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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights CAM-18

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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-18: William Boeing moved from Detroit MI to Seattle WA in 1903 where he launched a successful lumber business. Soon after becoming friends with Navy Lieutenant, Conrad Westervelt they both took their first plane ride with a barnstorming pilot on July 4, 1914 becoming immediately hooked on flying and airplanes. Boeing enrolled in Glenn Martin's flying school and bought a Martin plane of his own to fly. He became convinced that he could build a better plane and with Westervelt built the Bluebill seaplane (known as the B&W) making it's first flight on June 15, 1916. One month later, on July 15th, Bill Boeing incorporated the Pacific Aero Products Company which became the Boeing Airplane Company a year later.
        As the US entered WW-I it became clear that the Navy needed training airplanes. Boeing responded with the manufacture of its Model C training seaplane building 55 of them for the US military. Boeing and Eddie Hubbard flew this plane on March 3, 1919 making the first international mail delivery carrying 60 letters from Vancouver British Columbia Canada to Seattle WA. The Boeing Airplane Company received an order from the Army Air Service in 1921 to build 200 Thomas-Morse MB-3A pursuit fighter biplanes. Boeing demonstrated its efficient production methods that allowed it to profit while reducing its sale price to the military. Using the experience gained from the MB-3A, Boeing began to develop its own pursuit designs. Its Model 15 beat out Fokker and Curtiss fighters in Army evaluations in 1923 with the Army ordering 30 (PW-9s) and the Navy ordering 14 (FB-1/6s).
BAT
        The development of airmail led to Boeing's first transport plane, the Model 40 biplane. It was modified and redesigned into the Model 40A so that it could carry two passengers. Boeing Air Transport (BAT) was formed in 1926 as a subsidiary to the Boeing Airplane Company to bid for the Chicago-San Francisco CAM-18 section of the US transcontinental mail route.
        Pilots flying different legs of this July 1st CAM-18 inaugural air service included, EM Allison, Hugh Baker, IO Biffle, HA Collison, CE Johnson, JW Sharpnack and Frank R Yager.

BAT
Boeing 40-A
18W1 270701 Chicago IL BAT IO Biffle $7.50
18W1F 270701 Chicago IL BAT IO Biffle $22.50
18W2 270701 Iowa City IA BAT IO Biffle $15.00
18W2F 270701 Iowa City IA BAT IO Biffle $150.00
18W3 270701 Omaha NE BAT EM Allison $7.50
18W4F 270701 North Platte NE BAT EM Allison $26.25
18W5 270701 Cheyene WY BAT HA Collison $9.00
18W6 270701 Rock Springs WY BAT HA Collison $24.00
18W7 270701 Salt Lake City UT BAT JW Sharpnack $9.00
18W8 270701 Elko NV BAT JW Sharpnack $21.00
18W9 270701 Reno NV BAT JW Sharpnack $26.25
18W10 270701 Sacramento CA BAT by train $7.50
18E11 270701 San Francisco CA BAT CE Johnson $7.50
18E10 270701 Sacramento CA BAT CE Johnson $15.00
18E9 270701 Reno NV BAT CE Johnson $18.75
18E8 270701 Elko NV BAT CE Johnson $24.00
18E7 270701 Salt Lake City UT BAT Hugh Barker $7.50
18E6 270701 Rock Springs WY BAT by train $7.50
18E5 270701 Cheyene WY BAT Frank R Yager $7.50
18E4F 270701 North Platte NE BAT by train $26.25
18E3 270701 Omaha NE BAT IO Biffle $7.50
R18W11 270701 to Des Moines IA BAT $75.00

18W12 280710 Chicago IL BAT ST Kaufman $9.00
18W13 280710 Cedar Rapids IA BAT ST Kaufman $9.00
18W14 280710 Des Moines IA BAT ST Kaufman $37.50
18W15 280710 Omaha NE BAT ST Kaufman $30.00
18E16 280710 Lincoln NE BAT RL Wagner $7.50
18E15 280710 Omaha NE BAT RL Wagner $24.00
18E14 280710 Des Moines IA BAT RL Wagner $30.00
18E13 280710 Cedar Rapids IA BAT RL Wagner $7.50

18W17 290501 Lincoln NE BAT Jack Knight $30.00
R18E18 290501 to Oakland CA BAT Jack Parshall $37.50

R18W18B 310401 to Iowa City IA BAT $262.50
18E18A 310401 Iowa City IA BAT $375.00

