SA: 1925 ALAN J COBHAM IMPERIAL AIRWAYS SURVEY FLIGHT: Special flight card prepared for carriage on this landmark London-Cape flight. SIGNED BY COBHAM on reverse and bearing the RARE GREEN SPECIAL FLIGHT VIGNETTE LABEL. Cobham departed Croydon aerodrome on 16th November 1925 and arrived Cape Town 17th February 1926. These cards were posted from the various stops along the route, this example mailed from Marseilles (airport Marignane) (French 80c adhesive cancelled indistinct but attractively light cds Marignane, Bouches-du-Rhone 18 11 25). Relevant special cancellations. Superb, rare. Cobham had arrived in Le Bourget on the 16th, flew on to Lyon and Marseilles on the 17th "and as the hour was too late for us to make Pisa, our next intended stop, we pushed on to Marseilles (Marignane) instead and there spent the night. On the 18th bad weather welcomed us next morning, but after it had cleared a little we flew on again for Pisa..." See additional image below.
