Hello, Hope you are having a good weekend.. been lovely here,, and I found a few minutes to look through some stamps. Have been thinking of aircraft on stamps, 

a) because I am doing my First Flight covers for the A380 first commercial flight and

b) I know there are a few of you who like the subject, and hey,  

c) I like the subject.    And as it happens someone sent me some of these stamps.  I should add my scanner has lightened the background colour.. it has a much darker background in reality.

I only have the 1s 6d mint, and a couple of copies...   at least that is all I have found so far..  but if you just collect aircraft on stamps.. let me know and if you can tell me the aircraft type and airline I might be able to send you a copy.. mint unhinged...  a lot of postage for one stamp so offer me something in exchange eh!!!    some aircraft stamps you have a spare of.. mint or used I dont mind....

This SG 275 sadly not one of the 14 varieties...  Anyone got a copy of each variety???.. That would be a wonderful collection...  what you might call specialised..

Maybe something to aim for.. what do you think?... I am always looking for a new challenge   enjoy your stamps... best wishes.. Michael

Hello everyone,   Three in one tonight, thematic stamps, a different mail category and shaped stamps. 

Anyone collect balloons on stamps?  surely plenty around, and these are rather nice..   and very shapely!!!!    I don’t have them, just a big thank you to one of my readers who sent me the scan…

Now for Balloon Mail, this refers to the transport of mail (usually for weight reasons in the form of a postcard) carrying the name of the sender by means of an unguided hydrogen or helium filled balloon. Since the balloon is not controllable, the recipient of a balloon mail is left to coincidence. Often the balloon and postcard are lost. A found balloon should be returned to the sender (by conventional post) with an indication of the discovery site, so that the sender can determine how far their balloon flew.    How many of you new that..  I didn’t, I have to admit

Balloon mail has been used for spreading information and propaganda materials, in particular for spreading propaganda to the population in countries with dictatorial governments. A balloon can be released from outside of the sphere of influence of these governments and, wind permitting, can travel several hundred kilometers.

During the siege of Paris between 23 September 1870  and 22 January 1871, 65 unguided mail balloons were discharged, of which only two went missing. The special balloon postcards were 10 x 7 cm, and were manufactured of thin green paper. (See scan)  There was a maximum weight of 4 g. The postcards carried an address, and it was hoped that the finder of a balloon would forward it through conventional mail. Twenty cents were charged for postage (more if the destination lay outside France).

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_mail" 

And finally.. I could not forget the kangaroos..  have a look at http://www.narrabri.atnf.csiro.au/   now when I checked I found that they show a different picture each time you go to the page, rotating around a few pictures....  so I suggest you go to the page a few times..   shucks..  no wonder no one found the answer ...  the clue to this was to click on the Compact Array link from the page I referred you to in my article. ..perhaps you did.. well try again a few times.. I think you will enjoy the picture..

Have a great weekend..  Michael

Hello,  before I show the stamps tonight I just want to say how totally depressed I am that no one wrote to me with the answer to last nights question.. how many kangaroos???..  it was so easy I thought.. but obviously you are either bored with my questions or just  having a dumb moment.........   surely someone has the wherewithall to work it out....       OK no more prizes until I get the answer  

 Anyway...I received the above letter in the mail today.. now how thoughtful was the sender..  really nice stamps..... and notice how the stamps are not right on the edge of the envelope.. so they are not creased..   well done I say..   

Hope you enjoy seeing these...  and finally thanks for letters I received today.. stamps for childrens corner..  yes much appreciated..   and since I have at leats 10 requests outstanding the timing was brilliant

Must go.   enjoy your stamps..  Michael

there is not a lot of it in my brain I have to admit..    wish I had more time to be organised...  but tonight a few items..

to start with.. in case you ever wonder..  winners of my trivia questions... and yes I am slow in mailing  .. oops.. and sorry..   Glenn from Canada for BOAC cover question,  Jane from Canada on A380 Postmark design ..  Jose from Portugal for Irving Berlin question, Irene from Australia for Isle of Eigg question.. what ever it was..  and Mark from US on A380 Wingspan question.

If you haven't received your covers / stamps .. be patient..    and hey tell a friend about the blog

Tonight .. space on stamps again..   first the stamps.. these are from Poland.. 

