Resources

Resources:

Bibliography

My interest in Indian Civil Aviation, Tata Airlines, Air-India, Indian Airmails and Indian Rocket Mail and Indian Zeppelin Mail required that I learn more about the subject, and catch up on the years I missed out as I developed this interest only over the last 5 years. I have listed below some books that have been a delight to read, and invaluable to my study.

They are all relevant to the topic on hand, and also have a direct connection with India. Some are devoted entirely to one of these subjects in an Indian context, while others may have only have a few relevant chapters or listings. There are many more great books on Aviation and Airmails, but not directly relevant to India. I have avoided listing those.

The titles have been organised under specific lists, and then arranged chronologically according to year of publication.

Books on Indian Civil Aviation
Books on JRD Tata and Civil Aviation
Books on Air-India
Magic Carpet - The Staff Magazine of Air-India
Books on Indian Airlines
Books & Journals on Indian Aerophilately
Books on Indian Rocket Mail
Books on Zeppelin and Catapult mail (India listings included)

I have consulted these publications and a variety of other on-line resources to gather information used on my web-site.

A Labour of Love

Books on Indian Civil Aviation:

Civil Aviation in India by Capt. Mustafa Anwar. Published in 1954, this book has sixteen chapters covering into all aspects of the subject. a good account of post-war aviation in India.

The Story of Indian Air Transport by J. R. D. Tata. The Sixteenth British Commonwealth Lecture at the Royal Aeronautical Society, London on 18 November 1960. JRD tells it like it is in his own distinctive style, and oh, what a story!

Annals of British and Commonwealth Air Transport by John Stroud. Published in 1962, this has 30 pages of detailed information on the history of Civil Aviation in India.

Round the World Flights by Carroll V. Glines. First published in 1982, this is the third edition dated 2003, and covers some noteworthy flights that passed through India. Of particular importance is the 1924 American Flyers flight considered the first round the world flight.

Airlines of Asia since 1920 by R. E. G. Davies. Published in 1997. Very detailed and informative sections on Indian Civil Aviation.

History of Aviation in India by Pushpindar Singh. Published in 2003, this is the most comprehensive record of India's aviation history, with rare and delightful photographs.

British Airways, An Airline and its Aircraft, Volume 1: 1919-1939. The Imperial Years by R. E. G. Davies published in 2005. Wonderful book with photographs, drawings, maps and a whole lot of information of Imperial Airways' aircraft, many of which were used to carry passengers and mail to India.

The Imperial Airways Fleet by John Stroud. Published in 2005, around the time Davies published his book on the subject. Contains a lot of photographs and fleet information on aircraft that among many other things were used to carry passengers and mail to India.

The History of the Jodhpur Flying Club and The Royal Air Force in Princely India by Peter Vacher. Published in 2008. Jodhpur played a major role in development of air routes in India and was an essential stop on the eastward growth of the London - Karachi route. Maharaja Umaid Singh played a pivotal role in this endeavor.

Airwork. A History, by Keith McCloskey. Published in 2012. Has a wonderful chapter with a lot of detail on Indian National Airways (INA) which started in 1933, just a year after Tata Airlines, and played a major role in the development of Civil Aviation in India, both before and after WW II.

Imperial Airways Aircraft 1924 - 1940. Published by Geoffery Smith in 2012. Hundreds of large format photographs of aircraft used by Imperial Airways.

Victor Tango by Vijay Seth. Published in 2012, this is for anyone with an interest in modern aviation photography.

Books on J. R. D. Tata and Civil Aviation:

Five Golden Decades of Indian Aviation. Tata's Memorable Years by A. Sen. Published in 1978.

Aircraft and Engine Perfect by Murad Fyzee. Published in 1991. The story of JRD Tata who opened up the skies for his country.

Beyond the Last Blue Mountain. A life of J. R. D. Tata by R. M. Lala. Published in 1992. The official biography with many chapters devoted to Tata Airlines and Air-India.

Horizons. The Tata - India Century 1904-2004 by Aman Nath and Jay Vithalani. Published in 2004. A coffee table book that chronicles 100 years of Tata in business. It contains a fair amount of information and photographs about their Airline Division, and emergent airlines.

Books on Air-India:

The Story of an Airline, 1932 - 1953. Published in 1953, by Air-India International, this book gives an insiders view of the evolution of the group. Starting with Tata Air Lines, growing into Air-India and finally Air-India International. Rare photographs, and history recorded as it was happening. A must read for all Air-India collectors.

