SS Europa Flight Cover - Luftpost

I was hoping someone could tell me more about this cover. I know it was on the SS Europa, a German ocean liner constructed for the NDL (Norddeutsche Lloyd Line). I think it is unique that it was originally intended to go to Sweden but went to USA instead.

The stamps are:

Germany Air Post
C47 10(pf) brt carmine
C48 15(pf) ultra
C50 25(pf) brown

Sweden Air Post
C7 50 ore dark violet

If I was to place a value on this cover, what do you think it may be worth?

I think it's a pretty cool cover using stamps from Germany and Sweden. The Germans are 1934 airmails SC#C47,C47 and C50. Sorry, don't have a current value. Also no info on the Swedish airmail, though obviously from the same time period. But, again, cool!

erg! guess you already knew all that didn't you

I may be experiencing cover envy.

Thanks! I have a 2008 Scott Catalog and the value of the stamps is roughly $5-6 total in used condition but the cover being from SS Europa, I would think it would add a premium. I would never sell it since I am a collector. I really enjoy the history of these kind of stamps/covers.

It is a "Catapult cover". The SS Europa (and SS Bremen) (actual D[ampfer] Europa) (SS=Steamship, Dampfer= Steamship in German) carried a seaplane that was launched from a catapult when the ship was a day's steaming out of port. It carried mail that arrived ashore a day before the ship. The service started in 1929 and ran to 1935.

This particular cover is an attractive one (except for the ink blot(?) on the far right stamp)and has the added interest of the address to Sweden and the redirection. As a regular catapult cover, market value is about $50. Ultimate value for this one depends on who likes it. My guess is it would fetch over $100, probably not reach $150.

Here are some 1934 photos of the plane on the Europa:

Thanks for the info and the photos. Those are some really great pictures. I used to be in the Navy and worked on the flight deck of the USS Nimitz Aircraft Carrier. For the SS Europa, I take it that the plane was already on board the ship and did one catapult shot after it left port. Just curious, so when the ship was out at sea, did the seaplane ever return and land near the ship and get craned back up to the deck? The voyage was only 5 days so maybe the pilots only performed one flight.

The ship had a crane to lift the plane back aboard, but the plane waited for the ship in harbor. The idea was to speed up the mail by 24 hours. The plane took one flight on each Atlantic crossing.

BTW, your cover is off the 3rd-last eastbound flight off the Europa. There were additional east-bound flights on 9.11.35 and 9.28.35 and then the service ceased (too complex and expensive).