I found them in an old album..  I have no idea if they are part of a set.. and of course don't have time to check....  but I thought they were ok..  interesting design difference to the new Australia ones I showed the other night, don't you think..   Not sure which I prefer to be honest...  becoming a procrastinator in my old age  ..maybe these the more I think about it........  your thought???????????

Then there is this picture of the Parkes Telescope 

Have a look at http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/  you will enjoy this if you are half interested in space. I had a most enjoyable visit there a few years back.  I had a picture of me and the observatory.. but I knew you didn't want to see me  so am just showing this one from my album.

Ok for a prize.. a set of the Australia Space stamps issued next week... how many kangaroos would you expect to see if you visited the Australia Telescope Compact Array .. I was there as well so I know..      trick question  hee hee

Enjoy your stamps.. and everything they can bring to our lives...........  Michael

well  I maybe misled you a little with the subject.. but hope you like this all the same.. 

a very tatty cover I will admit... oh well, I still thought you might like to see this

The 11d stamp is good cat but seems to have a slight toning on perfs.    But if you like it and want it for your collection ..  it is available first $50 into my Paypal account    .. no please dont send me money I am only joking...  or first correct answer to...  which Beatles song has the mention of BOAC in the opening line..??

The cover is backstamped Tokyo...  probably worth a lot in good condition eh!!!!Pity these are never looked after..  it is 54 years plus ago..  amazing..

and just for your information.. this cover was issued less than one year after BOAC started flying Comets..  a nice aircraft I can say..   ye god that ages me   and if you are interested (or not, I am going to tell you) I flew on the last BA Comet flight..  and the aircarft reg was GA something MD  cool eh!!    well these little things amuse me  

Best wishes.. enjoy your stamps..  Michael

Hello,  Sorry I did not write yesterday..computer problems.   and while I have got this machine to work my wireless network is not a wireless network any longer..  oh don't you just love technology. Anyway my computer man is coming round tomorrow..  hopefully he will fix it.

This is the Irving Berlin stamp.. I was talking about the other night..  so many of you got it and well done to Jose in Portugal who was the winner .. a cover will be mailed soon..

Tonight.. Space .. on stamps... these are the new Australia issue..  2nd October issue date   ..  should be a popular issue me thinks..  I am planning to use them on my A380 FDC...  not quite sure how yet.. but they will be there.. 

I can supply - at cost plus postage and packaging - if you would like a set, or miniature sheet.........   I should also let you know these will be withdrawn from issue on 30th October 2007..  yes a short availability......  and I will be offering one miniature sheet as a prize for the 5th correct answer to this question 

.........almost all of the television images covering the 1969 Apollo II mission came through what tracking stations.......

and .......for a bonus set of mint stamps..   what tracking stations' radio telescope supported this event 

and, if I remember in a few days time, I'll find some photographs of the supporting tracking station, as I was there a few years ago doing some astonomy / star watching myself ..awesome place I have to say.

enjoy your stamps..  Michael

Hello,   I am out of town and wanted to show a stamp.. but the computer I am on does not have the software for me to save the picture such that I can load to this site.. so a few questions..  as today in 1989 (22nd September) this very talented man died.

Born in Russia, in his leietime he wrote some 1500 songs and was really well recognised in the US.

He wrote for the Ziegfeld Follies and in 1919 he formed his own music-publishing business. In 1921 he became a partner in the construction of the Music Box Theater in New York, and he staged his own popular revues at the theater for several years.

He played and composed in an unconventional manner, using primarily the black keys of a piano fitted with a lever, which shifted the keyboard for automatic transposition. In 1973 he donated the upright piano to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

A GB cover as a prize, if you send me your mailing address please.....  to lets say 22nd correct answer.. that gives people in some far off tome zones a chance...

Wil show the commemorative stamp tomorrow.. Enjoy your stamps..   Michael

Hello,   I am out of town and wanted to show a stamp.. but the computer I am on does not have the software for me to save the picture such that I can load to this site.. so a few questions..  as today in 1989 (22nd September) this very talented man died.

Born in Russia, in his leietime he wrote some 1500 songs and was really well recognised in the US.

He wrote for the Ziegfeld Follies and in 1919 he formed his own music-publishing business. In 1921 he became a partner in the construction of the Music Box Theater in New York, and he staged his own popular revues at the theater for several years.

He played and composed in an unconventional manner, using primarily the black keys of a piano fitted with a lever, which shifted the keyboard for automatic transposition. In 1973 he donated the upright piano to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

A GB cover as a prize, if you send me your mailing address please.....  to lets say 22nd correct answer.. that gives people in some far off tome zones a chance...

