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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights CAM-19

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Page ccCAM019 (Revised 07/31/2008)

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-19: In 1926 aviation pioneer, Harold Pitcairn bought a large section of farmland west of Doylestown Pike PA turning it into a flying field. On September 15, 1927 Pitcairn formed a small Philadelphia-based airline known as Pitcairn Aviation.
        The next year on May 1, 1928, Pitcairn Aviation won the US Postal Service contract to carry the overnight air mail between New York and Atlanta (CAM-19). This was followed by an award on December 1, 1928 for the Miami, St Petersburg, Atlanta air mail (CAM-25).
PA
        Pitcairn had developed, tested, built and flew many different aircraft, most notable being his Mailwing bi-plane and Autogyro.
        Clement Keys who was a former financial editor of the Wall Street Journal and an untiring promoter of multimillion-dollar aviation corporations purchased Pitcairn in 1929 and sold it to North American Aviation, a holding company for a number of airline and aircraft companies.

19S1 280501 New York NY PA AM Banks & Verne E Treat $7.50
19S1F 280501 New York NY PA AM Banks & Verne E Treat $22.50
19S2 280501 Philadelphia PA PA AM Banks $9.00
19S3 280501 Washington DC PA AM Banks & Eugene R Brown $7.50
19S4 280501 Richmond VA PA John S Kytle & RS Molloy $7.50
19S5 280501 Winston-Salem VA PA John S Kytle & RS Molloy $15.00
19S6 280501 Greensboro NC PA John S Kytle & RS Molloy $7.50
19S7 280501 High Point NC PA John S Kytle & RS Molloy $9.00
19S8 280501 Spartanburg SC PA John S Kytle & RS Molloy $9.00
19N9 280501 Atlanta GA PA Eugene R Brown & John S Kytle $7.50
19N9F 280501 Atlanta GA PA Eugene R Brown & John S Kytle $30.00
19N8 280501 Spartanburg SC PA Eugene R Brown & John S Kytle $7.50
19N7 280501 High Point NC PA Eugene R Brown & John S Kytle $9.00
19N6 280501 Greensboro NC PA RS Molloy $6.75
19N5 280501 Winston-Salem VA PA Eugene R Brown & John S Kytle $15.00
19N4 280501 Richmond VA PA AM Banks & EJ Morrissey $7.50
19N3 280501 Washington DC PA AM Banks $12.00
19N2 280501 Philadelphia PA PA AM Banks $22.50

R19N12 290506 to Baltimore MD PA $9.00
19S11 290506 Baltimore MD PA TW Gurley $7.50
R19S12 290506 to Baltimore MD PA $9.00
19N11 290506 Baltimore MD PA Walter J Shaffer $6.00

R19N14 290915 to Camden NJ PA $18.00
19S13 290915 Camden NJ PA JR Armstrong $6.00
R19S14 290915 to Camden NJ PA $6.00
19N13 290915 Camden NJ PA DB Johnston $26.25

        On January 17, 1930, Pitcairn Aviation's name was changed to Eastern Air Transport. Supplementing its fleet of Mailwing's, EAT acquired three Ford TriMotors.

EAT
Ford TriMotor
R19N16 300401 to Charlotte NC EAT $6.00
19S15 300401 Charlotte NC EAT CE Potts $4.50
R19S16 300401 to Charlotte NC EAT $6.00
19N15 300401 Charlotte NC EAT Eugene R Brown $4.50

R19N18 300820 to Greenville NC EAT $6.00
19S17 300820 Greenville NC EAT George W Bransom & John S Kytle $4.50
R19S18 300820 to Greenville NC EAT $6.00
19N17 300820 Greenville NC EAT George W Bransom & HT Dick Merrill $4.50

        On January 1, 1931 EAT inaugurated its first combined passenger and air mail flight service.

