COLIN COHEN

email: ccpm@talk21.com

mail: Colin Cohen, 21 Oakdean Park, Finchley N3 1EU, UK

ARTICLE 49

A bit late but, as I have been lucky enough to obtain some rather nice Brazilian postcards recently, I thought it might be nice to share some of these with you, as shown above – the second set are black and white copies of colour originals. Firstly, with the national carrier VARIG (Who may once again be bankrupt by the time this comes out – DWB), LPS Hobby have re-issued some 1960s postcards in their LPC series. I especially like 013 which shows a Caravelle with a Panair do Brasil DC-8 behind, taken in 1963. I also have a re-touch card of a 707 at Frankfurt. This is in the Airport issue series by Cloos, while the same aircraft with crew is on a Brazilian card from an unknown publisher.

With  the football world cup in full steam as I write this, the returning winning Brazil team of 2002, complete with cup, feature on a multiview card of local scenes. As mentioned last time VARIG is the official carrier for the team who now use a Boeing 767 painted in a special livery. This is shown on publisher card Postcard 569 but VARIG issue cards of these special colours seem to have ceased.

The Brazil airline scene is volatile with many carriers apart from VARIG and TAM. Most of these are low cost carriers and do not issue postcards but are represented on publisher cards, where fortunately Brazil has two active publishers. These are the long-standing Manche postcards, whose owner is usually seen at the annual Frankfurt show and LPS. Both can be contacted by E-mail, manchecard@cebinet.com.br and lps73@hotmail.com. Examples of such carriers, past and present, and their equipment are Absa Cargo – 767, ATA 727, 737,  Brasmex DC-10, BRA Rotatur 737-300, Way Bra 767, Fly Boeing 727, GOL 737-700, Nacional 737, Ocean Air F.50, RICO 737, Skymaster 707, TABA F.50,TAR 737, TRIP ATR-42.

The TRIP ATR-42 shown is at Fernando de Noronha, an island off the north east coast which was the first landfall for many of the first South Atlantic Flights. This card is by Brascard (www.brascardnet.br)

Till next time, happy collecting                            COLIN COHEN

Editors Footnote. At the Frankfurt Summer show, it was noted that the VARIG flight was 10 hours late and an airport catering worker said he had been instructed not to supply the airline. Another source at the same show indicated that VARIG’s troubles may not be unconnected with their financial dependence on a government whose presidents daughter is married to the owner of rival, TAM.

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