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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights CAM-33

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Page ccCAM033 (Revised 01/20/2008)

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-33: CAM-33 was awarded to Southern Air Fast Express. Southwest Air Fast Express founded by Erle P Halliburton began operations on April 2, 1929. SAFE operated over a network of routes radiating from Tulsa OK.
SAFE
        Flying the SAFEway found you flying on a fleet of Ford Tri-Motors. Passengers were carried at a modest increase over equivalent rail fares but since the equipment was reliable and fast, air travel became popular. SAFE just about broke even and needed a mail carrying contract to put the airline into the black. Halliburton and SAFE were awarded the CAM-33 mail route contract and almost immediately SAFE was bought out by American Airways at a premium price and under reorganization was renamed Southern Transcontinental Airways. It operated the CAM-33 route under its name until June 30, 1931 when American Airways took over.
        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 Airways Company (AAC) operated its routes with all-metal Fokker Tri-motors and Ford Tri-motors.

Main Route
33W1 301015 Atlanta GA STA HL Kindred & Charles F Pedley $4.50
33W1F 301015 Atlanta GA STA HL Kindred & Charles F Pedley $9.00
33W2 301015 Jackson MS STA HL Kindred & Charles F Pedley $6.00
33W3 301015 Shreveport LA STA HL Kindred & Charles F Pedley $4.50
33W4 AM 301015 Dallas TX STA Bledsoe Payne $6.00
33W4 PM 301015 Dallas TX STA HL Kindred & Charles F Pedley $26.25
33W5 301015 Fort Worth TX STA Bledsoe Payne $4.50
33W5F 301015 Fort Worth TX STA Bledsoe Payne $9.00
33W6 301015 Big Spring TX STA Bledsoe Payne $9.00
33W7 301015 El Paso TX STA HB Russell $6.00
33W8 301015 Douglas AZ STA HB Russell $6.00
33W9 301015 Tucson AZ STA HB Russell $6.00
33W10 301015 Pheonix AZ STA HB Russell $6.00
33E11 301015 Los Angeles CA STA JW Martin $4.50
33E10 301015 Pheonix AZ STA JW Martin $4.50
33E9 301015 Tucson AZ STA JW Martin $4.50
33E8 301015 Douglas AZ STA JW Martin $4.50
33E7 301015 El Paso TX STA Howard Woodall $4.50
33E6 301015 Big Spring TX STA Howard Woodall $4.50
33E5 AM 301015 Fort Worth TX STA Joe Glass $4.50
33E5 AMF 301015 Fort Worth TX STA Joe Glass $15.00
33E5 PM 301015 Fort Worth TX STA Frank C Merrill $37.50
33E5 PMF 301015 Fort Worth TX STA Frank C Merrill $45.00
33E4 301015 Dallas TX STA Joe Glass $4.50
33E3 301015 Shreveport LA STA Joe Glass $4.50
33E2 301015 Jackson MS STA Joe Glass $4.50
Spur Route
33S6 301015 Big Spring TX STA JH Mangham $11.25
33S12 301015 San Angelo TX STA JH Mangham $11.25
33N13 301015 San Antonio TX STA JH Mangham $4.50
33N12 301015 San Angelo TX STA JH Mangham $4.50

R33E16 310530 to Birmingham AL STA $6.00
33W15 310530 Birmingham AL STA Charles F Pedley $6.00
R33W16 310530 to Birmingham AL STA $6.00
33E15 310530 Birmingham AL STA RO Fortner $4.50

33S17 310615 Memphis TN STA IM McCounaughey $4.50
33S18 310615 Jackson MS STA IM McCounaughey $12.00
33N19 310615 New Orleans LA STA TR Howe $4.50
33N19F 310615 New Orleans LA STA TR Howe $11.25
33N18 310615 Jackson MS STA TR Howe $12.00

AAC
Pitcairn PA-6 Super-Mailwing
R30E21 310701 to Monroe LA AAC $6.00
30W20 310701 Monroe LA AAC Joe Glass $4.50
R30W21 310701 to Monroe LA AAC $6.00
30E20 310701 Monroe LA AAC RO Fortner $4.50

R33E23 310701 to Abilene TX AAC $6.00
33W22 310701 Abilene TX AAC HJ Rader $6.00
R33W23 310701 to Abilene TX AAC $6.00
33E22 310701 Abilene TX AAC RD Newton $4.50

