Indian Airmails

  • Home
  • Pre-1953 Airlines
    • 1911 1st Aerial Post NIC
    • Indian State Air Services >
      • 1929 Karachi - Delhi via Hyderabad & Jodhpur
      • 1931 Last Flight Karachi-Delhi
    • Delhi Flying Club >
      • 1931 Emergency Flight by Delhi Flying Club
      • 1932 Karachi - Delhi
    • Indian Trans-Continental Airways >
      • 1933 Karachi - Calcutta >
        • 1933 Eastwards: Karachi - Calcutta
        • 1933 Westwards: Calcutta to Karachi
      • 1933 Calcutta - Rangoon via Akyab >
        • 1933 Eastwards: Calcutta - Rangoon via Akyab
        • 1933 Westwards: Rangoon - Calcutta via Akyab
      • 1933 Karachi - Singapore Extension
      • 1934 Karachi - Australia Extension
      • 1936 Rangoon - Hong Kong
    • Indian National Airways >
      • 1933 Calcutta - Dacca
      • 1933 Rangoon - Calcutta
      • 1934 Karachi - Lahore
      • 1938 Delhi - Lahore
      • 1939 Karachi - Delhi
      • 1940 Karachi - Calcutta
      • 1947 Calcutta - Rangoon
    • Air Services of India Ltd >
      • 1938 Bombay-Kathiawar
      • 1940 Bombay-Amreli
      • 1940 Kolhapur - Bombay
    • Madras Air Taxi Service
    • Experimental & Survey Flights. >
      • 1931 England - Australia Flight >
        • 1st Experimental Flight
        • 2nd Experimental Flight
      • 1938 Flying Boat Coogee
    • Dalmia-Jain Airways Ltd
    • Orient Airways Ltd
    • Starline / Indian Overseas Airline >
      • 1948 - Nagpur - Lucknow
      • 1949 First Indian Night Mail Flight
      • 1949 All Up Internal Air Mail
    • Bharat Airways >
      • 1949 - Calcutta - Hong Kong
      • 1950 - Calcutta - Singapore
    • Himalayan Aviation
    • Aviation Related Events >
      • 1938 Karachi Airport
      • 1940 Hyderabad Air Service
    • WW2 Flights
    • Unknown Airlines
  • Tata Airlines
    • 1931 - Karachi - Madras: Route Survey Flight
    • 1932 - Karachi - Madras >
      • Official Southbound
      • Official Northbound
      • Other Southbound
      • Other Northbound
      • Other Material
    • 1933 - Karachi - Madras via Poona
    • 1935 Karachi - Madras via Hyderabad >
      • 1935 - Karachi - Madras via Hyderabad
      • 1935 Bombay-Hyderabad Errors on Stamp
    • 1935 - Bombay - Calcutta demonstration flight
    • 1935 - Bombay - Travancore via Goa & Cannanore
    • 1936 - Madras to Colombo via Trichinopoly
    • 1937 - First Flight to Bhuj
    • 1937 - Delhi - Bombay via Gwalior, Bhopal & Indore
    • 1938 - Karachi - Madras extension to Colombo via Trichnopoly
    • 1938 - Trichinopoly - Trivandrum extension
    • 1938 - Mansoon halt at Poona
    • 1946 - Bombay - Calcutta via Nagpur
  • Air-India
    • 1948 Air-India International Bombay - London Flight >
      • Postage Stamps - Errors
      • The Postage Stamp
      • First Day Covers
      • DG's Circular & Postal Notices
      • Official Covers
      • Air-India Covers
      • Special Flight Cachet
      • Postage Rates gallery
      • Local Cancellations
      • Private Covers Gallery
      • Interesting Places of Origin & Destinations >
        • Interesting Destinations
        • Interesting Places of Origin
        • Interesting Places of Origin & Destinations
      • More interesting covers
      • Return Flight covers
      • Other Philatelic Curiosities
      • Award winning exhibit
    • 1948 - 1953 Early Route Expansion
    • 1954 - 1959 Early Route Expansion
    • 1960 - 1965 Air-India Boeing 707 Era.
    • 1966 - 1970 Air-India Boeing 707 Era.
    • 1971 - 1975 Boeing 747 & Other Aircraft Era
    • 1976 Onward Boeing 747 & Other Aircraft Era
    • Crash Mail Covers
    • Postal Meter panels
  • Indian Airlines
    • 1960 - 1964
    • 1965 - 1969
    • 1970 - 1974
    • 1975 - 1979
    • 1980 - Onward
    • Crash Mail Covers
    • Meter Panel & Stationery
  • Foreign Airlines
    • Air Ceylon
    • Air France
    • B.O.A.C. >
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Colombo August 1952
