Airmail of the Soviet Union

Stamps, postal history, cancels and labels related to airmail of the RSFSR and the Soviet Union. Numbering and postage rates according Michel catalogue.

Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR)[edit]

The RSFSR existed as independent state from 1917-11-07 to 1922-12-30.

1922[edit]

First commercial airmail service started 1922-06-04. The first flight departed from Moscow and routed Smolensk-Kaunas-Konigsberg and further by train to Berlin (3 first flight covers known). The rate for registered letters for this service was 60k.
1922-11-08: The RSFSR October Revolution commemorative overprinted with a red airplane. Only sold at the Moscow General Post Office.

RFSFR 45R - (№ 200x)

Soviet Union (USSR)[edit]

The USSR existed as independent federal state from 1922-12-30 to 1991-12-26.

1923[edit]

October 16, 1923: airmail rate set for international mail, valid to April 30, 1924. Both Soviet and RSFSR stamps could be used, the latter being recalculated at a daily published rate.

Letters - 50k per 20 grams

Fokker F.III single-engined high-winged monoplane aircraft

1923-08 Prepared airmail set but not issued and later sold to stampdealers. Imperforate, normal (x) or thin (y) paper. Depicting Fokker F.III.

1R - (№ XV)
3R - (№ XVI)
5R - (№ XVII)
10R - (№ XVIII)

1924[edit]

May 1, 1924: additional airmail rates set for international mail, valid to April 30, 1925.

Postcards - 32k
Registered letters - 60k per 20 grams

1924-05-05 issue: 1923 Fokker FIII set surcharged according new currency standard. Originally to be used exclusively for payment of the additional airmail fee but from 1926-09-06 allowed as franking for all mail types.

5k-20k set - (№ 267-270)
"Wide 5" variety, pane of 25 - (№ 268II, 10k on 1923 XVIIx type II)
1924-07-15 registered cover Moscow-Berlin. Correct 60k franking, (reverse 10k).

1925[edit]

May 1, 1925: new increased airmail rates for international mail, valid to April 30, 1926.

Postcards - 50k
Registered letters - 70k per 20 grams

1925-05-21 early airmail cover Leningrad-Basel Switzerland. Correct 50k rate.

1926[edit]

February 11, 1926. Airmail rates set for domestic mail, valid to May 1930. In addition to all other fees:

Postcards - 10k
Letters - 15k per 20 grams

May 1, 1926. Opening of the international Moscow – Berlin airline. New international airmail rates:

To Germany and other countries by airmail to Berlin and then by train or ship - 30k
To England, France and Holland - 40k
Registered letters - 58k

1927[edit]

May 1, 1927 Airmail rates, additional fee:

Postcards to Germany and other countries - 10k
Postcards to England and France - 16k
Letters to Germany and other countries - 15k
Letters to England and France - 26k
Registered letters - 44k

Tupolev ANT-3 plane

First International Air Post Congress at The Hague, initiated by the Soviet Union. 10k, 15k - (№ 326-327)
10k with broken '7' plate error
1927-07-12 registered airmail Moscow-Berlin. Correct 44k franking.
1927-10-04 airmail cover Moscow-Leysin Switzerland. Correct 44k franking.

1928[edit]

May 1, 1928 new airmail rates for despatch from Moscow, depending on destination. In addition to all other fees:

Postcards
- Danzig, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - 10k
- Bulgaria, Finland, Italy, Romania, Spain, Yugoslavia - 30k
- Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and other

countries via Germany - 20k

Letters
- Danzig, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - 20k
- Bulgaria, Finland, Italy, Romania, Spain, Yugoslavia - 40k
- Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and other

countries via Germany - 30k

1930[edit]

1930-09-13 cover Moscow-Berlin
Special biplane cancel for same-day air service Leningrad-Berlin

1930 - Zeppelin[edit]

On 10 September 1930 German airship LZ 127 'Graf Zeppelin' flew from Moscow to Germany, mail for despatch with this flight was accepted at the Moscow GPO, a few hours before take off. In addition to normal rates a fee was imposed and could be paid by stamps that were issued for this event. The rate for postcards was 40k (blue issue) and for letters 80k (red issue). Affixing both stamps on one mail item was not allowed.

