any help anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Alan in Adelaide, South Australia
The 1934 Macrobertson Air Race, from England to Australia had Baghdad as the first compulsory stop after leaving the UK.
I'm particularly interested in anything that includes the KLM DC2, named Uiver, in Baghdad.
My reason for asking for info is to try to link a postmark dated Oct 21, 1934 on a flight cover which I own and which has KLM written on it which tends to link it with Uiver, and Baghdad.
I've tried attaching a scan of the cover, but the forum won't let me.
Any help anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Alan in Adelaide, South Australia
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Al - I don't know if you have seen this ? Later - Sorry Al ! Just realized that you appear to be the originator of the post on the link.
Anyway you've got the cover image on PPRuNe now !
https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=100813
Anyway you've got the cover image on PPRuNe now !
https://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=100813
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 13th Nov 2023 at 09:35. Reason: Finger Trouble
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Interesting cover! You could contact the Aviodrome Museum in The Netherlands as they have a large collection of documents and memorabelia related to Dutch aviation history: https://www.aviodrome.nl/informatie/contact/ (I can't find an English contact page unfortunately). I don't know how good they are at responding to collection/archive enquiries. Feel free to contact me as I'm happy to either call them myself or try a couple of e-mail addresses that I have but cannot post here.
Al - I've spent a bit of time looking for images of the KLM DC2 at Baghdad - can't find any. Probably because it transited through Baghdad during the hours of darkness.
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The interesting thing is that I cant seem to find almost any references or info on any of the aircraft going through Baghdad. The other ports yes, but Baghdad is just not mentioned anywhere that I can find.
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I wonder if they went via the RAF base at Hinaidi outside Baghdad??? But even that draws a blank for the Air Race participants.
Without doing this digging (research?) I would never have even known about the RAF base.
Without doing this digging (research?) I would never have even known about the RAF base.
You will just have to keep digging. Baghdad was a mandatory transit stop for all competitors. Jim and Amy Mollison led the race at that point in their Comet Racer, landing at Baghdad at night on the 20th October. Next was the K.L.M. DC2 which landed there three hours behind them.
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Thread Starter
woohoo - finally got an image to show.
As you can see, KLM written on it, and the elusive Baghdad Air Port postmark, supposedly only used for the Air Race.
I've found 1 photo of the airport building, and a photo taken from Tanui, the New Zealand entrant of Baghdad.
As you can see, KLM written on it, and the elusive Baghdad Air Port postmark, supposedly only used for the Air Race.
I've found 1 photo of the airport building, and a photo taken from Tanui, the New Zealand entrant of Baghdad.
I just had a thought... if this cover you're researching left Baghdad on 21st October 1934 and was going to Edinburgh, why would it be carried on the DC-2 'Uiver' which was heading in the opposite direction? KLM had a regular service between Amsterdam and Batavia in those days, stopping at various places along the way, and it would make more sense to me if this particular cover traveled on the regular Batavia to Amsterdam machine as it passed through Baghdad, before being carried onwards to Edinburgh.
As it was posted on 21st October 1934, they may well have used a special postmark that was only applied during those few days when the race passed through Baghdad, but a connection with the 'Uiver' is a bit far-fetched now that I'm thinking about it. It did not return to Amsterdam until a month later, on 21 November 1934, so carrying this particular cover on the return flight would make it a very late arrival.
As it was posted on 21st October 1934, they may well have used a special postmark that was only applied during those few days when the race passed through Baghdad, but a connection with the 'Uiver' is a bit far-fetched now that I'm thinking about it. It did not return to Amsterdam until a month later, on 21 November 1934, so carrying this particular cover on the return flight would make it a very late arrival.
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I think the explanation is that the letter was carried from England by the KLM DC2 as far as Baghdad from where it was posted back to Scotland. I have to add that I Know B.... All about stamp collecting but it seems that on arriving in Australia that some of these special 'Covers' would then be posted by normal air mail services.
Perhaps Al can enlighten us ?
However I do see your point Jhieminga because one would expect the envelope to also carry a British Stamp (Which it doesn't) if my explanation is to stand scrutiny. I suppose the possibility is that the letter originated from Baghdad in the first place. (So take no notice of my previous ramblin').
What say you Al ?
Perhaps Al can enlighten us ?
However I do see your point Jhieminga because one would expect the envelope to also carry a British Stamp (Which it doesn't) if my explanation is to stand scrutiny. I suppose the possibility is that the letter originated from Baghdad in the first place. (So take no notice of my previous ramblin').
What say you Al ?
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 14th Nov 2023 at 12:33. Reason: additional thoughts
My knowledge of stamps, covers and such is b... all plus a smidge, so we're pretty much on the same level there. I would expect a British stamp and cancellation as well if this cover travelled from the UK to Baghdad.
There is an example here: https://www.steveirwinstamps.co.uk/a...07-40334-p.asp showing a cover that travelled from The Hague to London and onwards to Melbourne on the KLM DC-2. The stamps are Dutch and the postage was canceled in The Netherlands a few days prior to the race starting (15th October if I'm reading the image correctly). The problem is that there may have been various types of mail on board the DC-2, both special covers that were carried back and forth and perhaps some regular mail, seeing as how KLM treated the flight as just another scheduled trip.
There is an example here: https://www.steveirwinstamps.co.uk/a...07-40334-p.asp showing a cover that travelled from The Hague to London and onwards to Melbourne on the KLM DC-2. The stamps are Dutch and the postage was canceled in The Netherlands a few days prior to the race starting (15th October if I'm reading the image correctly). The problem is that there may have been various types of mail on board the DC-2, both special covers that were carried back and forth and perhaps some regular mail, seeing as how KLM treated the flight as just another scheduled trip.
I think this is my final ramble.
October 21st 1934 was a Sunday. The next KLM westbound service Batavia-Amsterdam was scheduled to depart Baghdad on Tuesday 23rd October. So it's quite conceivable as Jhieminga suggested that AL's envelope was carried on that flight having been posted at Baghdad Airport by a person perhaps serving or resident in Iraq.
https://www.timetableimages.com/ttim...4b/kl34b-3.jpg
October 21st 1934 was a Sunday. The next KLM westbound service Batavia-Amsterdam was scheduled to depart Baghdad on Tuesday 23rd October. So it's quite conceivable as Jhieminga suggested that AL's envelope was carried on that flight having been posted at Baghdad Airport by a person perhaps serving or resident in Iraq.
https://www.timetableimages.com/ttim...4b/kl34b-3.jpg
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 14th Nov 2023 at 15:58. Reason: Grammer