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Singapore October 1952
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Tokyo April 1953
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Sydney March 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Tokyo July 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Colombo August-September 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Tokyo April 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Singapore June 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Sydney November 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Manila November 1961
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Auckland April 1963
      • B.O.A.C. Boeing 707 London to Nandi November 1965
      • B.O.A.C. VC 10 40th Anniversary of Regular Airmail
    • Trans - Australian
    • TWA
  • Others
    • Zeppelin & Catapult >
      • LZ-10 Schwaben
      • LZ-13 Hansa
      • LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin
      • LZ-129 Hindenberg
      • LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin II
      • Catapult Mail
      • Ephemera
      • Fakes & Forgeries
    • Rocket Mail >
      • Indian Rocket Mail
      • Sikkim Rocket Mail
    • Astrophilately >
      • Indian Astrophilately
      • Astro Ephemera
    • Pigeon Mail
    • Balloon Mail
    • Air Mail Societies
    • Airship R 101
    • Indian Air Force
    • Modern Airlines >
      • Star Air
      • Vayudoot
      • Vistara
    • Misc. Airmails
    • Not in Collection (NIC) >
      • World War 1
      • World War 2
      • Slogan Cancellation
      • FDC
      • FDC (as Fake)
      • Zeppelin & Catapult
  • Resources
  • Useful Links
  • Contact us
  • Home
  • Pre-1953 Airlines
    • 1911 1st Aerial Post NIC
    • Indian State Air Services >
      • 1929 Karachi - Delhi via Hyderabad & Jodhpur
      • 1931 Last Flight Karachi-Delhi
    • Delhi Flying Club >
      • 1931 Emergency Flight by Delhi Flying Club
      • 1932 Karachi - Delhi
    • Indian Trans-Continental Airways >
      • 1933 Karachi - Calcutta >
        • 1933 Eastwards: Karachi - Calcutta
        • 1933 Westwards: Calcutta to Karachi
      • 1933 Calcutta - Rangoon via Akyab >
        • 1933 Eastwards: Calcutta - Rangoon via Akyab
        • 1933 Westwards: Rangoon - Calcutta via Akyab
      • 1933 Karachi - Singapore Extension
      • 1934 Karachi - Australia Extension
      • 1936 Rangoon - Hong Kong
    • Indian National Airways >
      • 1933 Calcutta - Dacca
      • 1933 Rangoon - Calcutta
      • 1934 Karachi - Lahore
      • 1938 Delhi - Lahore
      • 1939 Karachi - Delhi
      • 1940 Karachi - Calcutta
      • 1947 Calcutta - Rangoon
    • Air Services of India Ltd >
      • 1938 Bombay-Kathiawar
      • 1940 Bombay-Amreli
      • 1940 Kolhapur - Bombay
    • Madras Air Taxi Service
    • Experimental & Survey Flights. >
      • 1931 England - Australia Flight >
        • 1st Experimental Flight
        • 2nd Experimental Flight
      • 1938 Flying Boat Coogee
    • Dalmia-Jain Airways Ltd
    • Orient Airways Ltd
    • Starline / Indian Overseas Airline >
      • 1948 - Nagpur - Lucknow
      • 1949 First Indian Night Mail Flight
      • 1949 All Up Internal Air Mail
    • Bharat Airways >
      • 1949 - Calcutta - Hong Kong
      • 1950 - Calcutta - Singapore
    • Himalayan Aviation
    • Aviation Related Events >
      • 1938 Karachi Airport
      • 1940 Hyderabad Air Service
    • WW2 Flights
    • Unknown Airlines
  • Tata Airlines
    • 1931 - Karachi - Madras: Route Survey Flight
    • 1932 - Karachi - Madras >
      • Official Southbound
      • Official Northbound
      • Other Southbound
      • Other Northbound
      • Other Material
    • 1933 - Karachi - Madras via Poona
    • 1935 Karachi - Madras via Hyderabad >
      • 1935 - Karachi - Madras via Hyderabad
      • 1935 Bombay-Hyderabad Errors on Stamp
    • 1935 - Bombay - Calcutta demonstration flight