19S20 310401 Richmond VA EAT Merle A Moltrup $15.00
19S21 310401 Raleigh NC EAT Merle A Moltrup $4.50
19S22 310401 Florence SC EAT Merle A Moltrup $6.00
19S23 310401 Charleston SC EAT Merle A Moltrup $6.00
19S24 310401 Savavvah GA EAT Merle A Moltrup $9.00
19N25 310401 Jacksonville FL EAT Jack O Webster & WJ Shaffer $5.25
19N24 310401 Savavvah GA EAT Jack O Webster & WJ Shaffer $4.50
19N23 310401 Charleston SC EAT Jack O Webster & WJ Shaffer $4.50
19N22 310401 Florence SC EAT Jack O Webster & WJ Shaffer $4.50
19N21 310401 Raleigh NC EAT Jack O Webster & WJ Shaffer $4.50

19S26 310710 New York NY-Atlantic City NJ EAT ST Jacob $15.00
19S26F 310710 New York NY-Atlantic City NJ EAT ST Jacob $22.50
19N27 310710 Atlantic City NJ-New York NY EAT ST Jacob $6.00

19S28 310715 Atlantic City NJ-Philadelphia PA EAT Robert G Chew $26.25
19N29 310715 Philadelphia PA-Atlantic City NJ EAT Robert G Chew $18.75
19N29F 310715 Camden NJ-Atlantic City NJ EAT Robert G Chew $112.50

19S30 310720 Atlantic City NJ-Baltimore MD EAT Huestis I Wells $18.75
19N31 310720 Baltimore MD-Atlantic City NJ EAT Huestis I Wells $33.75

EAT
Curtiss Condor
19S32 321201 Charlotte NC EAT Robert P Hewitt $7.50
19S33 321201 Camden SC EAT Robert P Hewitt $7.50
19S34 321201 Columbia SC EAT Robert P Hewitt $18.75
19N35 321201 Augusta GA EAT Everett W Chandler, Robert P Hewitt $4.50
19N34 321201 Columbia SC EAT Robert P Hewitt $4.50
19N33 321201 Camden SC EAT Robert P Hewitt $6.00

CAM-19: 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-19: 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, Eastern Air Lines began flying a portion of the CAM-19 air mail routes. Eastern Air Transport had been re-structured and became Eastern Air Lines.

        In 1935, while still a vice-President of North American Aviation, former WW-I hero Captain Eddie Rickenbacker took over at the "new" Eastern Air Lines.

EAT
Douglas DC-2
19S38 350402 Winston-Salem NC EAL JD Hissong $33.75
19N38 350402 Winston-Salem NC EAL C Champe Taliaferro III $33.75

R19N40 351015 to Vero Beach FL EAL $6.00
19S39 351015 Vero Beach FL EAL HF Buckman $9.00
R19S40 351015 to Vero Beach FL EAL $6.00
19N39 351015 Vero Beach FL EAL Charles W Meyers $4.50

19S47 371215 Jacksonville FL EAL AH Comer $9.00
19S48 371215 Orlando FL EAL AH Comer $6.00
19N49 371215 Vero Beach FL EAL EE Ballough $33.75
19N48 371215 Orlando FL EAL EE Ballough $4.50

EAL
Douglas DC-3

        Early in 1938 North American Aviation which had been conducting both manufacturing and an operating division was pressured by the government to dispose of Eastern Air Lines. Alfred Sloan, Chairman of General Motors (holding company of NAA) agreed to let Captain Rickenbacker buy it out. Rickenbacker then became CEO and president of EAL.

19N51f 400402 Newark Airfield - North Beach (LaGuardia) Airfield NY EAL HL Buller $45.00
19S52f 400402 North Beach (LaGuardia) Airfield NY EAL HL Buller $30.00

R19N54 400620 to Philadelphia Airfield PA EAL $9.00
19S53f 400620 Philadelphia Airfield PA EAL $27.00
R19S54 400620 to Philadelphia Airfield PA EAL $9.00
19N53f 400620 Philadelphia Airfield PA EAL $27.00

R19N56 410301 to Brunswick GA EAL $6.00
19S55 410301 Brunswick GA EAL LG Theakton $7.50
R19S56 410301 to Brunswick GA EAL $6.00
19N55 410301 Brunswick GA EAL CE Fisher $3.75

19S57 440101 Raleigh NC EAL Jonathan A Themm $19.50
19S58 440101 Durham NC EAL Jonathan A Themm $30.00
19S59 440101 Columbia SC EAL Jonathan A Themm $13.50
19N60 440101 Savannah GA EAL Edward L Foss $19.50
19N59 440101 Columbia SC EAL Edward L Foss $7.50

