By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no One of Europe's largest monarchies is the Kingdom of Spain (España). The long time preceding the Great War (1914-18) Spain was one of the leading powers in Europe and for that matter in the world. The country remained neutral during the Great War and suffered domestically during the period of 1923-30 under the dictatorship of General Primo de Riveras. After the forced abdication of King Alfonsa XIII in 1931 the Spanish Republic (República Española) was proclaimed. The upraise of Nationalists under the leadership of General Sanjurjo and General Franco in July 1936 led to the...
Airline companies in Romania (1918-1945)
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no The history of civil aviation in Romania has been more than just interesting. There were four airline companies in Romania in the period up to 1945. These companies will be described here in full detail. Civil Aviation and Civil Air Register Rumania had an interesting aviation history. Despite the dark period after the Second World War, much information has been preserved on the development of civil aviation and the aircraft construction. Recent publication on Rumanian aircraft manufacturers has showed, that much is still unknown. One of the greatest names in the pre-Great War period is...
Serviços Aéreos Portugueses Limitada – SAP (1927-1945)
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no In 1922 the Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG already made its first attempt to enter the Portuguese market, when it offered the Companhia Portuguesa de Navegação Aerea Lda Junkers Type F (J 13) against 50% of their value. A first sight of a Junkers-aircraft in Portugal did not occur until November 1925, when the Swedish registered Junkers G 24, S-AAAY visited Lisboa. The visit was in 1927 followed by the foundation of an airline company in Portugal by Junkers. The Serviços Aéreos Portugueses Lda, known as SAP, has been founded on May 19, 1927 with a stock...
Towarzystwo Komunikacji Lotniczej Aero Spólka Akcyjna – S A Aero (1925-1928)
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no The start of the company In the spring of 1921 the Franco-Romanian airline company Compagnie Franco-Roumaine de Navigation Aérienne – CFRNA opened the air service Wien – Praha – Warszawa operated in connection with the service to and from Strasbourg and Paris. The route to Poland was also opened to secure the French influence in the new eastern European countries. But the initiatives after the liquidation of the Polish airline company Aero Targ Spólka Akcyjna were kept alive in Poznań and in February 1925 the Towarzystwo Komunikacji Lotniczej Aero Spólka Akcyjna (Company of the Communication...
N.V. Nederlandsche Wereldverkeer Maatschappij – NWM (1922-1934)
By Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no One of the most interesting airline companies in Europe was the Dutch Junkers-affiliated airline company N. V. Nederlandsche Wereldverkeer Maatschappij – NWM. This company had a long birth. The first plans were made in 1919 and discussion finally led to the formation of this airline company. The collapse of the Junkers-empire in Germany in the autumn of 1925 led to the end of the company. The entry of Junkers in the Netherlands The company behind this airline company was the German aircraft factory Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG - Jfa. The first attempts dated back to the...
Elliniki Etairea Enaerion Synkoinonion AE (1930-1945)
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no This difficult to pronounce name of the airline company means Hellenic Aerial Communications Company and was also known under the following two names: Hellinki Etairea Enaerion Synkoinonion - HEES and Société Hellénique de Communications Aériennes - SHCA. The company was founded by initiative of the Greek State on 9 July 1930 as a result of the Law 4809 of 5 June 1930. The law was a confirmation of the agreement between the Greek State and the airline company Ikaros (1). It gave information regarding the development of aviation in Greece. It also gave the company...
The Zeppelin companies in Germany
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no Deutsche Luftschiffahrts Aktien-Gesellschaft – DELAG (1909-1935) The first airline company in Germany was not an airline company in the way it could be defined, as its aim was not the opening of regular, sustained air services, but much more the transportation by rigid airships of passengers on joy-ride flights. First after the Great War, the full potential of the rigid airship was recognised and exploited, but for Germany it was too late (due to the Treaty of Versailles). Later in the twenties, new initiatives were started and up to the destruction of the Hindenburg in...
Nordbayerischer Verkehrsflug GmbH – NOBA (1926-1931)
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no In many ways this was one of the most interesting domestic airline company’s in Europe. Its history spans over eight years and is marked by a constant battle for its existence and against its main opponent Deutsche Luft Hansa AG - DLH. The Aviation Law Gesetz über die Reichsverwaltung of December 15, 1933 and later the Verordnung über den Aufbau der Reichsluftfahrtsverwaltung of April 18, 1934 finally led to the end of the strong expansion of this popular airline company operating in south- and mid-Germany. The company’s history can be divided into two periods: 1....
German regional airline companies (1918-1940) – Part 1
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no Today we start a new series of articles about regional airline companies in Germany. During the year between 1918 and 1940 many small airline company were formed. They usualy had a regional character were formed. We would like to present some of these airline companies. Below please find part 1: Luftverkehrs Aktien Gesellschaft Westfalen - WELU (1925-1936) Luftverkehrs-Gesellschaft Wilhelmshaven-Rüstringen mbH – LUWIR (1927-1937) Luftverkehrs Aktien Gesellschaft Westfalen WELU (1925-1936) The years 1924-25 showed the foundation of a number of German regional airline companies, which mainly aimed to propaganda aviation. Except that, some airline companies owned...
By Whale to Oslo
By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no On July 18, 2002 Lufthansa could celebrate the opening for 75 years ago of its air service to Oslo. From 1927 to 1933 the air service was operated by aircraft of the type Dornier Wal and Superwal. These aircraft were in Norway known as the “Aerobus to the Continent”. Many German (military) pilots gathered valuable flying experiences on this air service. Trying to get a connection One of the pioneers of Norwegian aviation was Captain Wilhelm Meisterlin. He was born in Trondheim, well 500 km north of Oslo, and carried the English rang of Captain...