1933-1934 KLM's Uiver and Pelikaan Flights: Rare Collection of Dutch Aviation Memorabilia
DESCRIPTION
This remarkable collection of KLM aviation memorabilia documents two of the most celebrated achievements in Dutch aviation history: the 1933 Versnelde Kerstvlucht (Accelerated Christmas Flight) and the legendary 1934 London to Melbourne Air Race.
Assembled here are two scarce commemorative photographic plates, two illustrated booklets, and two souvenir handkerchief maps, all issued at the height of public fascination with long distance air travel and KLM's emergence as one of the world's leading airlines. Together they offer an unusually complete snapshot of the aviation fever that swept the Netherlands during the early 1930s.
The Pelikaan and the Uiver
The earliest items commemorate the 1933 Christmas mail flight of the Fokker F.XVIII Pelikaan. Crewed by Captain Iwan Smirnoff, co-pilot Piet Soer, mechanic Sjef Grosfeld, and radioman Cor van Beukering, the aircraft completed the nearly 15,000-kilometer journey between the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies in record time. The feat captivated the Dutch public and transformed its crew into national heroes. A rare photographic plate depicting the crew accompanies a commemorative handkerchief map tracing the route from Europe to Southeast Asia, illustrating how aviation had begun shrinking the perceived distances of the colonial world.
The centerpiece of the collection revolves around the celebrated KLM Douglas DC-2 Uiver and its dramatic participation in the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race from London to Melbourne. Piloted by K.D. Parmentier with Jan Moll, Cornelis van Brugge, and Bouwe Prins, the aircraft became famous after surviving severe storms over Australia and making an emergency landing at Albury with the aid of local residents who illuminated a makeshift landing course. The Uiver ultimately won the handicap division and became a symbol of Dutch ingenuity and perseverance. Included are a second photographic commemorative plate, a striking handkerchief route map celebrating the race, and two contemporary Dutch booklets recounting the flight and its aftermath.
A Nation Captivated by Flight
Among the printed material, De Melbourne-Race: De Grootste Vliegwedstrijd presents a contemporary account of the race and the Albury incident, while Het "Uiver" Album: Flying Dutchmen Going Strong offers a more lavishly illustrated treatment by pilot-author Adriaan Viruly and famed broadcaster Han Hollander. Richly illustrated with photographs and personal narratives, the volume reflects the immense public enthusiasm generated by the flight and KLM's highly successful publicity campaign.
Rarely encountered together, these six pieces document an era when intercontinental flight was still an extraordinary achievement and aviators occupied a place in popular culture comparable to explorers or astronauts. Combining route maps, photography, promotional ephemera, and firsthand accounts, the collection provides a fascinating record of KLM's formative years and of the public imagination during the golden age of aviation.
CONDITION
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