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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights CAM-1

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Background: The Air Mail Act of 1925 (Kelly Act) authorized the postmaster general to contract for domestic airmail service with commercial air carriers. It also set airmail rates and the level of cash subsidies to be paid to companies that carried the mail. By transferring airmail operations to private companies, the government effectively would help create the commercial aviation industry. Various routes were designated and contracts for carrying the mail over these routes were then awarded to many different private air service companies. The Contract Air Mail routes became known as CAM's.

CAM-1: CAM-1 was awarded to Colonial Air Transport. CAT was founded in 1923 by Connecticut Governor, John H. Trumbull with W Irving Bullard and William A Rockefeller. Juan Trippe became its general manager. CAM-1 air service was inaugurated with both north and south flights on July 1, 1926 between New York and Boston Massachusetts with an interim stop in Hartford Connecticut. Postal mail covers carried on the inaugural flight between each point of landing and take-off are collectible and are known as CAM-1 covers.
CAT
        Colonial used a Fokker Universal monoplane with a Wright Whirlwind engine for this initial July 1, 1926 air service. The Fokker was built by the Atlantic Aircraft Corporation, Fokker's American subsidiary.
        Pilots flying different legs of this July 1st CAM-1 inaugural air service included, Major Talbor O Freeman and Huestis Irving Wells.

1N1 260701 New York NY CAT Wells & Freeman $11.25
1N1f 260701 New York NY CAT Wells & Freeman $30.00
1N2 260701 Hartford CT CAT Freeman $18.00
1S3 260701 Boston MA CAT Freeman $7.50
1S2 260701 Hartford CT CAT Wells $18.00

1N4f 300908 Newark Airfield CAT CW Maris $30.00

1N5 310801 Boston MA CAT ROD Sullivan $5.25
1N6 310801 Portland ME CAT ROD Sullivan $5.25
1S7 310801 Bangor ME CAT ROD Sullivan $5.25
1S6 310801 Portland ME CAT ROD Sullivan $5.25

1N8 320806 Providence RI CAT EH Veblen $6.00
1N9 320806 Hartford CT-Providence RI CAT EH Veblen $26.25
1S8 320806 Providence RI CAT Dean C Smith $5.25

CAM-1: On February 9, 1934 the Post Office Department canceled all contracts of operators flying mail on routes within the US to become effective on February 19, 1934. The reason given by the Post Office was that there was suspicion that the mail carrying contracts had been awarded through collusion during the previous Administration.
        Cancellation of the air mail contracts held by established pioneer airline companies was accompanied by an executive order from President Franklin D Roosevelt stating that the Army Air Corps should now carry the mail. Three territorial zones were established for the Air Corps mail operations, Newark NJ, Chicago IL and Salt Lake City UT. The eastern, central and western zones each had branch routes to other feeder cities. It was a difficult assignment for the Army Air Corps as they did not have enough planes and the ones they had, did not have the latest instruments, landing, navigation, or cockpit lights. One of the aircraft they used was the Keystone B-4 bi-plane.
Army Air Corps

        New commercial air mail carrying contracts were made in May 1934 and the mail was again flown by private contractors over re-designated revised Post Office Department routes in late June 1934.

CAM-1: After the February 1934 cancellation and reinstatement of new commercial air mail carrying contracts over re-designed revised Post Office routes in late June 1934, Boston and Maine Airways began flying CAM-1 air mail from Boston MA to Bangor ME.
        B&MA was a subsidiary of the Boston and Maine Railroad Company and operated under a sub-contract from National Airways.
B&MA
        B&MA used eight-passenger Stinson-T tri-motor airplanes. National was founded by Paul Collins (one of the country's first airmail pilots), Samuel J Solomon (a pioneer airport operator), Eugene Vidal (West Point graduate) and Amelia Earhart (famed aviatrix). In 1937, Boston & Maine Airways purchased National Airways assets, including its airmail contract, and in November 1940, the airline was renamed Northeast Airlines.
        The pilot who flew this leg of the June 26th CAM-1 inaugural air service was Hazen R Bean.

