Scarce and impressive flight-flown commemorative airmail postal cover, 9.5 x 4, carried by Hughes on his triumphant 1938 around-the-world flight. The cover, issued in conjunction with the 1939 New York World’s Fair, bears several postage stamps, postmarks, and rubber stamps indicating the primary stops on the record-setting journey: Paris, Moscow, Omsk, Yakutsk, Fairbanks, Minneapolis, and the final destination, New York City. The front of the envelope has been nicely signed in fountain pen by Hughes and his co-pilot, Harry Connor. A bit of expected wrinkling and the postmark touching first name of Connor’s signature, otherwise very fine, fresh condition.
In July 1938, Hughes set out from an airfield on Long Island, New York, in a specially designed Lockheed 14N ‘Super Electra’ aircraft to set a new around-the-world record of 3 days, 19 hours, and 8 minutes. After making stops in the aforementioned cities, he became not only a record-breaking pilot but a national hero. Aircraft (and later, entire airlines) would remain his primary obsession for the next several decades. An exceptional and highly desirable item from the colorful billionaire and aviation legend. RRAuction COA.
