Aviation Meet postal card
Anticipating the June 6 - 8, 1912, Lima Driving Park Aviation Meet, Postmaster General Frank H. Hitchcock officially approved mail flights from Lima's Driving Park to downtown Lima. On June 6, Charles F. Walsh flew the mail to the public square downtown, where he dropped it to postal officials. On June 7, the mail was flown in a similar manner by William B. Hemstrought. Walsh again flew mail on June 8, but he found the public square so crowded with onlookers that he decided to drop the pouch in a nearby lot for safety reasons. The aviators carried approximately 5,000 pieces of mail during the meet.
A boxed postmark - "Aeroplane Mail Service / [date] / LIMA, OHIO" - was used on mail. The date was added each day, using an ordinary one-line datestamp. The stamp was canceled using an oval Lima, Ohio, canceling device, although items are known without the Lima cancel. The boxed postmark canceling device was used instead.
Specially printed postcards were sold at the meet reading, "Curtiss Aeroplane Flights / Lima, Ohio, June 6, 7 , 8, 1912." At least two different designs exist.
This postal card, addressed to Richard E. Jones, Lima, Ohio, bears a rectangular postmark reading, "AEROPLANE MAIL SERVICE / June 8 1912 / LIMA, OHIO." The postmark cancels the John Adams indicia. Charles F. Walsh carried the item.