I am very grateful to the Tata Central Archives, Pune for providing me a B&W xerox copy of this publication. This book was never sold, and meant for distribution only. Not too many copies are known to survive.

The Sorrow and the Terror by Clark Blaise & Bharati Mukherjee. Published in 1987, this is about the haunting legacy of the Air-India tragedy in which 307 passengers and 22 crew members perished in a terrorist act which blew up AI 182 from Toronto and Montreal to Bombay.

Disaster in the Air: The Crash of the Kashmir Princess, 1955. Colonel A. K. Mitra's first hand account, Published in 2001, about the conspiracy to assassinate the Chinese premier, Chou-en Lai who was to fly the chartered Air-India Lockheed Constellation L-749, the Kashmir Princess from Peking to Jakarta. The author was the Military, Naval and Air Force Attache to the Embassy of India in Indonesia, and a member of the International Commission of Investigation into the Air Crash. While never proven, this was widely suspected to be a CIA plot.

Oceans and Clouds by C. N. Bhade. Published in 2002, this is a book by a man who served in Air-India for many years. His reminiscences make fascinating reading, and it is easy to understand how the culture at the airline got the best out of people and made it truly great.

JRD as Air-Indians Remember by M. S. Kohli. Published in 2010. A compilation of memoirs from various persons associated with the airline and rare photos and letters.

The Descent of Air-India by Jitender Bhargava. Published in 2013, the author served the airline for over 20 years, and writes candidly about his observations. The title says it all.

Air-India Art Collection. Curated by Prof. Rajeev Lochan. 2013. Air-India Salutes Indian Masters. A catalogue of art from the Air-India Collection exhibited in the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi in 2013.
On the right, an interesting trophy with the Maharajah adorned in an artist's smock with a paintbrush and palette in hand, and what looks like labels with names of various recipients of this award.

Magic Carpet - the Staff Magazine of Air-India:

Vol 2. No. 10. March 1959

You can download the pdf by clicking the link here Magic Carpet - the Staff Magazine of Air-India

Vol 6. No. 2. March - April 1962

You can download the pdf by clicking the link here Magic Carpet - the Staff Magazine of Air-India

Vol.4 No.8 October 1962

You can download the pdf by clicking the link here Magic Carpet - the Staff Magazine of Air-India

Vol.27 No.19 October 1983

You can download the pdf by clicking the link here Magic Carpet - the Staff Magazine of Air-India

Books on Indian Airlines:

The Viscount and You (N.D.). Ok, so it is not really a book; more a promotional booklet from Indian Airlines Corporation when they introduced the Vickers Viscount into their fleet. With amazing graphics, the pride and excitement is evident in the Viscount story. I will certainly upload a pdf of this book very shortly.
You can download the pdf by clicking the link here Indian Airlines Corporation - Viscount .

Books & Journals on Indian Aerophilately:

The Aero Field. This was an Aerophilatelic journal published regularly from 1926 until 1983, with a few years of disruption in between. A wonderful source of information on Airmails.

The Indian Air Mail Society Bulletin, edited by Stephen H Smith. Published first monthly, and later quarterly from 1926 until at least 1936. A contemporaneous account of the growth of Civil Aviation, and Airmails during the period. Unfortunately, no complete set is known to survive.

Indian Air=Ways, Part I by Stephen H. Smith, published in 1926. Perhaps the first book on the subject and since it was written as history was being made, it no doubt captured information that was the source of rich information for future publications. Part of a 3 volume set which he wrote on the subject.

Indian Air=Ways, Part II by Stephen H. Smith, published in 1927. Included information on flights that were missed out in the prior book, and added listings on new flights as well. Part of a 3 volume set which he wrote on the subject.

World Flier's Danger Zone by Stephen H. Smith, published in 1927. A small booklet on the treacherous journey over Burma during the monsoon. Dedicated to Arthur B. Elliot.

Indian Air=Ways, Part III by Stephen H. Smith, published in 1930. This pretty much captured anything he missed out in the earlier two volumes, and also misted flights that took place after the last book came out. Part of a 3 volume set which he wrote on the subject.

Priced Catalogue of Air Mail Stamps and Airposts of the World by David Field. Second Edition Published in 1934. a very early reference source for mail into and out of India.

British External Airmails until 1934 by Alexander S. Newhall. (N.D.) Published around 1935. Mail between Britain and India comprised the vast majority of Indian Airmails at this time. Newall lists these events and also adds detail and comments of his own which help the collector.