Graf Zeppelin and a depiction of the 'Call to Complete the Five-Year Plan in Four Years'. perforated 40k, 80k - (№ 390-391)
Graf Zeppelin and a depiction of the 'Call to Complete the Five-Year Plan in Four Years'. imperforate 40k, 80k - (№ 390C-391C)
40k plate error: stop after '40'
1930-09-10 uprated postal card shipped by LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin
1930-09-10 cover shipped by LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin

1931[edit]

Zeppelin construction 10k-1R set used - (№ 397-401)
10k, 20k, 1R blocks of four - (№ 397, 399, 401)
50k slate blue 'Aspidka' - (№ 400)
1931-05-15 registered airmail cover Moscow-Berlin, philatelic full set franking
1931-06-08 registered airmail cover Moscow-Lorch (Germany), philatelic full set franking
1931-08-04 registered airmail cover Moscow-Stettin Germany. Correct 65k franking
1931-08-19 registered airmail cover Moscow-Stettin Germany. 75k franking
1931-09-08 registered airmail cover Moscow-Berlin. Correct 65k franking
USSR 1931-09-18 registered airmail cover Leningrad-USA, special biplane cancel 'LENINGRAD-BERLIN'
1931-09-19 registered airmail cover Moscow-Berlin-Vienna, 65k franking
USSR 1931-09-19 registered airmail cover Leningrad-Berlin-Vienna, special biplane cancel 'LENINGRAD-BERLIN'

1931 - Zeppelin Polar flight[edit]

The polar flight (Polarfahrt 1931) lasted from 24 to 31 July 1931. The Zeppelin rendezvoused with the Soviet icebreaker Malygin. It exchanged 120 kg (260 lb) of souvenir mail with the airship. Fifty thousand cards and letters, weighing 300 kg (660 lb), were flown. The costs of the expedition were met largely by the sale of special postage stamps issued by Germany and the Soviet Union to frank the mail carried on the flight.

Malygin perforate 30k-2R - (№ 402-405)
Malygin imperforate 30k-2R - (№ 402B-405B)
1931-07-25 postcard Graf Zeppelin Polar Flight 1931
1931-07-25 cover Graf Zeppelin Polar Flight 1931

1932[edit]

Airmail rates from May 1, 1932:

Afghanistan, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia:
- Postcards 20k
- Letters 40k per 20 grams / registered 75k

Austria, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Holland, Ireland, Japan:
- Postcards 40k
- Letters 50k per 20 grams

Domestic express airmail rates from May 15, 1932:

- Postcards 50k
- Letters 80k per 20 grams

15k - (№ 406)
50k, 1R - (№ 410-411)
1932-08-26 Polar expedition cover used for the first polar aircraft flight made in 1932 from Franz Josef Land to Arkhangelsk
1932-08-26 Polar expedition postcard used for the first polar aircraft flight made in 1932 from Franz Josef Land to Arkhangelsk
1932-09-15 registered airmail postal cover sent from Leningrad to Berlin, special biplane cancel 'LENINGRAD-BERLIN'
1932-09-19 registered airmail postal card sent from Leningrad to Basel, special biplane cancel 'LENINGRAD-BERLIN'

1933[edit]

Osoaviahim-1 balloon 5k-20k - (№ 453-455)
1933-06-14 cover Moscow-Zurich. Correct 85k franking.

1934[edit]

10 year airmail anniversary 5k-80k - (№ 462-466)
Osoaviakhim-1 memorial 5k, 10k, 20k - (№ 480-482)
Zeppelin 'SSSR-B4 Komsomolskaya Pravda' 5k - (№ 483)
Zeppelin landing 10k - (№ 484)
Zeppelin 'Klim Voroshilov' 15k - (№ 485)
Zeppelin engines 20k - (№ 486)
Zeppelin 'Lenin' 30k - (№ 487)
1934-07-29 registered express airmail cover Moscow-London
1934-10-20 registered express airmail cover Moscow-Luzern

1935-1936[edit]

From May 1, 1936 to June 9, 1950 the airmail tariff was set at 1.50 ruble for ordinary airmail and 2.30 ruble for registered airmail.

Chelyuskin rescue set 1k-50k - (№ 499-508)
Moscow-San Francisco 1R surcharge on 10k Levanevsky - (№ 527)
Variety small 'f' - (№ 527II PFII)
1935-01-15 registered express cover Moscow-Zurich
1936-10-13 registered cover Moscow-Prague. 2.30R correct franking.

1937[edit]

Tupolev ANT-14 unused miniature sheet - (№ 570 / B3)
Tupolev ANT-14 miniature sheet - (№ 570 / B3)
Airplane set 10k-1R - (№ 571-577)
1937-07-13 cover Moscow-Prague.1.50R correct franking.
1937-07-13 cover Moscow-Prague reverse

1938[edit]

Polar expedition set 10k-80k - (№ 584-587)
40k imperforate - (№ 586U)
First non-stop transpolar flight Moscow-Portland set 10k-50k - ((№ 595-598)

1939[edit]

Airmail rates from February 6, 1939 (decree number 152, 1 February 1939) to September 16, 1948:

Postcards:
- Domestic airmail 30K
- International airmail including registration 60K (1940)
- Separate registration for international airmail abolished (1940)

Letters:
- Domestic airmail 60K
- Registered 30K in addition to all other fees
- International airmail including registration 1R (1940)
- Separate registration for international airmail abolished (1940)

Types of 1938 Regular issue overprinted in red '18 August Aviation day':