19S61 440101 Raleigh - Charlotte NC EAL HE James $10.50
19S62 440101 Durham - Charlotte NC EAL HE James $22.50
19N63 440101 Charlotte - Raleigh (Durham) NC EAL John M Miller $10.50

19S72 441101 Boston MA EAL George Freiburger $10.50
19S72f 441101 Boston MA EAL George Freiburger $10.50
19N73 441101 New York NY EAL George Freiburger $13.50
19N73f 441101 New York NY EAL George Freiburger $13.50

19S80 451115 Detroit MI EAL JW Claytor $4.50
19S80f 451115 Detroit MI EAL JW Claytor $3.00
19S81 451115 Cleveland OH EAL JW Claytor $13.50
19S81f 451115 Cleveland OH EAL JW Claytor $13.50
19SE82 451115 Akron OH - Roanoke VA EAL JW Claytor $7.50
19S83 451115 Roanoke VA EAL JW Claytor $6.00
19S87 451115 Charlotte NC EAL JW Claytor $6.00
19N88 451115 Columbia SC EAL GV Freiburger $3.00
19SW82 451115 Akron OH - Winston-Salem NC EAL CA O'Quinn $26.25
19N86 451115 Winston-Salem NC EAL Thad J Royall $7.50
19N85 451115 High Point NC EAL GV Freiburger $10.50
19N84 451115 Greensboro NC EAL GV Freiburger $10.50
19N83 451115 Roanoke VA EAL GV Freiburger $3.75
19N82 451115 Akron OH EAL GV Freiburger $4.50
19N81 451115 Cleveland OH EAL GV Freiburger $13.50
19N81f 451115 Cleveland OH EAL GV Freiburger $6.00

EAL
Douglas DC-4
R19N104 460903 to Providence RI EAL $15.00
19S103 460321 Providence RI EAL Robert J Rennie $16.50
R19S104 460903 to Providence RI EAL $15.00
19N103 460321 Providence RI EAL W Call $19.50

19N105 470401 Hartford CT EAL Paul M Self $6.00
19S105 470401 Hartford CT EAL David J Beltz $10.50

19W106 470815 Greenville SC EAL Carl A Kemritz $52.50
19E107 470815 Chattanooga TN EAL AJ Sziky $52.50

19S108 471015 Anderson SC EAL Oscar Szigetti $2.25
19N108 471015 Anderson SC EAL TM Bartley $4.50

19S109 471116 Danville VA EAL ED Sager $2.25
19N109 471116 Danville VA EAL ED Sager $3.75

19S110 471201 Charleston SC EAL Frank C Payne $6.00
19N110 471201 Charleston SC EAL Thad J Royall $4.50

19S112 480425 Macon GA - Albany GA EAL $75.00
19N113 480425 Albany GA - Macon GA EAL $75.00

19E114 480425 Birmingham AL EAL $27.00
19E114f 480425 Birmingham AL EAL $27.00
19E115 480425 Columbus GA EAL $15.00
19W116 480425 Jacksonville FL EAL $24.00
19W116f 480425 Jacksonville FL EAL $16.50
19W115 480425 Columbus GA EAL $15.00

19S117 480427 Wilmington DE EAL JB Warner $6.00
19N117 480427 Wilmington DE EAL L Mattraw $13.50

19S118 480601 Augusta GA EAL WM Craig $7.50
19N119 480601 Savannah GA EAL RA Loft $11.25

19N122 481114 Waycross GA EAL Dewey P Kelley $4.50
19S122 481114 Waycross GA EAL William C Haines $2.25

19N123 530131 Melbourne FL EAL WR King $2.25
19S123 530131 Melbourne FL EAL AR Weidinger $3.75

EAL
Martin 404
19N124 590401 Charlotte NC EAL Robert B Lewis $45.00
19N124f 590401 Charlotte NC EAL Robert B Lewis $7.50
19S125f 590401 Chicago (Midway) IL EAL HR Brinton $6.00

19N126 590701 Fort Lauderdale FL EAL Stillman A Bell $4.50
19S126 590701 Fort Lauderdale FL EAL ME Davis $3.00