Catalogue des Aerogrammes du Monde Entier by Frank Muller. Published in French in1950, and reprinted much later by Postilion Publications. Muller was the world authority on Airmails, and his book was the definitive reference book for decades.

Imperial Airways (and Subsidiary Companies) compiled by N. C. Baldwin and published in 1950. The Aero Field Handbook No. 10. A history and priced check list of the Empire Air Mails.

All-Up Air Mail by John C. W. Field, published in 1978. A booklet form reproduction from the Aero Field, about this path breaking scheme which changed the way people from different countries communicated. At once the world shrank, and it also served as a model for the All Up scheme introduced in India for domestic Air Mails in 1949.

Courier Recupere, Recovered Mail 1910 - 1936 by Henri L. Nierinck. First published in 1984 as a single volume, this is an expanded version in two parts that followed shortly thereafter. In French and English, this is regarded as the most comprehensive listing of crash mail.

Courier Recupere, Recovered Mail 1937 - 1988 by Henri L. Nierinck. First published in 1984 as a single volume, this is an expanded version in two parts that followed shortly thereafter. In French and English, this is regarded as the most comprehensive listing of crash mail.

Movement of Aircraft on Imperial Airways' African Route 1931 - 1939 researched and compiled by Peter Wingent. Published in 1991. Contains listings of all available information on every flight on the Imperial Airways African Route taken from The Times newspapers archives. Very useful for studying Indian airmails to and from Africa.

Indian Airmails by Jeffrey Brown. Published first in 1995 and later updated and published digitally. perhaps the most authoritative compilation on Indian Airmails.

La Service Postal Aerien dans les Pays D'Expression Francais by Pierre Saulgrain. Published in 1996, this catalogue in French records flights 1906 -1986 between French territories. This is the only modern listing I have come across for flights to French Territories in India and complements lists published by Muller almost 50 years before this.

Imperial Airways' Empire Flying Boat Services 1936 - 1939 researched and compiled by Peter Wingent. Published in 1997. Largely compiled from the Southern Daily Echo, Southampton. All reported information on the service including the Australia route which naturally passed through India, and peppered with maps and philatelic material.

Movement of Aircraft on Imperial Airways' Eastern Route, Volume 1, 1927 - 1937 researched and compiled by Peter Wingent. Published in 1999. Contains listings of all available information on every flight on the Imperial Airways Eastern Route taken from The Times newspapers archives. A must for studying Indian airmails of that era.

Indian Air Mail Postage Rates until 1956 by Jeffrey Brown. Published in 2000 and also available digitally, this sister companion to Indian Airmails complements the study of the subject.

The Royal Air Force Cairo - Baghdad Air Mail Service 1921 - 1929 by William C. Andrews. Published in 2000. The Cairo - Baghdad Air Service was taken over by Imperial Airways in 1927. This book gives the history before this change. The pioneering effort of the RAF and plenty of information on mail carried. of interest to Indian Aerophilatelists because this was the vital air link needed to connect India by air to the west.

Schweizereisches Luftpost - Handbuch Ausgabe 2000, published by Verlag Multipress in 2000 in German, this catalogues all Swiss airmails. Many Swiss destinations are of importance to Indian aerophilatelists for mail to India, and this comprehensively lists them out.

Wartime Airmails, The Locally Registered and Foreign Air Services of British Asia. Published in 2001 by the Chavril Press. Information on domestic airlines, routes, aircraft etc. in India before and during the war. also on the Airgraph service.

Indian Airmails, Development and Operations (1911 - 1942) by Pradeep Jain. Published in 2002, this book is beautifully illustrated with very rare Indian Airmails from the authors prize winning collection.

Air Crash Mail of Imperial Airways and Predecessor Airlines by Kendall C. Sanford. Published in 2003, the books complements Nierinck and contains plenty of photographs, press clippings and covers form the authors collection.

Movement of Aircraft on Imperial Airways' Eastern Route, Volume 2, 1937 - 1939 researched and compiled by Peter Wingent. Published in 2005. Contains listings of all available information on every flight on the Imperial Airways Eastern Route taken from The Times newspapers archives. A must for studying Indian airmails of that era.

Bridging the Continents in Wartime by Hans E. Aitink and Egbert Hovernkamp. Published in 2005, and reprinted in 2013, this book has the most detailed information on flights covering all important airmail routes during 1939 - 1945. A must for anyone interested in studying routes and rates, of simply making sense of wartime mail to and from India during this period.

