Aviation Meet post card
Early in the twentieth century, Dominguez Ranch, Los Angeles, attracted many pioneer aviators. Major air meets took place there yearly. The 1912 meet took place January 20-28, with most of the popular aviators of the time in attendance. Los Angeles Postmaster William H. Harrison approved the transportation of mail by air from the ranch to Compton, a distance of about four miles, on each day of the meet. Glenn L. Martin (1886-1955), Clifford Turpin (1886-1966), and Charles F. Willard (1883 -1977) flew the mail on various days.
The postmaster used three different postmarks during the meet. The one used on this card is a Type 3 postmark (AAMC), having the words "Dominguez Field" within the killer bars. In addition, a four-line magenta cachet has been applied to the card. Only some of the mail received the cachet. Glenn L. Martin flew the card on the 28th, the meet's closing day.
