Most Stamp Collectors are traveler & have visited many places during his/her lifetime. Many of you flies with various of commercial airlines. Pan Am was a favorite during the golden age of flying. There were stories where stamp collectors ran into stamp collectors while flying Pan Am........Here's a question: Have you ever ran into stamp collectors while flying Pan Am ?
(1965) Pan Am crew. The coolest & happiest crew with world class personality.
(1968) Serving meal individually with expensive plate (no plastic).
(1970) Economy class - Wide seat, good legroom with excellent ceiling height.
(1967) Sharon Chestor, a famous Pan Am stewardess during 1960's.
.
.
  4 Members like this post. Login to Like.
"Love & Peace. Bonjour Mesdames et messieurs. Que l'amour et la paix soient avec toi. Merci."
Stamporama hosts an article I wrote many years ago about the 1946 "Pan Am Airways System Test" that was coincident with a drop in US airmail rates to destinations in the western hemisphere.
I got to fly Pan Am in first class in a 747 from Japan to Honolulu but the food service was not not like was depicted in the image. The interiors look like marketing images since the bulkhead is missing in the economy image.
Thanks for sharing PAA cover & Stamporama's Pan Am article. Most of you were wondering about that Stewardess holding a shoe(photo). Her name is Joan Waters and here's the story.
.
In 1965, Joan Waters & the crew were on flight 843 heading to Hawaii from San Francisco with 143 passengers. The Boeing 707 took off and reached altitude 800 feet. Suddenly, one of the four engines exploded. The engine was on fire as Captain Kimes struggles. The engine was damaged so badly that the entire engine fell off the sky. The weight of the plane (right side) was unbalance, but Captain Kimes was able to balance it somehow.
.
Now, Captain Kimes flying with only 3 engines with structure failure and he wasn't sure how long he can keep the plane in the air. He radioed for an emergency landing. While these were happening, Joan Waters & her fellow Stewardess' instructed all passengers to remove their shoes in preparation for emergency landing. Everyone strapped life jacket and clutch their angles with hands.
.
Captain Kimes struggles to avoid the plane from flipping over due to weight shifting. Again Captain Kimes maintained the balance while changing direction toward Travis AFB for emergency landing. He was able land the damaged plane safely with all 143 passengers unharm. All passengers were evacuated through emergency exit, some holding their own shoes & some aren't.
.
After the heroic landing, the crew took a picture together and you saw Joan Waters holding one of her own shoes. After this incident, Captain Kimes was awarded the highest citation by FAA and was interviewed by Time Life Magazine.
(Left to right) Joan Waters (hold shoes), Barbie Grad, First Officer Fred Miller, Purser Joan Norquist, Capt. Charles Kimes, Ann Ogle, Dorothea Small, 2nd Officer/Engineer Fitch Robertson.
The best part is the replacement aircraft had its nose gear collapse on landing and they had to bring in a THIRD aircraft to fly the passengers to Hawaii. ALL BUT EIGHT TOOK THE FLIGHT!
Gotta love the faith!
  1 Member likes this post. Login to Like.
"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."
What a stud! I found an article about this and it said that the stewardesses were preparing for a water ditch and had passed out life preservers. The article said that when he was guiding the disabled plane in he saw a patch of turbulent air (like a dust devil) and had to steer around that. I really was trying to see if he was a WW2 combat pilot. Looks like he'd be the right age. I think he had a son that was a pilot who tragically died in a crash. Capt. Kimes was a hero.
My father was a US Army officer so we flew PanAm in the 1960s. We flew on both civilian flights and military charters. I remember flying to Germany and the charter flew into Ramstein Air Force Base rather than a German airport.
Back then air travel was a big event and everyone dressed up for the occasion. Per regulations my father always flew in dress uniform, and as a tyke I wore a suit. I was taken into the cockpit and given metal pilot wings. The big thing that impressed my sister and I were free bottles of perfume and cologne in the restroom! The things kids remember.
We left Travis AFB heading to Okinawa with a fuel stop in Honolulu in a MAC contracted TWA 707. Shortly after landing in Honolulu around mid-day, we were told the aircraft could not continue due to hydraulic issues. We were dispatched to an area hotel to wait for the replacement aircraft coming from Kansas City and finally left about 12+ hrs. My dad was already on Okinawa so it was just me, my mom, and sister since we had to wait until he could get housing for us.
Flying various of commercial airlines on many international flights were long & I always select isle seat so it's easier. I usually bring my stamp albums to enjoy & also to kill time.
.
Since I have isle seat, everyone could see me & my stamp albums. Some people would make comments while others stays silence. There were a few came up to me & identified them-self as Stamp Collector, an easy way to start a conversation. Most of the Stamp Collectors I encountered were Australian & Japanese.
.
Sometimes, kids passed my isle seat many times intentionally & stirring at my stamp albums with curiosity. Then, there were the Stewardess'. They noticed my stamp albums whenever serving meals & drinks. One of the Stewardess talked to me suddenly. She was a former Stamp Collector, but gave up the hobby because she didn't have time.
.
Every time the airplane landed, all passengers rushed to the isle & make their way toward the exit door. The Captain always stand next to the exit to bid farewell to passengers. I always ask every Captain if they are a Stamp Collector, but didn't find any. I thought most Captains are Stamp Collector because they're very technical with knowledge of geography & history. Since they're older, wiser & traveled a lot, they fit the profile of a Stamp Collector............... Has anyone ever ran into Stamp Collectors on an airplane ?
Partial remains of Pan Am flight 843 today (Arizona, USA)
  1 Member likes this post. Login to Like.
"Love & Peace. Bonjour Mesdames et messieurs. Que l'amour et la paix soient avec toi. Merci."
"Has anyone ever ran into Stamp Collectors on an airplane ?"
David67,
Yes - Some years ago on a flight from Cairns (Australia) to Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) after I had finished looking at my latest stamp magazine, the gentleman seating next to me asked if he could have a look as he was also a stamp collector.
It turned out he was a British tourist on holiday who collected England and the Channel Islands whereas I collected Papua New Guinea, and even though our country collecting interests were different I don't think we stopped talking the whole flight.
We kept in touch for a number of years untill he passed on.
Kapul,
Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful experience. Meeting a fellow Stamp Collector is most rewarding regardless what stamps you guys collect. But I know many people collect British & Channel islands stamps because of it's historical significant. I also noticed there's a surge of collecting Papua New Guinea stamps due to public demand. It must be fun talking about stamp on the airplane, what a great way to let time passes. I'm very sorry your friend past away, but the wonderful memories of him stays with you forever.
Stamp is a great hobby. It brings people together & it can also bring the world together in peace. Love & happiness for all people.
  2 Members like this post. Login to Like.
"Love & Peace. Bonjour Mesdames et messieurs. Que l'amour et la paix soient avec toi. Merci."
Please Note: Postings that were loaded from the old Discussion Board cannot be edited.