33N24 310801 Fort Worth TX AAC Ted Lewis $7.50
33N24F 310801 Fort Worth TX AAC Ted Lewis $11.25
33N25 310801 Wichita Falls TX AAC Ted Lewis $4.50
33S26 310801 Amarillo TX AAC Gerald V Marshall $4.50
33S25 310801 Wichita Falls TX AAC Gerald V MArshall $4.50

33N27 310801 El Paso TX AAC LR McGehee $9.00
33S28 310801 Albuquerque NM AAC LL Willey $4.50

AAC
American Airplane & Engine Corp Pilgrim 100-A
33W29 320615 Pheonix AZ AAC HB Russell $11.25
33W30 320615 El Centro CA AAC HB Russell $6.00
33E31 320615 San Diego CA AAC HB Russell $4.00
33E30 320615 El Centro CA AAC HB Russell $4.00

AAC
Lockheed Orion 9-D
33W32 331118 Meridian MS AAC Charles Goldtrap $6.00
R33W33 331118 to Meridian MS AAC $6.00
33E32 331118 Meridian MS AAC by train $4.50

R33E35 331120 to Meridian MS
by westbound plane from Birmingham AL		 AAC TJ Haire $45.00
33E34 321120 Meridian MS AAC RW Sanford $120.00

CAM-33: 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-33: 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 a portion of CAM-33 air mail.
AA
Curtiss Condor
33E35 340707 Atlanta GA AA CH Dolson $10.50
33E35F 340707 Atlanta GA AA CH Dolson $7.50
33E36 340707 Augusta GA AA CH Dolson $3.75
33E37 340707 Columbia SC AA CH Dolson $3.00
33W38 340707 Charleston SC AA CH Dolson $4.50
33W37 340707 Columbia SC AA CH Dolson $7.50
33W36 340707 Augusta GA AA CH Dolson $3.75

R33W40 340901 to Tyler TX AA $6.00
33E39 340901 Tyler TX AA Tip Schier $3.75
R33E40 340901 to Tyler TX AA $6.00
33W39 340901 Tyler TX AA Don Dice $4.50

AA
Douglas DC-2
33E41 360918 Augusta GA AA GR Cushing $22.50
33W42 360918 Charleston SC AA GR Cushing $19.50

AA
Douglas DC-3
33W47 421122 Tucson AZ - San Diego CA AA $22.50
33E48 421122 San Diego CA - Tucson AZ AA RK Baker $18.75
33N48 421122 San Diego CA - Los Angeles CA AA LB Marable $22.50
33S49 421122 Los Angeles CA - San Diego CA AA $22.50

33E60 450422 El Paso TX AA HB Russell $6.00
33W61 450422 Oklahoma City OK AA WG Fuson $4.50

33W72 460905 Oklahoma City OK AA $82.50
33E73 460905 San Diego CA AA $82.50

AA
Douglas DC-4
33N81 470707 Phoenix AZ AA Ray Fortmer $3.00
33N82 470707 Oakland CA AA Ray Fortmer $10.50
33S83 470707 San Francisco CA AA Victor Miller $2.25
33S83f 470707 San Francisco CA AA Victor Miller $4.50
33S82 470707 Oakland CA AA Victor Miller $6.00

33W84 470707 Tulsa OK AA EW Chatfield $2.25
33E85 470707 San Francisco CA AA DE Lindsay $3.75
33E85f 470707 San Francisco CA AA DE Lindsay $3.75

33E86 471101 Midland TX AA George O Patten $3.00
33W86 471101 Midland TX AA TE Bachner $7.50
33E87 471101 Odessa TX AA George O Patten $4.50
33W87 471101 Odessa TX AA TE Bachner $7.50

33E93 480601 Oakland CA AA JW Christner $6.00

AA
Douglas DC-6
33W108 610611 Houston TX AA Stanley M Fleener $3.00
33W108f 610611 Houston TX AA Stanley M Fleener $3.00
33W109 610611 San Antonio TX AA Stanley M Fleener $3.00
33E110 610611 Los Angeles CA AA JC Chittick $3.00
33E110f 610611 Los Angeles CA AA JC Chittick $3.00
33E109 610611 San Antonio TX AA JC Chittick $4.50