Indian Airmails 1947 - 2003 by Vijay Seth. (N.D.) An illustrated listing of stamps, flight covers, air letters, etc., related to Indian Airmails.

The Australian Air Mail Catalogue by Nelson Eustis & Tom Frommer. Last published in 2008, this is the definitive source for listing of significant and collectable mail between India and Australia.

India Post, The Journal of the India Study Circle for Philately 1950 - 2007. CD ROM published c. 2008 contains all back issues of the stated period. Unfortunately a little difficult to search, but literally a treasure trove of information.

India Post, The Journal of the India Study Circle for Philately 2008 - 2012. CD ROM published c. 2013 contains all back issues of the stated period. Unfortunately a little difficult to search, but literally a treasure trove of information.

Intercontinental Airmails, Volume Two, Asia and Australasia by Edward B. Proud. Published in 2009, this is Vol II which is the one relevant to Intercontinental Indian Airmail, of a three volume set he wrote with amazing detail about airmails; flights, schedules, postal rates, ship connections etc. From the start of airmails, and all the way through the war. Lots of information on wartime routes and rates as well.

The Ross Smith Stamp & its Postal History by Tom Frommer. Published in 2011, this book has everything you want to about the stamp and mail on that flight. The author has tracked down and listed and illustrated to the extent possible every known mail article carried, including the very rarely seen mail to and from India.

Centenary of Indian Airmails 1911 - 2014 by Vijay Seth & J. R. Nanda. Published in 2014. This time with more text and many more images, going back to the pioneer flight era.

Airmails across the Middle East 1918 - 1930 by Laurence Kimpton. The definitive study on the subject, listing all known mail and flights. The opening of this difficult route was a critical hurdle to be overcome before airmail to India could begin.

The 1929 Airmail Stamps of India by Dipak, Priti and Markand Dave. Published in 2015, this is study of over 200 errors and varieties in this particular issue of airmail stamps in six values with over a decade of effort invested.

India 1929 Air Mail Stamps by Rohit Prasad. Published in 2015, this is a very well presented book on the same subject. Many examples on cover make it all the more interesting.

Books on Indian Rocket Mail:

Rocket Mail Catalogue and Historical Survey of First Experiments in Rocketry by Stephen H. Smith. Second Revised Edition published in 1955. The earliest book I have seen on rocket mail and who better to bring it out than our own Stephen H. Smith.

A Specialised Price Catalogue of Indian Rocket Mails Stamps and Vignettes, compiled by Jal Cooper. Published in 1960. This is the book that re-kindled interest in collecting Indian Rocket mail, and pretty much lists all of Stephen Smiths rocket mail experiments in India and in Sikkim. Detailed listings with quantities and prices.

Elington - Zwisler Rocket Mail Catalog by Jesse T. Ellington and Perry F. Zwisler. Published in 1967, this world-wide catalog includes detailed India listings.

From the Diary of Stephen Smith, compiled by D. N. Jatia for the Philatelic Congress of India. Published n 1980. Brings to light many amazing photographs, sketches and other details of Stephen Smith's notes about this rocket mail experiments.

Pionerraketenpost und Komische Post by Walter Michael Hopferweiser. Published in 2016, this German language publication is a worldwide priced catalogue with a very fine section on Stephen Smith's India and Sikkim experiments, including very the rare War time covers.

Books on Zeppelin and Catapult mail (India listings included):

The Orient Flight LZ 127 - Graf Zeppelin by Fred F. Blau and Cyril Deighton. Published in 1980 by the German Philatelic Society, it is reprinted by Postilion. A very interesting study of this remarkable flight.

Commercial Zeppelin Flights to South America by John Duggan and Jim Graue. Published in 1995, this book has the history, and comprehensive listings of flights, postmarks etc. Well illustrated.

Zeppelin Specialized Catalogue 2003 by Michel, Published in 2003, this is a comprehensive listing of Zeppelin mail. Helps understand some nuances that make the subject all the more fascinating.

Special Airship Mail and Postcard Catalogue 2005 by Frost. Another comprehensive listing and very well organised and illustrated.

German North Atlantic Catapult Airmail Flights 1929 - 1935 by James W. Graue. First Published in 2004 and a second edition in 2014, this is of great interest to Catapult Mail collectors. Not much is widely known about this subject in India, though some mail does exist.