Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Boeing and Westervelt seaplane in NZ, 1919


This was the first Boeing product dating from 1916 of which two were made. The two B & Ws were offered to the United States Navy but when the Navy did not buy them, they were sold to the New Zealand Flying School and became Boeing's first international sale. On 25 June 1919 the B&W set a New Zealand altitude record of 6,500 feet. The B & Ws were later used for express and airmail deliveries, making New Zealand's first official airmail flight on 16 December 1919 as depicted on this NZ Post First Day Cover (for a vending machine label!)

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