R1S11 340626 to Augusta ME B&MA $7.50
1N10 340626 Augusta ME B&MA Bean $11.25
R1S13 340626 to Waterville ME B&MA $7.50
1N12 340626 Waterville ME B&MA Bean $11.25
R1N13 340626 to Waterville ME B&MA $7.50
1S12 340626 Waterville ME B&MA Bean $5.25
R1N11 340626 to Augusta ME B&MA $7.50
1S10 340626 Augusta ME B&MA Bean $5.25

1N14 340625 Boston MA B&MA Milton H Anderson $5.25
1N15 340625 Manchester NH B&MA Milton H Anderson $5.25
1N16 340625 Concord NH B&MA Milton H Anderson $9.00
1N17 340625 White River Junction VT B&MA Milton H Anderson $9.00
1N18 340625 Montpelier VT B&MA Milton H Anderson $11.25
1N19 340625 Barre VT B&MA Milton H Anderson $15.00
1S20 340625 Burlington VT B&MA Milton H Anderson $5.25
1S19 340625 Barre VT B&MA Milton H Anderson $5.25
1S18 340625 Montpelier VT B&MA Milton H Anderson $4.50
1S17 340625 White River Junction VT B&MA Milton H Anderson $4.50
1S16 340625 Concord NH B&MA Milton H Anderson $4.50
1S15 340625 Manchester NH B&MA Milton H Anderson $5.25

CAM-1: After the February 1934 cancellation and reinstatement of new commercial air mail carrying contracts over re-designed revised Post Office routes in late June 1934, American Airlines began flying CAM-1 air mail between New York NY and Boston MA.
        American had developed from a conglomeration of 82 small airlines companies through a series of corporate acquisitions and reorganizations. On January 25, 1930 American Airways was incorporated as a single company. American operated its routes with all-metal Fokker Tri-motors and Ford Tri-motors. In 1934 American began flying Curtiss Condor biplanes which carried air mail and accommodated 15-18 passengers in the ultimate of airline comfort.
AA
        In 1934, American Airways Company slipped into financial straits and was acquired by corporate raider, Errett Lobban Cord, who renamed the company "American Airlines."
        Pilots flying different legs of this October 1st CAM-1 inaugural air service included, George Apitz, Owen J O'Connor, TJ Lee and Ray D Wonsey.

1N21 341001 New York NY AA Apitz $18.75
1N21f 341001 New York NY AA Apitz $26.25
1N22 341001 New Haven CT AA Apitz $3.75
1N24 341001 Hartford CT AA Wonsey $15.00
1N25 341001 Springfield MA AA Wonsey $22.50
1S26 341001 Boston MA AA Lee $6.00
1S26f 341001 Boston MA AA Lee $22.50
1S25 341001 Springfield MA AA Lee $11.25
1S23 341001 Hartford CT AA O'Connor $11.25
1S22 341001 New Haven CT AA O'Connor $3.75

1N27 350701 Bangor ME AA WR Tanner $22.50
1S28 350701 Bar Harbor ME AA WR Tanner $15.00

1S29 350801 Boston MA - New Haven CT AA William Shannon $30.00

1S30 360530 Providence via New Haven CT AA F Bradbury $12.00
1N31 360530 New Haven - Providence RI AA D Shipley $18.75

1S32 360715 Providence RI via Hartford CT AA F Bradbury $26.25

1S33 361015 Boston MA - Providence RI AA F Bradbury $22.50
1S33f 361015 Boston MA - Providence RI AA F Bradbury $30.00

AA
Douglas DC-3

1N34 370804 Bangor ME AA Milton H Anderson $6.00
1N35 370804 Millinocket ME AA Milton H Anderson $7.50
1N36 370804 Presque Isle ME AA Milton H Anderson $9.00
1S37 370804 Caribou ME AA Milton H Anderson $3.00
1S36 370804 Presque Isle ME AA Milton H Anderson $3.00
1S35 370804 Millinocket ME AA Milton H Anderson $3.00

1N38 370810 Burlington VT - Montreal Canada AA SA Short $3.00

R1S40 370908 to Houlton ME AA Milton H Anderson $7.50
1N39 370908 Houlton ME AA Milton H Anderson $11.25
R1N40 370908 to Houlton ME AA Milton H Anderson $6.00
1S39 370908 Houlton ME AA Milton H Anderson $3.00