EAL
Lockheed L-188 Electra
19N128 600221 Cincinnati OH EAL Parker Cole $3.00
19N128f 600221 Cincinnati OH EAL Parker Cole $3.00
19S128 600221 Cincinnati OH EAL Frank W Hill $6.00
19S128f 600221 Cincinnati OH EAL Frank W Hill $13.50

19NW129 600424 Chicago IL EAL Frank Baque $6.00
19NW129f 600424 Chicago IL EAL Frank Baque $16.50
19NW130 600424 Milwaukee WI EAL Norman Mosely $2.25
19SE131 600424 Minneapolis MN EAL RE Mathis $3.00
19SE131f 600424 Minneapolis MN EAL RE Mathis $3.00
19SE132 600424 Saint Paul MN EAL RE Mathis $2.25
19SE130 600424 Milwaukee WI EAL Jason McCully $10.50

19N133 610115 Sarasota FL EAL B Hugler $2.25
19S133 610115 Sarasota FL EAL JC Norman $4.50
19N134 610115 Bradenton FL EAL B Hugler $3.00
19S134 610115 Bradenton FL EAL JC Norman $4.50

19W135 610611 Tampa FL EAL RC Young $18.75
19W136 610611 New Orleans LA EAL RC Young $3.00
19W136f 610611 New Orleans LA EAL RC Young $3.00
19W137 610611 Dallas TX EAL RC Young $4.50
19W137f 610611 Dallas TX EAL RC Young $4.50
19E138 610611 Fort Worth TX EAL AH Comer $3.00
19E138f 610611 Fort Worth TX EAL AH Comer $3.75
19E137 610611 Dallas TX EAL AH Comer $3.75
19E137f 610611 Dallas TX EAL AH Comer $3.75
19E136 610611 New Orleans LA EAL AH Comer $22.50
19E136f 610611 New Orleans LA EAL AH Comer $22.50

EAL
Boeing 720
19NW139 661030 Philadelphia PA EAL JH Singleton $13.50
19NW139f 661030 Philadelphia PA EAL JH Singleton $13.50
19SE140 661030 Buffalo NY EAL AP Teulon $3.00
19SE140f 661030 Buffalo NY EAL AP Teulon $3.00

EAL
Boeing 727
19W141 690923 Atlanta GA - Los Angeles CA EAL OE Taylor $3.75
19W141f 690923 Atlanta GA - Los Angeles CA EAL OE Taylor $4.50
19E142 690923 Los Angeles CA EAL WA Preissner $4.50
19E142f 690923 Los Angeles CA EAL WA Preissner $4.50
19W144 690923 Atlanta GA - Dallas TX EAL VC Tays $6.00
19W144f 690923 Atlanta GA - Dallas TX EAL VC Tays $6.00
19E143 690923 Dallas TX - Atlanta GA EAL VC Tays $4.50
19E143f 690923 Dallas TX - Atlanta GA EAL VC Tays $4.50

        National Airlines had been awarded the balance of CAM-19 routes. National Airlines Systems was founded in St Petersburg FL inaugurating flight service on October 15, 1934 between St. Petersburg and Daytona Beach via Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando. Its initial fleet consisted of Ryan Brougham aircraft.
NA
Ryan Brougham
R19E37 341015 to Lakeland FL NAS $9.00
19W36 341015 Lakeland FL NAS RC Mossman $15.00
R19W37 341015 to Lakeland FL NAS $12.00
19E36 341015 Lakeland FL NAS RC Mossman $6.00

19N36X 341119 Daytona Beach FL NAS $188.00
19S36Y 341119 Jacksonville FL NAS $188.00

        On July 8, 1937 NAS became National Airlines (NA). NA extended its routes flying Stinson Model T Tri-motor aircraft.

NA
Stinson Model T Tri-motor
19S41 370716 Tampa FL NA Horton Hale $15.00
19S42 370716 Fort Myers FL NA Horton Hale $18.75
19N43 370716 Miami FL NA Horton Hale $3.75
19N42 370716 Fort Myers FL NA Horton Hale $3.75

R19N45 370804 to Sarasota FL NA $9.00
19S44 370804 Sarasota FL NA Horton Hale $9.00
R19S45 370804 to Sarasota FL NA $6.00
19N44 370804 Sarasota FL NA Horton Hale $3.00

19S46 370926 Saint Petersburg FL NA Horton Hale $67.50

        "The Buccaneer Route" became National's by-line.

