STAMP ISSUES RELATED TO ICAO (1978-1983)

 

Paraguay: 50th anniversary of de Pinedo’s Western Hemisphere tour,

30th anniversary of ICAO

and 75th anniversary of first engined-powered flight of Wright Brothers

 

Issue date: 19/07/1978

 

Paraguay issued this very eventful souvenir sheet commemorating the 50th anniversary of Francesco de Pinedo’s Western Hemisphere flying boat tour, the 30th anniversary of ICAO, the 75th anniversary of the first engine‑powered flight by the Wright Brothers, and the famous masters’ stamp exhibitions: Riccione ’78 and Eurphila ’78 (Roma, 20-24 September 1978).

 

 

Background: The central stamp depicts a world map and the flight route covered by Francisco de Pinedo in 1927. This souvenir sheet commemorates the 50th anniversary of de Pinedo’s world tour in 1927, reaching three continents with a double-crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and promoting a sense of national pride among Italians living abroad. Francesco de Pinedo was an active promoter and participant in a series of good-will tours to various points on the globe. Whereas all of these flights were impressive in nature, de Pinedo’s tour of the Western Hemisphere was a particularly outstanding feat that brought the Italian aviator international acclaim. More background information on this tour can be found by clicking on: De Pinedo Delayed Over Canada.

 

In the upper-left corner of the sheet is a reproduction of an Italian stamp issued on 15 December 1930 named: Transatlantic Squadron; it was issued in connection with the transatlantic flight by Italian aviators from Rome to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (17 December 1930 ‑ 15 January 1931).

In the lower-right corner of the sheet is a reproduction of an Italian stamp which was surcharged, overprinted and issued on 18 January 1934. The original stamp in yellow color was never issued; however, the same design in deep blue (i.e. arrows over the sky and clouds) was used for a stamp issued on 12 March 1930.  The depicted stamp shows a surcharge of a black digit 2 at the bottom-right corner, and a black overprint of: 1) an aircraft with 1934/XII; 2) Primo Volo Diretto / Roma‑Buenos Aires / Trimotore ‑ "Lombardi‑Mazotti" in three lines.