R1N42 371201 to Lewiston ME AA Sanford B Chandler $3.00
1S41 371201 Lewiston ME AA Sanford B Chandler $3.00
R1S42 371201 to Lewiston ME AA Sanford B Chandler $3.00
1N41 371201 Lewiston ME AA Sanford B Chandler $3.75
R1N44 371201 to Auburn ME AA Sanford B Chandler $3.00
1S43 371201 Auburn ME AA Sanford B Chandler $3.00
R1S44 371201 to Auburn ME AA Sanford B Chandler $3.00
1N43 371201 Auburn ME AA Sanford B Chandler $4.50

R1N46 391202 to North Beach (LaGuardia) NY AA $30.00
1S45f 391202 North Beach (LaGuardia) NY AA OJ O'Connor $41.25
R1S46 391202 to North Beach (LaGuardia) NY AA $22.50
1N45f 391202 North Beach (LaGuardia) NY AA ST Sheff $13.50

R1N48 411214 to Bridgeport CT AA $3.75
1S47 411214 Bridgeport CT AA JL Cunningham $4.50
R1S48 411214 to Bridgeport CT AA $3.00
1N47 411214 Bridgeport CT AA JD Henry $3.00

R1N50 460507 to Newark NJ AA $16.50
1N49 460507 Newark NJ AA Ayres R Chaves $22.50
1N49f 460507 Newark NJ AA Ayres R Chaves $18.75

1S51 460510 Portland ME AA George A Baldwin $10.50
1S52 460510 Lawrence MA AA George A Baldwin $6.00
1S53 460510 Worcester MA AA George A Baldwin $2.25
1N54 460510 Newark NJ AA George A Baldwin $16.50
1N54f 460510 Newark NJ AA George A Baldwin $4.50
1N53 460510 Worcester MA AA Edward Cataldo $4.50
1N52 460510 Lawrence MA AA Edward Cataldo $6.00

1E55 460519 Worcester MA - Boston MA AA $7.50
1W56 460519 Boston MA - Worcester MA AA $19.50
1W56f 460519 Boston MA - Worcester MA AA $6.00

1SE57 460620 Boston MA AA Richard K Miller $10.50
1SE57f 460620 Boston MA AA Richard K Miller $16.50
1SW58 460620 Hyannis MA AA Richard K Miller $3.00
1SW59 460620 Oak Bluffs MA AA George Hamilton $13.50
1SW60 460620 Vineyard Haven MA AA George Hamilton $6.00
1SW61 460620 Nantucket MA AA Peter Carey $3.00
1NE62 460620 Newark NJ AA Peter Carey $16.50
1NE62f 460620 Newark NJ AA Peter Carey $16.50
1N60 460620 Vineyard Haven MA AA Elmer G Larson $24.00
1E60 460620 Vineyard Haven MA AA Elmer G Larson $10.50
1N59 460620 Oak Bluffs MA AA Elmer G Larson $6.00
1E59 460620 Oak Bluffs MA AA Elmer G Larson $3.00
1NW61 460620 Nantucket MA AA Elmer G Larson $3.00
1NW58 460620 Hyannis MA AA Elmer G Larson $7.50

1NW63f 460620 Boston MA AA PS Green $15.00
1SE64 460620 Lawrence MA AA W Peter Carey $15.00

1S65 460809 Boston MA AA $22.50
1S65f 460809 Boston MA AA $22.50
1N66 460809 Washington DC AA $22.50
1N66f 460809 Washington DC AA $22.50

1S67 460812 Hyannis MA AA $30.00

NEA
Douglas DC-3

R1S69 460910 to Providence RI NEA $9.00
1N68 460910 Providence RI NEA Frank H Peterson $6.00
R1N69 460910 to Providence RI NEA $9.00
1S68 460910 Providence RI NEA Thomas F Thrasher $6.00

1N70 461101 Newark NJ NEA Elmer G Larson $6.00
1N70f 461101 Newark NJ NEA Elmer G Larson $7.50
1N71 461101 Springfield MA NEA Elmer G Larson $6.00
1S72 461101 Keene NH NEA Elmer G Larson $2.25
1S71 461101 Springfield MA NEA Elmer G Larson $4.50

1N73 461201 Portsmouth NH NEA WJ Dunn $3.00
1S73 461201 Portsmouth NH NEA WJ Dunn $7.50

1N74 470110 Fall River MA NEA HT Olden $3.00
1N75 470110 New Bedford MA NEA HT Olden $3.00
1S75 470110 New Bedford MA NEA EA Cataldo $3.75
1S74 470110 Fall River MA NEA EA Cataldo $3.75

