| Flight Number | GZ 294 a |
|---|---|
| Airship Number | LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin |
| Flight Name | First South America Flight 1933 |
| Departure Date | May 6, 1933 |
| Departure Location | Friedrichshafen, Germany |
| Arrival Date | May 9, 1933 |
| Arrival Location | Recife, Brazil |
| Dispatch Type | Berlin Connecting Flight |
| Value | $ |
Notes
This card was flown to Friedrichsafen on a special Deutsche Lufthansa airplane flight that connected with the zeppelin flight to South America. Mail carried on the connecting flight received a six-sided flight cachet depicting the zeppelin and noting the Berlin - Friedrichshafen flight route. The connecting flight cachet design was new for 1933, and was not well received, as many thought the nose of the zeppelin was too pointed.
Although this card is marked for delivery to Barcelona, and a landing was originally planned there, it never occurred due to concerns over a potential attack by communist agitators.
The rate for ordinary German zeppelin mail to Brazil in 1933 equaled the International Base Rate of 15 pfg. + a Zeppelin Surcharge of 1.25 RM, for a total of 1.40 RM. The card shown here is short-franked at 1.25 RM, but lacks any postage due markings. Flight commanders: Eckener/Lehmann. (#1)