Posted : Feb 25, 1941 at Haarlem

Route : Haarlem to Cologne (Koln) to Frankfurt, probably by train - Censored in Germany, probably at Frankfurt; from Frankfurt to Lisbon by Deutsch Lufthansa (DLH); From Lisbon by FAM 18 Atlantic Clipper via Bolama, Belem, Trinidad, and San Juan to New York; USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 China Clipper departed San Francisco April 1, arrived Manila April 8. Backstamped Koln and Manila.

Notes : Two-ocean airmail cover from German occupied Netherlands, carried on a route that covered five continents. To take advantage of better weather conditions and westerly tail winds, Pan Am initiated a southern route from Lisbon across the Atlantic in February of 1941. This route went from Lisbon south to Bolama, Guinee on the coast of West Africa; from Bolama, across the Atlantic ocean to Belem, Brazil; then north through Trinidad and San Juan, to New York. From New York, the route was the standard two-ocean service to the Philippines. Because of this adjusted "winter route", this cover was carried on five continents - Europe, Africa, South America, North America, and Asia. This route was only used from February to April of 1941.

Rate : 12 1/2c basic rate (0-20gr) + 85c Air surcharge = 97 1/2c total rate