Desiring to expand air links with the far east, Qantas Empire Airways (QEA) conducted a successful proving flight to Hong Kong in March 1949. Regular services commenced on the 26th of June 1949.

This air mail cover was flown on the first regular Qantas service from Sydney to Hong Kong, via Darwin and Labuan (Borneo), aboard Douglas DC-4 Skymaster VH-EBM Pacific Trader. Total flight time was 23 hours, 45 minutes. The cover is signed by Captain J M Hampshire.

The cover was postmarked at Sydney GPO 26JE49 and also at Hong Kong on arrival. The blue/grey vignette was produced for the flight by QEA. The addressee, E A Crome, was a leading aerophilatelist whose extensive collections now reside in the National Library of Australia and the Powerhouse Museum.

Original cover 135 x 110 mm.

(Cover: Phil Vabre collection)

Click here to see an air mail cover from the return flight

Read the Foreword to the 1948-49 DCA Annual Report

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