Story: Taranaki region

Bell Block airmail stamp

Bell Block airmail stamp

The first official airmail from Australia to New Zealand arrived at Bell Block aerodrome, New Plymouth, on 12 April 1934, in the aircraft Faith in Australia, piloted by Charles Ulm. The following year a set of three airmail stamps was issued by the New Zealand Post Office. Designed by James Berry, they depicted the airfield and its hangar. Although the stamps are sometimes said to show Ulm’s arrival, the aircraft is a Union Airways De Havilland Rapide – not Faith in Australia, an Avro 10 Trimotor.

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New Zealand Post
Reference: 1935 Airmail stamp issue

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How to cite this page:

Ron Lambert, 'Taranaki region - Transport and communications', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/postage-stamp/25377/bell-block-airmail-stamp (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Ron Lambert, updated 1 Aug 2015