BAT
Boeing 40-B
18N19 320116 Omaha NE BAT RP Craine $4.50
18N20 320116 Sioux City IA BAT RP Craine $7.50
18N21 320116 Sioux Falls SD BAT RP Craine $18.75
18S22 320116 Watertown SD BAT RP Craine $4.50
18S21 320116 Sioux Falls SD BAT RP Craine $4.50
18S20 320116 Sioux City IA BAT RP Craine $4.50

18W22A 320501 Sacramento CA BAT $375.00

R18E24 330611 to Rock Springs WY BAT $75.00
18E23 330611 Rock Springs WY BAT John A Rose $30.00

R18W26 330709 to San Francisco CA from Oakland CA BAT $15.00
R18E26 330709 to San Francisco CA BAT Raymond J Little $15.00
18E25 330709 San Francisco CA BAT Burr H Winslow $7.50

R18E28 330915 to Moline IL BAT $15.00
18W27 330915 Moline IL BAT William Groen $18.00
R18W28 330915 to Moline IL BAT $15.00
18E27 330915 Moline IL BAT Richard M Thornton $18.00

R18E30 330920 to Grand Island NE BAT $5.25
18W29 330920 Grand Island NE BAT George H Willingham $6.00
R18W30 330920 to Grand Island NE BAT $5.25
18E29 330920 Grand Island NE BAT Frank R Yager $4.50

CAM-18: 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-18: 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, Hanford's Tri-State Airlines began flying a portion of CAM-18 air mail.
        HTSA was founded in 1928 as a small flying school in Sioux City IA by aviation pioneer, Arthur Hanford Jr. He soon began offering charter service and schedule flights from Omaha NE to Sioux City IA, Minneapolis & St Paul MN and Bismark ND.
HTSA
        HTSA merged with Rapid Air Transport in 1933 and for a while was known as Hanford-Rapid Air Lines (HAL). It operated Lockheed Vegas for its passenger and mail service. Following Hanford's untimely death in 1935 his father, AS Hanford became president and continued to operate HAL.

NW-SE
18NW31 340703 Sioux Falls SD HAL Al J Jaster $15.00
18NW32 340703 Huron SD HAL Al J Jaster $9.00
18NW33 340703 Aberdeen SD HAL Al J Jaster $15.00
18SE34 340703 Bismarck ND HAL Al J Jaster $22.50
18SE35 340703 Mandan ND HAL Al J Jaster $33.75
18SE33 340703 Aberdeen SD HAL Gene Shank $4.50
18SE32 340703 Huron SD HAL Gene Shank $4.50
NE-SW
18NE31 340703 Sioux Falls SD HAL James Barwick $15.00
18SW36 340703 Minneapolis MN HAL James Barwick $33.75
18SW37 340703 St Paul MN HAL James Barwick $15.00
18SW37F 340703 St Paul MN HAL James Barwick $150.00

HAL
Boeing 40-B
18S38 360901 Kansas City MO HAL DS Zimmerley $33.75
18S38f 360901 Kansas City MO HAL DS Zimmerley $11.25
18S39 360901 Coffeyville KS HAL Al J Jaster $3.00
18N40 360901 Tulsa OK HAL DS Zimmerley $6.00
18N39 360901 Coffeyville KS HAL Al J Jaster $15.00

18NE41 370101 Sioux City IA HAL Gene Shank $48.75
18SW42 370101 Minneapolis MN HAL Leo J Wassenberg $48.75

18W43 370205 Minneapolis MN HAL Gene Shank $22.50
18S44 370205 Huron MN HAL Gene Shank $45.00
18E44 370205 Huron MN HAL Gene Shank $30.00

18N45 370418 Sioux City IA HAL Leo J Wassenberg $60.00

HAL
Lockheed Electra
18NE49 370517 Omaha NE HAL Leo J Wassenberg $30.00
18NE49f 370517 Omaha NE HAL Leo J Wassenberg $33.75
18SW50 370517 Minneapolis MN HAL Leo J Wassenberg $26.25

R18E52 370906 to Watertown SD HAL $4.50
18W51 370906 Watertown SD HAL RL Brown $60.00
R18W52 370906 to Watertown SD HAL $4.50
18E51 370906 Watertown SD HAL RL Brown $3.00

        In August 1938 Hanford's name was changed to Mid-Continent Airlines (MCA).