Wil show the commemorative stamp tomorrow.. Enjoy your stamps..   Michael

because I was reading stamps sites and now run out of time to write the piece I wanted to... on GB GV..    OK tomorrow.. or over  the weekend..   I promise I will try.

but I did read - as I often do  http://groups.msn.com/StampsofGreatBritain/home.htm  all GB really except the occasional digression from me  oops!!!  but I noticed the group is nearly 1000 members.. now this is a pretty awesome achievement and one I am really pleased for John the owner....  I met him a few years back.. the group had not been going that long and I think there were a few hundred in thegroup... I was lucky enough to join and meet Johnm and as I say I think this is really one of the best groups around...  so if you collect GB or have any interest in GB you really should have a browse by.. and join..  lets get to the 1000 members..    maybe something special for the 1000th member.. keep reading

enjoy your stamps.. Michael

very quickly tonight.. I so did want to write something serious about some GV GB.. just ran out of time, and then was looking at eBay.. that lot I told you about the other night.. have you been following the messages..  do have a look  and enjoy the reading..  no comment from me other than that..

11016901983  at eBay

enjoy your stamps.. and hey, tell me what you think..   crazy world or what!!!

isn't what it used to be..    but look at these and what do you remember

Many years ago this incredible guitarist was playing and maybe you saw him.. I did, before he became the icon he became..  at a small club  just outside London..  he was a supporting act if I recall.... not sure I remember too much of the time.. but as they say if you remember you were not there

He died this day September 18th, in London, in 1970..  so that is my stamp showing tonight..  read  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix and enjoy the thrill of the times back then .. oh and do you know where Ingushe is.. or even that they issued stamps?  well I didn't until tonight...  always learning from stamps 

Nite.. Michael

Hello.. not well..  at all.. so sorry there is nothing exciting to read from me.. did see this though..  110169019831  .....ebay listing ..    am lost for words..   

enjoy your stamps...  Michael

hello,   another week just shot by..   same for you??   I just finished a 2 hour conference call with India.. well better than going to the meeting !!! .. so what did you do on  friday night      probably got a life eh!!!    and I still have work to do but stamps come first this time..  so here is the answer to my piece last night..

So don't you think this is rather special..    I have not heard of this before..  I did manage to get some of these stamps, in fact I got the last FDC in my local Post Office..  they had sold out of the Miniature sheet.. but this is worth having all the same.. even if the cover is pretty boring.. well I think so.

Better get back to work..  enjoy your stamps.. best wishes.. Michael

These were issued on July10th and  I don't have them, yet.... will see if I can get a set or two, or maybe a miniature sheet. Somehow I think I won't.. and you may know why, or by tomorrow you will if you keep reading.

This is the Miniature sheet that was issued. Intersting don't you think.   Have you ever seen one like this before. It was a first for Australia Post. There is something quite unique about it and that is apart from the se-tenant layout.  What is it?.

I will show you tomorrow if you don't know.  My thanks for the idea for this piece from David Mallen,  he from Australian Stamp Variations .. do have a look, I have his site on my links...amazing detail and so interesting.

enjoy your stamps.. Michael

Hello. well actually dots is not technically correct as the marks are shaped..  as you can see from the scans..  same four stamps.. for some reason the first scan did not pick up the true colour of the dots ..  which are light grey I might add..  and when I rescanned with different settings I got what is more a negative image and from which you can see the shape of the dots better.

anyway.. the dots or whatever you want to call them are from the franking machine as far as I know. I read an article on these some time back and for the life of me cannot find it, but I am guessing someone out there knows a lot about these postal markings.  I am sure my mate Roy at MachinMania wrote about them.. or we spoke about them. The reason being, there is debate as to whether they are  "proper" frankings to us purests that like to see a town and date cancel etc etc.. rather than some computer read and processed image.. lets leave it at that!!   Anyone have details  email me and I'll share with others.

As far as I am concerned.. they spoil and "damage" the stamp.  There,  that should provoke some debate...  And on the subject of debate ( I do tee myself up don't I..   )  if you are interested in reading and moreso discussing Machins I do recommend you register and read http://allgreendownload.com/MachinForum/index.php  this is Dave Arthurs Machin Forum..   I enjoy it..  a newbie forum in some ways so lets get it going..  