NA
Lockheed Lodestar

         NA relocated it's general offices and principal base of operations from St Petersburg to Jacksonville in 1939. During WW-II NA allocated a portion of its fleet to the Air Transport Command and operated Air Corps contract schools for pilots, mechanics, radio operators and navigators.
19N50 391115 Sarasota - Tampa FL NA $97.50

19S64 440209 Miami FL NA EA Springer $3.00
19N65 440209 Key West FL NA EA Springer $3.75

19S66 440801 Fort Myers FL NA EJ Kershaw $27.00
19S67 440801 West Palm Beach FL NA EJ Kershaw $6.00
19N68 440801 Miami FL NA EA Springer $7.50
19N67 440801 West Palm Beach FL NA EA Springer $6.00

19N69 440901 West Palm Beach - Sarasota FL NA EA Springer $18.75

19S70 441001 New York NY NA Joe Bailey $4.50
19S70f 441001 New York NY NA Joe Bailey $13.50
19N71 441001 Jacksonville FL NA GT Baker $4.50
19N71f 441001 Jacksonville FL NA GT Baker $2.25

R19N75 450701 to Philadelphia PA NA $6.00
19S74 450701 Philadelphia PA NA Emerson E Snyder $3.75
R19S75 450701 to Philadelphia PA NA $6.00
19N74 450701 Philadelphia PA NA George E Cavaiani $16.50

R19N77 450701 to Charleston SC NA $6.00
19S76 450701 Charleston SC NA EJ Kershaw $19.50
R19S77 450701 to Charleston SC NA $6.00
19N76 450701 Charleston SC NA SE Stoia $16.50

19S78 450901 Jacksonville FL NA Edward P Taaffe $22.50
19S78f 450901 Jacksonville FL NA Edward P Taaffe $19.50
19N79 450901 Miami FL NA Clifton Bowes $19.50

19S89 451201 Saint Petersburg FL NA $52.50

19S90 451201 Philadelphia PA NA Clyde M Andrews $37.50
19S90f 451201 Philadelphia PA NA Clyde M Andrews $16.50
19S91 451201 Norfolk VA NA Clyde M Andrews $4.50
19N92 451201 Charleston SC NA William M Barron $11.25
19N91 451201 Norfolk VA NA William M Barron $7.50

R19N94 451216 to Wilmington NC NA $3.75
19S93 451216 Wilmington NC NA Clyde M Andrews $4.50
R19S94 451216 to Wilmington NC NA $3.75
19N93 451216 Wilmington NC NA SE Stoia $3.75

19N95 460212 Miami FL - Newark NJ NA WA Fordyce $15.00
19S96f 460212 Newark NJ - Miami FL NA SS Lander $12.00

R19N98 460321 to New Bern NC NA $4.50
19S97 460321 New Bern NC NA AE Brown $3.75
R19S98 460321 to New Bern NC NA $4.50
19N97 460321 New Bern NC NA HB Wilson $6.00

R19N100 460321 to Savannah GA NA $4.50
19S99 460321 Savannah GA NA TM Suter $4.50
R19S100 460321 to Savannah GA NA $4.50
19N99 460321 Savannah GA NA Wesley N Raymond $3.75

19N101 460819 Charleston SC NA $45.00
19S102 460819 Charlotte NC NA $45.00

NA
Douglas DC-4
19N111 480304 Washington DC NA Joseph Bailey $7.50
19N111f 480304 Washington DC NA Joseph Bailey $7.50
19S111 480304 Washington DC NA Joseph Bailey $13.50
19S111f 480304 Washington DC NA Joseph Bailey $10.50

19S120 480901 Richmond VA NA John P Meyers $4.50
19N120 480901 Richmond VA NA BS Nadiak $4.50
19S121 480901 Baltimore MD NA John P Meyers $6.00
19N121 480901 Baltimore MD NA BS Nadiak $4.50

NA
Douglas DC-6
19N127 591019 Fort Lauderdale FL NA W Ralph Broocke $2.25

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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