Lot 61629 – 1920 (Oct 19-20) Barranquilla-Girardot Experimental Flight. « Colibrí » cancellation

1920 (Oct 19-20) Barranquilla-Girardot Experimental Flight. Commercial envelope to Bogota (address erased), franked by marginal 50c pale green, tied by very fine strike of « Colibrí » (hummingbird) « SERVICIO POSTAL AEREO/S.C-A. DE TA. » oval hs illustrated with hummingbird, additionally franked with National post 1c & 2c, tied by 20 October cds of Girardot, with arrival bs of Bogota on the days 21 and 22; one of only seven covers recorded with this fascinating and sought-after « Colibrí » cancellation, which was only used on this flight; ex Goeggel and Cruz.

Note: SCADTA initiated its services in this flight with involvement of Helmuth von Krohn and Wilhelm Schnurbusch piloting the Junkers F-13 « Colombia » seaplane, and completing a first stage from Barranquilla to Puerto Berrío on the 19th; the « Colombia » departed the day after to Girardot, although it suffered an accident in one of its emergency landings in the water at a riverbank of the Magdalena near Girardot where, except the mechanic Schroder, the pilots saved their lives. The 50c rate not exceeding 20 grams was only applied on this flight, and the « Colibrí » handstamp and the airmail oval type of Barranquilla were put into use, although only the former was applied on mail of this flight only.