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael 

hello,  ok last flight story for a while..    some of you may not enjoy aircraft as much as I do... and I have had emails I need to write articles on, about other stamp topics...  grey dots on  GB stamps tomorrow for one   and for all of you who I have not replied to,.. sorry, forgive me.. but please keep writing

what about this cover.. another I found.. I must be crazy as I should be selling on eBay but I don't have time so this as a give away to the first answer to the question I will eventually ask..  when I think of it   ha ha

First this  cover / stamp / plane has nothing to do with my question..   I just saw the cover and thought of this..  weird mind eh!!  anyway.. what is the Zephyr and what does it have to do with solar power...   read this to find out..  shape of things to come   http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jDzrd5aqDGSfF_ZdffS66cui4s1Q  no that is not the question for the cover.. the question for the cover is....  what is the wingspan of the aircraft...compared to the A380 wingspan.. hee hee .. ratios here please.. so we have aircraft, stamps and now maths .. oh this is just too much    will I lose readership.. ok back to straight stamps tomorrow

Enjoy your stamps..  Michael

Hello,, looking through my flight covers  I came across this..  awesome  looking "airship" don't you think..    and it had a length of 84 feet..   in the picture it looks big doesn't it,  and dont we think of airships as big...   well compare this to the A380 which I seem to have on my mind ...  which is 239.5 feet in length.. 

so tell me .. to win this cover if you email me the correct answer to cddstamps@gmail.com and include your mailing address.. is the A380 length greater or lesser then its width measured wing tip to wing tip...??

enjoy your stamps.. oh...........and I just thought of a new competition..  you design a commemorative postmark for the Sydney to Singapore flight.. first commercial A380 flight from Sydney to Singapore  - it is the return of the Singapore Airways flight from Singapore to Sydney and departs 26 October 2007 ..   design a frank..   I'll chose the one I  like the best and get a handstamp made..   there will surely be a prize.. time will tell   email me in jpeg format if you possibly can

Michael

Hello... did you try earlier.. and the site was down...   yes me too.. but I did post to the back up site..  http://cddstamps.blogspot.com    did you remember there was an alternate....   book mark it while you remember it ..

anyway a short piece tonight.. this is what I said... will keep it short tonight ... hope you like these stamps.. actually I am looking for some more.. anyone have these, that they want to trade for something.. GB maybe.. or Australia.. email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

A date I am so looking forward to and one I am sure I will always remember. 

I will be on this aircraft flying from Singapore to Sydney.. on the first ever commercial flight of the A380.

These stamps will be on covers I have designed and which I will carry on the flight, and which I hope to get franked in Singapore airport, and then franked again on arrival in Sydney....    and if I am really smooth talking maybe signed by some of the crew...

I will make a limited edition and yes, I will sell a few to cover the costs but also to let collectors have something rather special, well I hope so.   If you are interested please email me at cddstamps@gmail.com ..  I am only looking at producing 25 copies.. maybe less.. so these will be quite unique as I see it.

I've been interested in the A380 for quite some time.. years in fact, and I produced a flight cover for it's first flight into Sydney.. as some of you may recall.. I even wrote a blog on the stamps of the A380.. but somehow it fell by the wayside..  I lost the link and the material I created.. and didn't continue.. I should have really..   anyway....I am copying some material from Wikipedia   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A380  ( you can read lots more details there)  so you can read something about the aircraft itself.  Apology if this doesn't interest you.. but I think it is quite interesting so am sharing my interest with you.

Five A380s were built for testing and demonstration purposes.The first prototype, serial number 001 and registration F-WWOW, was unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse on 18th January 2005. Its maiden flight took place on 27th April 2005. The prototype, equipped with Trent 900 engines, departed runway 32L of Toulouse Blagnac International Airport with a flight crew of six headed by chief test pilotJacques Rosay, carrying 20 tonnes  of flight test instrumentations and water ballast. The take-off weight of the aircraft was 421 tonnes (464 short tons); although this was only 75 percent of its maximum take-off weight, it was the heaviest take-off weight of any passenger airliner ever flown.

In mid-November 2005, the A380 embarked on a tour of Southeast Asia and Australia for promotional and for long-haul flight testing purposes, visiting Singapore, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur. During this tour, the livery of Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Malaysia Airlines were applied in addition to the Airbus house livery. On  19th November, an A380 flew in full Emirates livery at the Dubai Air Show.