MCA
Lockheed Electra
18N55 401101 Bismarch ND MCA DS Zimmerley $4.50
18N56 401101 Mandan ND MCA DS Zimmerley $16.50
18S57 401101 Minot ND MCA DS Zimmerley $2.25

MCA
Lockheed Lodestar
R18S61 440219 to Joplin MO MCA $3.00
18N60 440219 Joplin MO MCA AJ Jaster $3.00
R18N61 440219 to Joplin MO MCA $3.00
18S60 440219 Joplin MO MCA AJ Jaster $6.00

18S62 450810 Tulsa OK MCA Hugh L Marshall $4.50
18S63 450810 Texarkana TX MCA Hugh L Marshall $3.75
18S64 450810 Shreveport LA MCA Hugh L Marshall $6.00
18N65 450810 New Orleans LA MCA Leo F Cullen $2.25
18N65f 450810 New Orleans LA MCA Leo F Cullen $7.50
18N64 450810 Shreveport LA MCA Leo F Cullen $3.00
18N63 450810 Texarkana TX MCA Leo F Cullen $3.00

R18S67 450918 to Fort Smith AR MCA $7.50
18N66 450918 Fort Smith AR MCA Leo F Cullen $2.25
R18N67 450918 to Fort Smith AR MCA $6.00
18S66 450918 Fort Smith AR MCA Hugh L Marshall $3.00

MCA
Douglas DC-3
R18S71 460615 to Muskogee OK MCA $4.50
18N70 460615 Muskogee OK MCA HE Whitsett $4.50
R18N71 460615 to Muskogee OK MCA $4.50
18S70 460615 Muskogee OK MCA GH Phillip $3.75

18E75 480123 Kansas City MO MCA WC Root $6.00
18E75f 480123 Kansas City MO MCA WC Root $16.50
18W76 480123 Saint Louis MO MCA RP Harris $7.50
18W76f 480123 Saint Louis MO MCA RP Harris $22.50

MCA
Convair 240
18N77 530927 Watertown SD MCA Edward K Huschka, HJ Peterson $22.50
18S78 530927 Fargo ND MCA Edward K Huschka, HJ Peterson $3.75


        United Air Lines had been awarded the balance of CAM-18 routes.
        United Aircraft and Transport Corporation had been formed on February 1, 1929 with the partnership merger of Boeing Air Transport and Pratt & Whitney. United Air Lines (UAL) began on July 1, 1931 as the holding company of four air carriers, Boeing Air Transport (CAM-18), Varney Air Lines (CAM-5), Pacific Air Transport (CAM-8) and National Air Transport (CAM-17). Each of these contributing airlines flew different types of aircraft when taken over by United. One such aircraft was the Stearman M-2 Speedmail.
UAL
        UAL was organized as the "World's Largest Air Transport System."
UAL
Boeing 247
18W46 370515 Denver CO UAL Robert Bergesen $2.25
18E47 370515 Salt Lake City UT - Denver CO UAL Robert Bergesen $22.50
18E47f 370515 Salt Lake City UT - Denver CO UAL Robert Bergesen $22.50
18E46 370515 Denver CO UAL Frank R Yager $3.00
18W48 370515 Chicago IL - Denver CO UAL Paul E Johnson $15.00
18W48f 370515 Chicago IL - Denver CO UAL Paul E Johnson $15.00

18W50A 370628 Omaha NE UAL RE Coulter $120.00

18E53f 371202 Denver Airport - North Platte NE UAL Carl M Christenson $375.00

18E54 380902 Denver CO - Omaha NE UAL V Vaughan $150.00
18E54f 380902 Denver CO - Omaha NE UAL V Vaughan $33.75

18W54A 400620 Grand Island NE UAL LT Peyton $67.50

18E57A 410101 Denver CO UAL LT Peyton $52.50
18E57Af 410101 Denver CO UAL LT Peyton $56.25

18E57B 421101 North Platte NE UAL $52.50

18NW58 421101 Rock Springs WY - Boise ID UAL Clarence Savage $22.50
18SE59 421101 Boise ID - Rock Springs WY UAL EJ Smith $22.50

UAL
Douglas DC-3
R18E69 460116 to Ogden UT UAL $4.50
18W68 460116 Ogden UT UAL Leo Kriloff $4.50
18E68 460116 Ogden UT UAL JD Hutchinson $3.00

18W72 470427 Milwaukee WI UAL Howard W Reid $4.50

18W73 470714 Chicago IL UAL HA Gurney $3.00
18W73f 470714 Chicago IL UAL HA Gurney $3.75
18E74 470714 Los Angeles CA UAL EL Remelin $3.00
18E74f 470714 Los Angeles CA UAL EL Remelin $3.75

UAL
Convair 340
18E79 550706 Ely NV UAL MA Christensen $2.25
18W79 550706 Ely NV UAL JW Stephenson $3.00

UAL
Boeing 720
18E80 680820 San Jose CA UAL RW Rosebraugh $3.00

        On January 21, 1969 this route was revised and operated by Braniff Airways.

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
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