AA
Boeing 707
33W129 700801 New York NY AA Ray Gardner $7.50
33W130 700801 Chicago IL AA WT Newkirk $82.50
33W130f 700801 Chicago IL AA WT Newkirk $150.00
33W131 700801 Saint Louis MO AA Rodman A Nichols $4.50
33W131f 700801 Saint Louis MO AA Rodman A Nichols $6.00
33E132 700801 Honolulu HI - Saint Louis MO
or Boston MA		 AA JL Thomas $2.25
33E132A 700801 Honolulu HI - Chicago IL
or Detroit MI		 AA GL Starr $13.50
33E132B 700801 Honolulu HI - New York NY AA Rodman A Nichols $4.50

33W133 701025 Chicago IL AA Thomas R Urban $13.50
33W133f 701025 Chicago IL AA Thomas R Urban $7.50
33E134 701025 Salt Lake City UT AA Roger Punzi $3.75
33E134f 701025 Salt Lake City UT AA Roger Punzi $3.00

AA
Boeing 727
33W135 710426 Islip NY AA Donald K Rice $2.25

33E136 750107 San Jose CA AA Wendell S Dobbs $3.00

33W137 760302 Des Moines IA AA James R Parsons $3.75
33E137 760302 Des Moines IA AA Robert D Holum $3.75
33W138 760302 Omaha NE AA James R Parsons $3.75
33E138 760302 Omaha NE AA Lloyd A Petrash $3.00

33W139 770515 Omaha NE AA Bruce Pierce $2.25

CAM-33:         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, Braniff Airways began flying a portion of CAM-33 air mail.

        Thomas E. Braniff (financier) with his brother, Paul Revere Braniff (WW-I pilot) founded Paul R. Braniff Inc (a combination flying school, aircraft parts supplier and airline). On June 20, 1928 passenger service began on a 116-mile route between Tulsa and Oklahoma City OK. In April 1929 Braniff was sold to Universal Aviation Corporation (conglomerate cross-country air-rail network). A new independent Braniff airline operation was incorporated on November 3, 1930 under the name of Braniff Airways with Tom as president and Paul as secretary-treasurer. Throughout the 1930's Braniff Airways expaned its route system.
BA
Douglas DC-3
33E43 401101 Amarillo TX BA AK Horner $4.50
33W44 401101 Oklahoma City OK BA PH Stambaugh $4.50

33N50 430801 Amarillo TX BA PH Stambaugh $22.50
33N51 430801 Pueblo CO BA PH Stambaugh $22.50
33N52 430801 Colorado Springs CO BA PH Stambaugh $30.00
33S53 430801 Denver CO BA Oliver M Huff $22.50
33S53f 430801 Denver CO BA Oliver M Huff $27.00
33S52 430801 Colorado Springs CO BA Oliver M Huff $16.50
33S51 430801 Pueblo CO BA Oliver M Huff $22.50

33E62 450701 Amarillo TX BA LM Reed $6.00
33E63 450701 Lubbock TX BA LM Reed $10.50
33W64 450701 Fort Worth TX BA AG Place $13.50
33W64f 450701 Fort Worth TX BA AG Place $7.50
33W63 450701 Lubbock TX BA AG Place $6.00

33E65 450920 Oklahoma City OK BA Aubrey D Lockey $3.75
33E66 450920 Tulsa OK BA Aubrey D Lockey $6.00
33E67 450920 Fort Smith AR BA Aubrey D Lockey $4.50
33E68 450920 Little Rock AR BA Aubrey D Lockey $3.75
33W69 450920 Memphis TN BA GH Slusser $4.50
33W68 450920 Little Rock AR BA GH Slusser $2.25
33W67 450920 Fort Smith AR BA GH Slusser $2.25
33W66 450920 Tulsa OK BA GH Slusser $2.25

        In 1946 WW-II was over and Braniff made plans to open routes to South America. President Truman who didn't like Pan Am's monopoly in South America prompted the CAB to grant Braniff the rights to fly to South America. Braniff Airways became Braniff International Airways.
BA
Douglas DC-3
R33E71 460615 to Muskogee OK BIA $3.00
33W70 460615 Muskogee OK BIA Raymond J Reuss $3.00
R33W71 460615 to Muskogee OK BIA $3.00
33E70 460615 Muskogee OK BIA AG Place $2.25