On 10th January 2006, the A380 made its first transatlantic flight to Medellín in Colombia, to test engine performance at a high altitude airport. It arrived in North America on 6 February, when an A380 landed in Iqaluit, Nunavut in Canada for cold-weather testing. The same aircraft then flew to Singapore to participate in the Asian Aerospace 2006 exhibition, in full Singapore Airlines livery.

On 26th March 2006, the A380 underwent evacuation certification in Hamburg in Germany. With 8 of the 16 exits blocked, 853 passengers and 20 crew left the aircraft in 78 seconds, less than the 90 seconds required by certification standards. Three days later, the A380 received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to carry up to 853 passengers.

The first A380 planned for delivery to a customer, serial number 003 and registration  F-WWSA, took to the air in May 2006. The maiden flight of the first A380 with GP7200 engines (F-WWEA) took place on 25 August2006.

On4 September2006, the first full passenger-carrying flight test took place. The aircraft flew from Toulouse with 474 Airbus employees on board, in the first of a series of flights to test passenger facilities and comfort. In November 2006, a further series of route proving flights took place to demonstrate the aircraft's performance for 150 flight hours under typical airline operating conditions.

As of September 2007, ten A380s had flown, and the five A380s in the test programme had logged over 2,900 hours during 1,995 test flights. During testing and route proving, the A380 visited 24 countries: Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hong Kong , Iceland, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, the United Kingdom and United States of America. Airbus obtained the A380 type certificate from the EASA and FAA on 12 December2006 in a joint ceremony at the company's French headquarters. The airframe still needs to receive production certification.

Amazing me thinks..  and this only scratches the surface of the awesome facts and figures and information that exists about this aircraft.

So, were you paying attention    ..........when was its maiden flight.. date, month and year..  and a prize...  a flight cover.. not A380 though.. to the first three correct answers...    hey,  are you pleased you read this far

Enjoy your stamps.. have a great weekend.. best wishes.. Michael

Now, does anyone know this word.... maybe Chris does..  hello Chris if you are reading..     I was sorting an old box of stamps today and found these.. 

both sadly creased I have to say, although mint unhinged all the same...  A lovely part of the world I have to say, although have not been to this island myself.  Google Eigg and enjoy the information if you don't know about this place.

if anyone wants these.. drop me an email at cddstamps@gmail.com and I will try to find a deserving winner

Blogs.. well I get some nice emails from all sorts of people..  one from another blog writer.. have a look at http://timbredujura.blogspot.com   a good site I think.. I hope you enjoy..  will add to my favourites... and on that subject.. if you are on my favourites and have not updated your blog for the last 12 plus months I plan to do a clean up this weekend..    nothing personal but time for a spring clean me thinks.. enjoy your stamps.. best wishes.. Michael  

I just do not  know what to write about..      we have APEC..    if you have no idea read this  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APEC   or the APEC web site.. http://www.apec2007.org/     then there is the Equine Flu..  something I have been following.. well not literally.    derrgghh...  but in the press.. for more, read this  http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/horse/influenza  ...of course if you are  reading either I also suggest you get a life...         but then again.. that is life here... lots of pollies pending lots of our money.. and no one spending an honest dollar betting on horses..    what a sad reflection on life     of course I am only half teasing..  

so,  to stamps.. found this cover..  

horse theme..   and with that a priority for me at the moment...... yes my horses are ok..     thankfully...  and I hope they stay that way.. with some 100 plus properties infected in NSW one just doesn't know what will happen next...   oh yes I know.. the price of A380 seats from Singapore seems to be getting  lower.. and I had no sponsorships..           I have to tell you I am devasted.. surely someone out there wants their name  on a FDC from Singapore on the very one and only first commercial flight  of this awesome aircraft..     .. ok perhaps not .. I'll go on my own ..     .. read previous writing if you are not with me..   keep up people.. please keep up....  

Enough...  time for more study of APEC agendas....   and must get to bed early because GWB arrives tomorrow..      oh what an exciting day it will be.. and to think my first meeting is right close to the Intercontinental Hotel.. I do so hope the meeting doesn't run late   ... think about it ..    

also, maybe new stamps tomorrow once I check out a rumour....

enjoy your stamps and whatever is going on in your town..     certainly nothing with any heavy dudes.. they are all here ....  hey lucky you ..  Michael