1N76 480528 Hartford CT NEA Parker F Schofield $6.00
1S76 480528 Hartford CT NEA William R Waters $7.50

1N77 480528 Keene NH NEA Parker F Schofield $9.00
1S78 480528 White River Junction VT NEA Parker F Schofield $6.00

1N79 500602 New London CT NEA Charles E Rollins $3.00
1S79 500602 New London CT NEA Charles E Rollins $3.75

1N80 500602 Concord NH NEA Lloyd Fiske $13.50
1S81 500602 Laconia NH NEA Lloyd Fiske $2.25

1N82 500602 Portland ME NEA Peter Dana $9.00
1S83 500602 Brunswick ME NEA Peter Dana $3.00

1S84 500602 Bar Harbor ME NEA MH Wheeler $4.50
1S85 500602 Rockland ME NEA MH Wheeler $3.00
1N86 500602 Portland ME NEA Robert F Carey $7.50
1N85 500602 Rockland ME NEA Robert F Carey $4.50

1N87 510601 Laconia NH NEA WG Robbins $10.50
1S88 510601 Berlin NH NEA WG Robbins $3.00

1S89 531001 Woonsocket RI NEA WG Robbins $3.00
1S90 531001 Pawtucket RI NEA WG Robbins $2.25
1N90 531001 Pawtucket RI NEA Llewellyn J Powers $6.00
1N89 531001 Pawtucket RI NEA Llewellyn J Powers $6.00

1S91 550615 Newport VT NEA Kerin L Shaughnessey $2.25

NEA
Convair 240

1S92 561127 New York NY NEA CA Willard $16.50
1S92f 561127 New York NY NEA CA Willard $3.75
1N93 561127 Washington DC NEA Milton H Anderson $6.00
1N93f 561127 Washington DC NEA Milton H Anderson $30.00

1S94 570109 New York NY NEA Hazen R Bean $24.00
1S94f 570109 New York NY NEA Hazen R Bean $3.75
1N95f 570109 Miami FL NEA Hazen R Bean $3.75

1N96 581213 Fort Lauderdale FL NEA Bert L Geiger $3.00
1S96 581213 Fort Lauderdale FL NEA Robert F Carey $6.00

1N97 590201 Jacksonville FL NEA William R Waters $3.00
1N97f 590201 Jacksonville FL NEA William R Waters $3.00
1S97 590201 Jacksonville FL NEA Parker F Schofield $4.50
1S97f 590201 Jacksonville FL NEA Parker F Schofield $3.75

NEA
Convair 880

1S98 610301 Baltimore MD NEA William R Waters $2.25

1W99 690428 Manchester NH NEA Richard Hill $18.75
1W100 690428 Detroit MI NEA Richard Hill $3.00
1W100f 690428 Detroit MI NEA Richard Hill $3.75
1E101 690428 Chicago IL NEA Richard Hill $3.00
1E100 690428 Detroit MI NEA Richard Hill $7.50
1E100f 690428 Detroit MI NEA Richard Hill $13.50

1W102 690531 Cleveland OH NEA Ralph M Hackley $3.75
1W102f 690531 Cleveland OH NEA Ralph M Hackley $6.00
1E102 690531 Cleveland OH NEA WG Bucklin $6.00
1E102f 690531 Cleveland OH NEA WG Bucklin $3.75

1W103 691001 Miami FL NEA Edmund C Butler $3.75
1W103f 691001 Miami FL NEA Edmund C Butler $2.25
1E104 691001 Los Angeles CA NEA Leland R Walsh $3.75
1E104f 691001 Los Angeles CA NEA Leland R Walsh $3.75

        On August 1, 1972 Northeast Airlines was merged into Delta Air Lines.

INDEX: First Flights by CAM Route #

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

INDEX: First Flights by AM Route #

33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

INDEX: First Flights by Experimental Route #

1001 1002

INDEX: First Flights by AM Route #

49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
66 67 68 69 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 84
86 87 88 90 91 93 94 96 97 98 99 100 101 103 105
106 107 111 119 120 121 139 140 141 143 144 148 172

INDEX: First Flights by Air Taxi Services Route #

288 289 290 291 292 293 295 296 297 298

INDEX: First Flights by Experimental Route #

2001

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