BA
Convair 340
33E99 560215 Dallas TX BIA MW Sellmeyer $19.50
33E99f 560215 Dallas TX BIA MW Sellmeyer $24.00
33E100 560215 Nashville TN BIA Nicholas A Laurenzana $19.50
33E100f 560215 Nashville TN BIA Nicholas A Laurenzana $22.50
33E101 560215 Washington DC BIA MG Safrit $22.50
33E101f 560215 Washington DC BIA MG Safrit $19.50
33W103 560215 New York NY BIA RO Mittendorf $19.50
33W102 560215 Newark NJ BIA RO Mittendorf $19.50
33W102f 560215 Newark NJ BIA RO Mittendorf $6.00
33W101 560215 Washington DC BIA RO Mittendorf $27.00
33W100 560215 Nashville TN BIA Joel G Pitts $19.50
33W100f 560215 Nashville TN BIA Joel G Pitts $33.75

BA
Douglas DC-6
33NW119 670613 Dallas TX BIA Carl G Gray $10.50
33NW119f 670613 Dallas TX BIA Carl G Gray $6.00
33N120 670613 Portland OR BIA Carl G Gray $97.50
33SE121 670613 Seattle WA BIA Carl G Gray $3.00
33SE121f 670613 Seattle WA BIA Carl G Gray $3.75
33SE120 670613 Portland OR BIA Carl G Gray $3.00

BA
Boeing 707
33W122 690814 Atlanta GA BIA Orville L Eckhardt $19.50
33W122f 690814 Atlanta GA BIA Orville L Eckhardt $22.50
33W123 690814 Dallas TX BIA MW Sellmeyer $19.50
33W123f 690814 Dallas TX BIA MW Sellmeyer $6.00
33E124 690814 Honolulu HI BIA George D Cheetham $3.00

33W125 690901 Miami FL BIA WH Fitzgerald $52.50
33W125f 690901 Miami FL BIA WH Fitzgerald $112.50
33E126 690901 Hilo HI BIA AA Speegle Jr $3.00

33W143 780730 Dallas TX BIA AA Draffkorn $4.00
33W143f 780730 Dallas TX BIA AA Draffkorn $3.00
33W144 780730 Fort Worth TX BIA AA Draffkorn $4.00
33E145 780730 La Vegas NV BIA MR Spence $3.00

CAM-33:         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, Delta Air Lines began flying a portion of CAM-33 air mail.

        Huff Daland Dusters was founded in 1924 in Macon GA by several partners including Collett E Woolman becoming the world's first aerial crop dusting company. Huff Daland Dusters moved to Monroe LA in 1925. In 1928 HDD was purchased by CE Woolman and renamed Delta Air Service after the Mississippi Delta. In 1929 Delta operated passenger flights over a route stretching from Dallas TX to Jackson MS. This route system was expanded to Atlanta GA in 1930 and DAS was renamed the Delta Air Corporation. This lasted to 1934 when DAC was again re-named to become Delta Air Lines. A year later DAL offered the first night service flying a Stinson Model A and became the first airline to fly an aircraft with two pilots. In 1941 DAL moved its headquarters from Monroe LA to Atlanta GA.
DAL
Douglas DC-3
33SE45 410715 Augusta GA DAL John A Roth $6.00
33N46 410715 Savannah GA DAL John A Roth $6.00

33S54 431015 Shreveport LA DAL Alfred G King $3.75
33N55 431015 New Orleans LA DAL Alfred G King $2.25
33N55f 431015 New Orleans LA DAL Alfred G King $4.50

R33N57 431101 to Baton Rouge LA DAL $7.50
33S56 431101 Baton Rouge LA DAL Alfred G King $3.75
R33S57 431101 to Baton Rouge LA DAL $7.50
33N56 431101 Baton Rouge LA DAL GT Wood $3.00

R33N59 431115 to Alexandria LA DAL $6.00
33S58 431115 Alexandria LA DAL BC Dickerson $2.25
R33S59 431115 to Alexandria LA DAL $4.50
33N58 431115 Alexandria LA DAL BC Dickerson $2.25

DAL
Douglas DC-4
33E74 470701 Meridian MS DAL EM Hunter $9.00
33E75 470701 Montgomery AL DAL EM Hunter $2.25
33E76 470701 Columbus GA DAL EM Hunter $2.25
33W77 470701 Atlanta GA DAL EF Deacon $9.00
33W77f 470701 Atlanta GA DAL EF Deacon $7.50
33W76 470701 Columbus GA DAL EF Deacon $4.50
33W75 470701 Montgomery AL DAL EF Deacon $4.50