    • 1935 - Bombay - Travancore via Goa & Cannanore
    • 1936 - Madras to Colombo via Trichinopoly
    • 1937 - First Flight to Bhuj
    • 1937 - Delhi - Bombay via Gwalior, Bhopal & Indore
    • 1938 - Karachi - Madras extension to Colombo via Trichnopoly
    • 1938 - Trichinopoly - Trivandrum extension
    • 1938 - Mansoon halt at Poona
    • 1946 - Bombay - Calcutta via Nagpur
  • Air-India
    • 1948 Air-India International Bombay - London Flight >
      • Postage Stamps - Errors
      • The Postage Stamp
      • First Day Covers
      • DG's Circular & Postal Notices
      • Official Covers
      • Air-India Covers
      • Special Flight Cachet
      • Postage Rates gallery
      • Local Cancellations
      • Private Covers Gallery
      • Interesting Places of Origin & Destinations >
        • Interesting Destinations
        • Interesting Places of Origin
        • Interesting Places of Origin & Destinations
      • More interesting covers
      • Return Flight covers
      • Other Philatelic Curiosities
      • Award winning exhibit
    • 1948 - 1953 Early Route Expansion
    • 1954 - 1959 Early Route Expansion
    • 1960 - 1965 Air-India Boeing 707 Era.
    • 1966 - 1970 Air-India Boeing 707 Era.
    • 1971 - 1975 Boeing 747 & Other Aircraft Era
    • 1976 Onward Boeing 747 & Other Aircraft Era
    • Crash Mail Covers
    • Postal Meter panels
  • Indian Airlines
    • 1960 - 1964
    • 1965 - 1969
    • 1970 - 1974
    • 1975 - 1979
    • 1980 - Onward
    • Crash Mail Covers
    • Meter Panel & Stationery
  • Foreign Airlines
    • Air Ceylon
    • Air France
    • B.O.A.C. >
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Colombo August 1952
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Singapore October 1952
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Tokyo April 1953
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Sydney March 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Tokyo July 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Colombo August-September 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Tokyo April 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Singapore June 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Sydney November 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Manila November 1961
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Auckland April 1963
      • B.O.A.C. Boeing 707 London to Nandi November 1965
      • B.O.A.C. VC 10 40th Anniversary of Regular Airmail
    • Trans - Australian
    • TWA
  • Others
    • Zeppelin & Catapult >
      • LZ-10 Schwaben
      • LZ-13 Hansa
      • LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin
      • LZ-129 Hindenberg
      • LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin II
      • Catapult Mail
      • Ephemera
      • Fakes & Forgeries
    • Rocket Mail >
      • Indian Rocket Mail
      • Sikkim Rocket Mail
    • Astrophilately >
      • Indian Astrophilately
      • Astro Ephemera
    • Pigeon Mail
    • Balloon Mail
    • Air Mail Societies
    • Airship R 101
    • Indian Air Force
    • Modern Airlines >
      • Star Air
      • Vayudoot
      • Vistara
    • Misc. Airmails
    • Not in Collection (NIC) >
      • World War 1
      • World War 2
      • Slogan Cancellation
      • FDC
      • FDC (as Fake)
      • Zeppelin & Catapult
  • Resources
  • Useful Links
  • Contact us
On 14th August, 1954 Bombay to Hong kong service launched via, Calcutta & Bangkok.
​The flight was by Himalayan Princess VT-DAS via Bombay, Calcutta, Bangkok and Hong Kong.  The pilots were Captains H B Mistry and R N Goday.
Picture
Timetable dated September 1954 showing the route map on Bombay to Hong Kong via Calcutta & Bangkok
Picture
Flight schedule from timetable September 1954 showing the Flight schedule on Bombay to Hong Kong route.
Picture
Timetable December 1954 showing the SIngle, Return & Excess Baggage charges on Bombay to Hong Kong route

