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Auction: 20019 - The Shambhala collection of Tibet
Lot: 623

Tibet
British India Post Office
Mount Everest Flights
The Houston Mount Everest Expedition
1933 (5 Apr.) the Kanchenjunga Flight (on 4th April), envelope to London bearing India ½a. and Air Mail 8a. tied by the special circular Purnea c.d.s. in purple with Air Mail vignette and manuscript "certified that this cover has been over KANCHENJUNGA 4.4.33 PFM Fellows", the reverse bearing both typed IX and X postmarks and pencil "Flown over Kanchenjunga on April 4th A/Com PFM Fellows and certified by him". Good to fine and rare as only two cover carried. Photo

The Houston Mount Everest Expedition was mounted to fly over the summit of Mount Everest, two attempts having been sanctioned by the King of Nepal. The aeroplanes used were both Westlands, a PV-3 G-ACAZ and a Wallace PV-6 G-ACBR, each powered by a single Bristol Pegasus engine. The two flights over the summit by Squadron Leader the Marquis of Douglas and Clydesdale in the PV-3 and FLt. D.F. McIntyre in the PV-6 were both successful, the first on 3 April, 1933, and the second on 19 April, with 60 covers carried on the 3rd and eight on the 19th. On 4th April, 1933, Air Commodore P.F.M. Fellowes DSO, leader of the Expedition, decided to order another high altitude flight to test the survey cameras and other equipment. He and Flying Officer R.C.W. Ellison, each flying his own aircraft undertook a test flight over Kanchenjunga. They became separated near the summit of the mountain and, when Ellison in the PV-6 was about to resume station on the PV-3, Fellows began to turn left. Ellison had to turn away so steeply that he side-slipped for about 2,000 feet. Unable to rejoin his leader he returned alone. Fellows, having trouble with his oxygen mask and having to navigate for many miles over low clouds, laid a faulty course, realized he was lost and made an emergency landing at Dinajpur, some 60 miles east of Purnea, where, short of petrol, he spent the night. Each member of the expedition was allowed to place one envelope in the mailbag to be flown on the first attempt.


1933年4月5日由乾城章嘉峰航班 (4月4日) 寄倫敦信函, 貼印度1/2a. 及航空票8a. 各一, 銷紫色特別Purnea 日戳, 貼有航空標簽, 並手寫 "certified that this cover has been over KANCHENJUNGA 4.4.33 PFM Fellows", 封背蓋了IX型及X 型郵戳, 鉛筆寫 "Flon over Kanchenjunga on April 4th A/Com PFM Fellows and certified by him". 保存完好及罕見, 只有兩件信函經此航路遞送.

Sold for
HK$38,000

Starting price
HK$9000