Octave Chanute

Aviation Pioneer

Fred Collins Signature on cover back

Spring 2017 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 4 X101 — Octave Chanute

After obtaining the stamps and cancels at the official city of Chanute, KS, I hired a small plane to Tulsa. From there I flew commercial to Illinois and my unofficial first day destination of Chanute Air Force Base. (I attended technical school there during my Air Force years.) I got the covers postmarked at the base post office which is great for this aviation theme cover which is truly an early beauty. The second cancel ties both pairs to the envelope. This philatelic adventure is told on pages 30 and 31 of my book.

Spring 2024 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 3 X101 — Octave Chanute — Aviation Pioneer— 3-29-79

This cover was produced literally on "a wing and a prayer." After securing the first day cancels at Chanute, Kansas on a PNC (plate number pair), I chartered a single engine plane, and we left from the small Chanute Air Field at 10 AM and headed south. After several heavy rain squalls, we landed at Tulsa Airport at 11 AM. Due to foul weather, my flight to Chicago on American Airlines was delayed, and I arrived in Chicago at 2:30 PM instead of 1:15. My 2:05 flight via Ozark Airlines to Champaign, Illinois was thankfully delayed also because of the weather, and I just jumped on board as it was about to taxi out. I arrived at Champaign at 3:30 PM and after a 40-minute cab ride arrived at my destination — Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois just 20 minutes before closing time! I was the only person to make it, and the result is a cover with a great second unofficial cancel with three different flights between the cancels. It is very appropriate for these covers to have been "flown." This cover has an official first day of issue hand cancel from Chanute, Kansas on a pair of the stamps. An unofficial hand cancel from Chanute Air Force Base Station is on the second pair, tying both pairs to the cover. The hand painted cachet shows a manned early glider in flight.