New Zealand: Air Mail Stamps and Covers

A little more I have tracked down on the internet re the early flights and Musick Point:






The first official New Zealand airmail to the United States left Auckland for San Francisco on Pan American Airways’ Samoan Clipper. The Sikorsky S-42B flying boat was piloted by Captain Ed Musick – then the world’s most famous pilot – and carried 25,000 items of mail.

After crossing the International Date Line, Musick arrived in Pago Pago, American Samoa, where it was still 1 January. At his next stop, an uninhabited atoll 1700 km south of Hawaii, he was met by a schooner with supplies. On 3 January, the Samoan Clipper arrived in Honolulu, where the mail was transferred to a Martin 130 flying boat, which arrived in San Francisco on 6 January.

Disaster struck on the return trip. Shortly after taking off from Pago Pago on 11 January, Musick reported an oil leak in one of his engines; as he attempted to dump fuel before attempting a landing, the plane caught fire and exploded. There were no survivors.



In 1939 a headland on the eastern side of the Tamaki River was renamed Musick Point in the pilot’s honor.




The increase in aircraft in the 1930s facilitated the need for international air communication in New Zealand. The headland was chosen due to its remote location in Auckland, leading to the construction of the Streamline Moderne style Musick Memorial Radio Station. The building was constructed in 1940 by DC Street Construction Company, however the events of World War II delayed the official opening of the station until 1942. The station was named after American pilot Ed Musick, whose landing of a Sikorsky S42B, the Samoan Clipper, in Mechanics Bay heralded the beginning of air travel and greater communication with the world for New Zealanders. Upon opening, the station facilitated most of the long range radio transmissions for Auckland, communicating with ships and aircraft, and was used by American naval forces during World War II. A secondary radio bunker was built 300m south of the main building during the war, in case the main station was bombed. Because the area was isolated a water tower was built to store water for the small group of houses and the single workers accommodation that was built at the same time as the station, about 500m to the south of the main radio building.



The isolation of Musick Point, with its absence of man-made electrical interference, made it an ideal radio receiving site and was a welcome improvement over Auckland Radio's previous location in the Chief Post Office in downtown Auckland, which suffered interference from Auckland's electric tramway. Transmitters for the radio station were established a few kilometres away from Musick Point, in Oliver Road, Bucklands Beach, with remote control by the operators at the Point.





Dave

Great additional information, Dave. Interesting how this flight, and the development of airmail, had such a lasting impact on Auckland. I grew up there and had heard these place names, but had no idea of the history until I started to research this

This cover and letter have been my most fun philatelic item.

1934 First Trans Tasman Flight 'Faith in Australia' Pilot CTP ULM - 17 February






Dave

Australian Airmail #369