33W78 470701 Savannah GA DAL HW King $18.75
33W79 470701 Macon GA DAL HW King $2.25
33E80 470701 Atlanta GA DAL JO Mangum $18.75
33E80f 470701 Atlanta GA DAL JO Mangum $24.00
33E79 470701 Macon GA DAL JO Mangum $4.50

33E88 480216 Longview TX DAL Earl J Friedell $3.00
33W88 480216 Longview TX DAL WM Grissom $7.50
33E89 480216 Kilgore TX DAL Earl J Friedell $2.25
33W89 480216 Kilgore TX DAL WM Grissom $6.00

33SW90 480401 Meridian MS DAL Clyde H Mills $13.50
33SW91 480401 Hattiesburg MS DAL Clyde H Mills $2.25
33NE92 480401 New Orleans LA DAL Clyde H Mills $11.25
33NE92f 480401 New Orleans LA DAL Clyde H Mills $19.50
33NE91 480401 Hattiesburg MS DAL Clyde H Mills $3.75

33E94 511202 Selma AL DAL Edward W Thomas $2.25
33W94 511202 Selma AL DAL HL Ewing $3.75

DAL
Convair 340
33N95 560201 Atlanta GA DAL Floyd F Hoyt $13.50
33N95f 560201 Atlanta GA DAL Floyd F Hoyt $7.50
33N96 560201 Washington DC DAL Floyd F Hoyt $6.00
33N96f 560201 Washington DC DAL Floyd F Hoyt $75.00
33S98 560201 New York NY DAL Eugene Fletcher $3.75
33S97 560201 Newark NJ DAL Eugene Fletcher $27.00
33S97f 560201 Newark NJ DAL Eugene Fletcher $9.00
33S96 560201 Washington DC DAL Eugene Fletcher $4.50
33S96f 560201 Washington DC DAL Eugene Fletcher $67.50

33W104f 560429 New Orleans LA DAL Floyd Addison $30.00
33E105 560429 Houston TX DAL Floyd Addison $30.00
33E105f 560429 Houston TX DAL Floyd Addison $27.00

DAL
Douglas DC-7
33E106 590101 Memphis TN DAL EM Millsap $4.50
33E106f 590101 Memphis TN DAL EM Millsap $4.50
33W107 590101 Birmingham AL DAL EM Millsap $3.75
33W107f 590101 Birmingham AL DAL EM Millsap $4.50

33W111 610611 Fort Worth TX DAL SW Hopkins $3.00
33W111f 610611 Fort Worth TX DAL SW Hopkins $3.00
33E112 610611 Los Angeles CA DAL Norman Topshe $2.25
33E112f 610611 Los Angeles CA DAL Norman Topshe $3.00
33W113 610611 Dallas TX DAL PW Bennett $3.75
33W113f 610611 Dallas TX DAL PW Bennett $3.00
33E114 610611 San Diego CA DAL Paul A Storm $3.00

33W115 610701 Dallas TX DAL RB Reinhart $3.00
33W115f 610701 Dallas TX DAL RB Reinhart $3.00
33E116 610701 Las Vegas NV DAL RB Reinhart $2.25

33W117 611013 Dallas TX DAL GO Wright $3.00
33W117f 611013 Dallas TX DAL GO Wright $2.25
33E118 611013 San Francisco CA DAL GO Wright $3.00
33E118f 611013 San Francisco CA DAL GO Wright $3.00

DAL
Convair 880
33W127 691001 Dallas TX DAL Leonard G Sandridge $7.50
33W127f 691001 Dallas TX DAL Leonard G Sandridge $7.50
33E128 691001 Phoenix AZ DAL Jack L Bishop $3.00

33NW140 770728 Atlanta GA DAL BJ Haggard $3.00
33NW140f 770728 Atlanta GA DAL BJ Haggard $3.00
33NW141 770728 Tulsa OK DAL BJ Haggard $4.00
33SE142 770728 Denver CO DAL Lawrence Schlumper $4.00
33SE142f 770728 Denver CO DAL Lawrence Schlumper $3.00
33SE141 770728 Tulsa OK DAL FK Wells $4.00

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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