Description:

1918 (June 3) New York-Boston attempted First Air Mail Flight per French military aviator Lieutenant Vanel envelope with 'Aero Club of America/...' imprint at upper-left & 24c Airmail (straight-edge at right) tied by 'AIR MAIL SERVICE_____/JUN/3/1918/FIRST TRIP/NEW YORK' cds & 'BOSTON MASS/JUN6/1918/BACK BAY STN' machine cancel on arrival, 'AERIAL MAIL...' & 'Special Delivery' h/s both in purple, redirected to Nebraska with Omaha b/s & then back to New York. The cover has been signed "Vanel" (the pilot), "Peary" (the famed Arctic explorer), "AS Burlesm" (the US Postmaster-General) and "Woodrow Wilson" (the US President)! [Unfortuantly for Lt Vanel, his plane crashed on take-off and three days later Lt TH Webb was credited with having flown the first US air mail. As far as airmail souvenirs go, this is a cracker!]