On Thursday 6th May 2021, Dr Neil Donen FRPSL gave a talk about the ill-fated 1935 Trans-Tasman Jubilee flight, in a meeting of the Royal Philatelic Society London.
Hoping to secure the Australia–New Zealand leg of the All-Empire Airmail Scheme, Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith attempted to fly some 29,000 mail items between the two countries as part of the 1935 Silver Jubilee celebration. Damage to the starboard propeller of his aircraft, Southern Cross, forced him to return to Australia, with most of the mail being jettisoned.
In this presentation, Neil focuses on mail saved, and he also covers the mail items scheduled to be included on the return flight from New Zealand. Part of this presentation discusses origins, destinations and rates used for the Trans-Tasman flights. Some interesting philatelic associations, two philatelic firsts, the presentation of some uncommon material and a re-enactment of Patrick Gordon “Bill” Taylor’s dramatic transfer of oil between the airplane’s engines are all included.