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"Aviation: The Air Mail Game"

In 1929, Parker Brothers introduced "Aviation: The Air Mail Game" to exploit growing public interest in commercial aviation. The game challenged 2 to 4 players to deliver the mail to 12 cities between Boston and San Francisco. Red cards determined destinations, and blue cards determined flight conditions. Good weather sped up the mail; bad weather or engine problems delayed it.

To capitalize on the public's infatuation with Charles Lindbergh, the airplane depicted on each card was his Spirit of St. Louis, even though the Spirit never flew the mail.

Gift of Anne M. van der Linden and Gregory George-Adis

 Display Status

This object is on display in America by Air at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

America by Air
Object Details
Date ca. 1939 Country of Origin United States of America Type MEMORABILIA-Popular Culture Manufacturer Parker Brothers Inc.
 Physical Description Card game in a red box with silver DC-3 and title of game on top. Contains 27 cards with blue-tinted picture of Ryan monoplane mailplane flying over countryside on rear, and 71 red-tinted pictures of same scene on rear (note: one red card is missing from number stated in instructions). Also contains eight page instruction booklet for the game. Dimensions 3-D (Box): 14 x 10.2 x 2.5cm (5 1/2 x 4 x 1 in.)
2-D - Unframed (H x W) (Cards): 8.9 x 6.4cm (3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in.)
 Materials Overall - card and paper
 Inventory Number V20070134001 Credit Line Gift of Anne M. van der Linden and Gregory Georgeadis. Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
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