XN000022-1984-02-17 — Page 10

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1984

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STAMPS TO MARK HONG KONG'S AVIATION HISTORY

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THE POST OFFICE WILL BE ISSUING ON MARCH 7 FOUR STAMPS DEPICTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AVIATION IN HONG KONG.

DISCLOSING THIS TODAY, A POST OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID + HONG KONG HAS A LONG HISTORY IN THE FIELD OF AVIATION STARTING WITH THE FIRST BALLOON FLIGHT IN THE TERRITORY IN 1891. KAI TAK WAS RECLAINED IN 1927 AND SUBSEQUENTLY DEVELOPED TO THE AIRPORT AS IT STANDS TODAY.+

THE FOUR STAMPS TO BE ISSUED ARE

40 - THE 'DORADO WAS ONE OF THE IMPERIAL AIRWAYS' FLEET CENTS OF TWELVE DH 86A AIRCRAFT. IT WAS THE AIRCRAFT WHICH

STARTED INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT IN HONG KONG. ON MARCH 24, 1936 IT ARRIVED AT KAI TAK ON THE INAUGURAL FLIGHT ESTABLISHING A WEEKLY SERVICE BETWEEN PENANG AND HONG KONG. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ON BOARD 16 BAGS OF MAIL AND ONE PASSENGER. THE DH 86A COULD CARRY TEN PASSENGERS, CRUISED AT 145 MPH AND HAD A RANGE OF 764 MILES.

$1.00

- THE PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS HONG KONG' CLIPPER (S-42 B)

WAS ONE OF THE CLIPPERS USED BY PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS WHEN IT STARTED A REGULAR SERVICE IN 1937 TO MANILA. THE $-42 CARRIED 28 PASSENGERS AND A CRUISING SPEED OF 163 MPH.

$1.30 - A CATHAY PACIFIC BOEING 747 LANDING AT KAI TAK AIRPORT.

$5.00

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THE BALLOON IN WHICH THE BALDWIN BROTHERS FROM AMERICA MADE THEIR ASCENT FROM HAPPY VALLEY ON JANUARY 3, 1891.

DESIGNED BY MR MEL HARRIS, THE STAMPS WILL BE ON DISPLAY ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE GENERAL POST OFFICE, CONNAUGHT PLACE AND IN THE TSIM SHA TSUI POST OFFICE DAILY FROM FEBRUARY 29 TO MARCH 6 FROM 9.30 AM TO 4.30 PM.

THE OFFICIAL FIRST DAY COVERS WILL BE PUT ON SALE ON FEBRUARY 22 AT 50 CENTS EACH. THEY WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN INSERT CARD CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT THE STAMPS, ADVANCE ORDERS FOR SERVICING FIRST DAY COVERS WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM FEBRUARY 22 AT ALL POST OFFICES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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A SET OF FOUR ATTRACTIVE POSTCARDS, BEING ENLARGEMENTS OF THE STAMPS, WILL ALSO BE PUT ON SALE ON FEBRUARY 22 AT $1 EACH.

+THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE POST OFFICE HAS ISSUED POSTCARDS DEPICTING SPECIAL ISSUE POSTAGE STAMPS, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.

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