Aircraft used in this route
Picture
Inaugural flight to Hong Kong via Kolkata and Bangkok with L-749A Constellation VT-DAS Himalayan Princess on once a week basis.
Picture
Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport 1954

Air Mail cover flown on this route
Picture
Picture
Air Mail cover franked with 1947 issue 12 a. Air Mail stamp and tied with STOCK EXCHANGE, BOMBAY, cancellation mark.
Picture
Picture
Souvenir Air-India cover franked with the 1947 issue 12a. Air Mail and tied with STOCK EXCHANGE, BOMBAY, cancellation mark.
These covers were produced by Air-India for the June 1948 Bombay to London flight, and has been modified for use on this flight. Various D.L.O. cachets and labels on reverse.
Picture
Picture
Picture
On 17 August 1954 Air-India International Hong Kong - Bombay, The flight was by Himalayan Princess VT-DAS via Bangkok and Calcutta. Souvenir card as illustrated is inside this sealed card.

AI Coaster & Decal used on this route
Picture
Picture
Picture

On 7th May, 1955 Bombay to HongKong services extended to Tokyo
​The flight was by Maratha Princess VT-DAR via Calcutta, Bangkok and Hong Kong.
​This was an extension of the Bombay-Hong Kong service inaugurated on 14 August 1954.
Picture
AI Timetable dated 1 June 1955 showing the route map on Bombay to Hong Kong services extended to Tokyo on 7th May 1955.
Picture
Timetable dated 1 June 1955 showing the flight schedule on Bombay to Tokyo via Calcutta, Bangkok and Hong Kong
Picture
AI Timetable dated 1 June 2018.
Picture
Timetable dated 1 June 1955 showing the fare charges of single, return and excess baggage.
Picture
AI International Offices

Aircraft
Picture
VT-DAR Maratha Princess
Picture
​Lockheed L-749A Constellation of Air-India International (New Air-India) VT-DAR Maratha Princess
(ex-John Stroud Collection)
Picture
​VT-DAR Maratha Princess Lockheed Constellation
Picture
VT-DAR Maratha Princess

Coaster & Baggage Tag
Picture

Air Mail cover flown on Bombay - Tokyo services on 7th May 1955
Picture
Picture
Souvenir cover, produced by Air-India International, with the 10a calue stamp with the Bombay postal cancellation and a boxed  inaugural flight cachet. Tokyo receiving mark on the verso. The Bombay-Calcutta-Bangkok-Hong kong flight on the Constellation L0749A aircraft introduced in 1954 was extended to Tokyo on this day.
Picture
Plain cover with the 10a. value stamp with the Bombay postal cancellation and a boxed inaugural flight cachet. The Bombay - Calcutta-Bangkok-Hong Kong flight on the cancellation L-749A aircraft introduced in 1954 was extended to Tokyo on this day.
Picture
Picture
Cover  flown on the Bombay - Hong Kong stage of the Tokyo flight. Cancelled BOMBAY G.P.O., 7 MAY 55, and arrival mark on reverse HONG KONG, 14 MAY 1955. Also on front is the boxed rectangular first flight cachet in black. The cover was then re-directed back to Bombay, and there is a BOMBAY, DELY, 11 JUN 55, hand stamp on the reverse.
DId this cover miss the inaugural flight and get flown a week later (?).

