Zeppelin Cover - Help With Identifying Flight.

I have some zeppelin covers I want to share with you. I'm learning to identify flights and I need some help with some of them.

This one was posted in New York Aug 30 2.PM, 1929 and sent via Graf Zeppelin to Switzerland. It's backstamped at Friedrichshafen 4 sep 1929. I have looked in both Sieger and Michel, but can't figure out what flight it is.




/Ulf

I don't have my catalogs in front of me, but it appears to be from the Lakehurst to Friedrichshafen leg of the 1929 round-the-world flight.

Postmaster is correct. This cover was flown on flight 32 of the Graf Zeppelin (leaving Lakehurst on September 1 and arriving in Friedrichshafen on September 4), which was the last leg of the 1929 Weltrundfahrt. It is Sieger #32 and Michel #32Ab.

Thank you for your kind help.
Michel #32Ab Lakehurst Second landing without "Sonderstempel". I thought all should have the "Bestätigungstempel" in Lila and I'm on a learning curve. This is most interesting.

As you can see in the Michel catalog, the value for a cover without the American confirmation stamp is lower than for a cover with it.

Also, some American mail of this flight carries the German Weltrundfahrt confirmation stamp. It was attached by the post office in Friedrichshafen at the request of collectors after the mail arrived in Germany. This is Michel #32Ac and carries a higher catalog value than the other types of American mail.

Great information, thanks!

Keep posting your covers and questions. Postmaster and I are happy to help.

Very nice cover! Looks in great shape!

I think this card is from the mail dropping in Stockholm, Sweden and on-board cancellation. Michel #128 IV, Sieger #88 Dc.

Two cover examples from the second Nordamerikafahrt. If I'm correct it's Michel #14, Sieger #410.

Roadrunner:

The Baltic Sea Flight cover is, in fact, Sieger #88Dc and Michel #128IVc.

The two Swedish covers are more difficult to determine. They both have a Stockholm postmark dated May 15, 1936. The 2nd North American Flight left Frankfurt on May 17, 1936 and landed in Lakehurst on May 23, 1936.

However, the first cover is backstamped with a New York cancellation dated September 16, 1936, which is four months after the 2nd North American Flight landed. The 7th North American Flight landed in Lakehurst on August 19, 1936, and the 8th North American Flight landed in Lakehurst on September 20, 1936. It might be that this cover never flew on the Hindenburg since the New York arrival mark does not fit in with the flight schedules. I leave it to others to proffer an opinion.

Even though the second cover has a manuscript notation that it was to be flown on the 2nd North American Flight, it is more likely that this cover was flown on the 3rd North American Flight, which landed in Lakehurst on June 22, 1936. Therefore, the catalog numbers for this cover would be Sieger #417 (Treaty Mail) and Michel #22 (Incoming Line).

Neeskens13

Thank you so much for your kind help and input. Both of the Swedish "Hindenburg" cover was posted at ILIS (International Aviation Exhibition) Bromma, Stockholm May 15, 1936. The first one is marked "Non reclame New York" at front in violet. There is also the backstamp Sep 16, 1936. Maybe it was sent back to Sweden at that time.
Maybe both of them was sent on the 3rd North America Flight. There is a date stamp Jun 22, 1936 also on the first cover in violet, but I don't know if it's related to the arrival in North America.

I tend to agree with Neeskins13's excellent evaluation if these Swedish covers. With first flight covers of all kinds, the arrival back stamps are critical in deciding whether something was actually flown on the intended flight. Givent the two receiving cancels on the first one of September 16 it is hard to imagine this cover actually being flown and more likely did not make the flight and was forwarded by sea. The second one's three (two different) receiving back stamps all saying June 22 clearly makes it the third flight, not the second. Apparently this cover was also not received in time for the second flight but instead of being forwarded by land and sea this one seems to have been in Germany until it could be put on the next flight - the third flight - to North America.

Thank you all and it's very educational to read for me and I really appreciate you taking the time to give me these excellent evaluations.
I can see and understand now that the one marked with 2nd Fahrt was sent on the 3rd Fahrt instead, back stamped Jun 22.
The second Hindenburg cover back stamped 16 Sep I agree that it could have been forward by sea. I was looking at the stamp on front dated Jun 22 in violet, however I have no clue at all what the purpose of that was.