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8th  June 1948 Air India Private  Flight covers

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It was the First, most celebrated , historic flight of Independent India, many individuals also made covers to commemorate this historic first flight .
Date: 8th June 1948
Type of Aircraft: Lockheed Constellation L-749
Name of the Aircraft: Malabar Princess,
Registration Mark: VT-CQP,
Pilot: Capt. K.R. Guzder
Frequency of service: Once a week.
Covers shown here were printed privately by Collectors and Dealers

AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (45)_edited.jpg
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (48).png

Air India private cover made by Rustom Hormazdiyar.
It has a London postmark of 10 June 1948.(ex. Sushil Mehra collection)

AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (66).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (68).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (40).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (43).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (30).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (31).png

Air India private cover set of 3 to each destination London, Cairo, Geneva
-Publisher not known.
(ex. Sushil Mehra collection)

8TH JUNE 1948 AIR INDIA PRIVATE FFC BOMB
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Air India private cover- publisher not known. Most probably printed in Tamil Nadu.

AIR INDIA FIRST FLIGHT COVERS (6).png
AIR INDIA FIRST FLIGHT COVERS (8).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (25).png
1948 AIR INDIA FFC FROM CALCUTTA (1).png
1948 AIR INDIA FFC FROM CALCUTTA (2).png

8th June 1948 posted from Calcutta, a 12 annas stamp comet cancel dated 6th June 1948

8th JUNE 1948 BOMBAY LONDON AIR INDIA FF

Air India private cover- publisher not known. The Indian flag was pasted inversely on the cover.

AIR INDIA_8TH JUNE 1948 PRIVATE RED.jpg
AIR INDIA_8TH JUNE 1948 PRIVATE RED_0001

Air India private cover- publisher not known. The address rubber cancel might be the publisher of this cover.

AIR INDIA_8TH JUNE 1948 HANSEN.jpg
AIR INDIA_8TH JUNE 1948 HANSEN BACK.jpg

Air India official cover with Hansen cancel and also an Air Mail cover with the Hansen Cachet.

AIR INDIA_8TH JUNE 1948 PRIVATE.jpg
AIR INDIA_8TH JUNE 1948 PRIVATE_0001.jpg

Air India Air Mail covers sent by Karsandas Jivandas from Bombay one to Geneva and the other to Cairo both with delivery cancels.

AIR INDIA 8TH JUNE 1948 RAJPUT LONDON.jp
AIR INDIA 8TH JUNE 1948 RAJPUT LONDON_00

Air India Air Mail cover sent by L.P. Advani a Philatelist from Bombay . All these covers were numbered and printed Rajput Princess name on the cover as this was first Intended, but Malabar Princess was used for this historic flight in the end.

The lower cover is again an Air mail with aeroplane motif on top and bottom, sent by Karsandas Jivandas.

8TH JUNE 1948 GEVEVA ORIENT.jpg
AIR INDIA_P&T GENEVA 8TH JUNE 1948.jpg
8TH JUNE 1948 GEVEVA ORIENT_0001.jpg
AIR INDIA_P&T GENEVA 8TH JUNE 1948_0001.

Air India souvenir cover sent to Geneva by Philatelie Orient.

The top cover shows the Grand prix delivery cancel. The bottom one shows a different size of delivery cancel dated 9th June.

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AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (65).png
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AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (67).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (69).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (72).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (41).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (44).png

Private flight cover to London , New York and Geneva, missing Cairo in this design.

AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (49).png
AIR INDIA FFC 1948 BOMBAY LONDON (50).png
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