First Boeing 707 Flight on Tokyo - Bombay route on 16 January 1961
Picture
Picture
The weekly Tokyo - Bombay Boeing 707 service was introduced.
Souvenir Air-India cover with purple Air-India commemoration handstamp, and Tokyo cancellation stamp dated 16.1.61.
​Airport Bombay arrival stamp dated 17-1-61 on the reverse.
Picture
Picture
The weekly Tokyo - Bombay Boeing 707 service was introduced.
Air Mail cover with Air-India sticker and Tokyo cancellation stamp dated 16.1.61.
Airport Bombay arrival stamp dated 17-1-61 on the reverse. The cover was then flown onward to Karachi and delivered on 21 January.
Picture
Picture
First Boeing 707 Flight on Tokyo - Bombay on 16 January 1961

First Boeing 707 Flight on Bombay - Tokyo sector on 25 January 1961
Picture
Picture
Bombay - Calcutta Stage
Air Mail cover flown from Bombay to Calcutta on the inaugural Boein 707 service of Air-India to Tokyo.
Post marked Bombay G.P.O. 25 Jan 1961. and with the special Air-India first flight cachet.
Picture
Bombay - Hong Kong Stage
Air Mail cover flown from Bombay tp Hong Kong on the inaugural Boeing 707 service of Air-India to Tokyo.
Postmarked Bombay G.P.O. 25 Jan 61, and with the special Air-India first flight cachet.
Picture
Picture
Bombay - Tokyo Stage
Air Mail cover flown from Bombay to Tokyo on the inaugural Boeing 707 service of Air-India to Tokyo.
Postmarked Bombay G.P.O. 25 Jan 1961, and with the special Air-India first flight cachet.
Picture
Picture
The weekly Bombay - Tokyo Boeing 707 service was introduced.
Souvenir Air-India cover with purple Air-India commemoration handstamp, and Bombay G.P.O. cancellation stamp dated 15.Jan.61.
Tokyo AP arrival stamp dated 25-1-61 on the reverse.
Picture
Picture
First Boeing 707 Flight on Bombay - Tokyo on 25 January 1961.

First Boeing 707 Flight on Bombay - Tokyo route.
25 January 1961
Calcutta - Bangkok stage
Picture
Picture
Airmail postcard with Indian Philatelic Bureau, Calcutta 25.1.61 cancellation, and rectangular Air-India hand stamp. Also, on front Bangkok G.P.O. receiving stamp of 26.1.61
Calcutta - Hong Kong stage
Picture
Picture
Airmail postcard with Indian Pjilatelic Bureau, Calcutta 25.1.61 cancellation, and rectangular Air-India hand stamp.
also, on reverse Hong Kong receiving stamp of 26-1-1961. There is a special stamp Agricultural Show 4th - 5th Feb.
Calcutta - Tokyo stage
Picture
Picture
Airmail postcard with Indian Philatelic Bureau, Calcutta 25.1.61 cancellation, and rectangular Air-India hand stamp.
Also on front Tokyo AP receiving stamp of 26.1.61

Goodwill Youth Mission from Japan
22 March 1962

Picture
Original photo - The Goodwill Youth Mission from Japan comprising of theree boys and girls, all teenagers, arrived in Bombay by Air-India.
Picture
The Goodwill Youth Mission from Japan.
Important Copyright Notice: The information and images contained in this web-site cannot be copied or used for any purpose without permission. Copyright of some items listed here belong to other respective owners, and some belong to us, while some are from the public domain. Hence, in order to avoid future complications, please contact us for any such requirement, by clicking this link, and we will respond appropriately. Any violation of this policy, may lead to prosecution of a Civil or Criminal nature, or both, solely at the infringers risk and cost.

We watermark images on our website. The intention is not to assert our copyright on all such images, but merely to discourage anyone from unauthorized copying and reproducing images from this website. The copyright to some of these images belongs to us, while others to their respective owners, while others are from the public domain.​
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 © COPYRIGHT 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.