United Air Lines B&W Series 1932-40

United Air Lines B&W Series 1932-40

The United Air Lines black and white series of postcards is the largest airline issued group of postcards from the 1932-1940 period. The earliest issues were Real Photo postcards some of which were later made as lithographic versions. The Real Photo versions I'll call "RPPC" and the lithographic versions I'll call "Litho" in the titles and descriptions. There are 4 distinct series. The first series has backs for both the Real Photo and litho versions. The second series were giveaways at the Century of Progress Exposition at Chicago in 1933 and 1934. These are the most common of the group. The third series has a map by itself logo on the back and features the Boeing 247. The 4rd series, featuring the DC-3 has a shield logo on the back. The first series is the only group that has any Real Photo postcards. All the others are black and white litho postcards. The first series has a number of rare cards. I still do not have all of them myself. If you collected only one card with a different image on the front of the card you would end up with around 80 cards. If you collected all the varieties you would end up with roughly double that number. The date ranges I show for the different series are based on the postmarks I've seen for the cards in the series.

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United 1st Series	United Air Lines 1st Series All cards are airline issues.	1st Series 100 Columbia River - RPPC Seven lines of text on the front with the RPPC version.	1st Series 100 Columbia River - RPPC What we call Real Photo postcards this postcard maker printed on their cards "This is a Genuine Photograph."
1st Series 100 Columbia River - Litho The litho version of the Columbia River postcard with just one line of text on the front.	1st Series 100 Columbia River - Litho The litho version of the card has a different back with the map in two circles logo.	1st Series 101 Mt. Shasta - RPPC In this case the Real Photo version of the postcard has the same text on the front as the Litho version.	1st Series 101 Mt. Shasta - RPPC Keeps the "This is a Genuine Photograph" version of the back.
1st Series 101 Mt. Shasta - Litho The litho version has the same text on the front as the Real photo version.	1st Series 101 Mt. Shasta - Litho Keeps the litho back version with the map in two circles logo.	1st Series 102 Orange Groves - Litho This seems to be a little scarcer postcard. I do not have the Real Photo version if there is one.	1st Series 102 Orange Groves - Litho The card was mailed by a passenger in Chicago and has a clear postmark dated November 21, 1933.
1st Series 110 Flying Across America - RPPC A unique type of card with multiple small scenes of cities they service or fly over.	1st Series 110 Flying Across America - RPPC Plain back except for the No. 110. I have not seen any cards numbered between 102 and 110.	1st Series No Number New York City - RPPC First of three versions of this card. Possibly the first card in the series issued by United. The postmark of June 23, 1932 is the earliest I've seen.	1st Series No Number New York City - RPPC This early version has Genuine Photograph made by the Process Photo Studios, Chicago, ILL printed on the card.
1st Series 200 New York City - RPPC Usual numbered RPPC version of the postcard. Two lines of text on the front.	1st Series 200 New York City - RPPC Usual "This is a Real Photograph" back.	1st Series 200 New York City - Litho Litho version with 3 lines of text on the front.	1st Series 200 New York City - Litho This was mailed by a passenger and is postmarked November 23, 1933 at New York, N.Y.
1st Series No Number Kansas City - Litho This early version has no number and no reference to United Airlines on the card.	1st Series No Number Kansas City - Litho Published by the Process Photo Studio, Chicago, Ill.	1st Series 201 Kansas City - Litho The numbered version with seven lines of text on the front.	1st Series 201 Kansas City - Litho Common back with the map in two circles logo.
1st Series 202 Dallas - RPPC Real Photo version with five lines of text on the front.	1st Series 202 Dallas - RPPC Usual back with "This is a Genuine Photograph."	1st Series 203 Salt Lake City - RPPC Six lines of text on the front and the circled building labeled correctly.	1st Series 203 Salt Lake City - RPPC Unusal Real Photo back but without "This is a Genuine Photograph."
1st Series 203 Salt Lake City - Litho Error variety. Nine lines of text on the front but the circled buildings are labeled incorrectly.	1st Series 203 Salt Lake City - Litho Mailed by a passenger at Cleveland, Ohio with a postmark of May 2, 1935.	1st Series 204 San Francisco - RPPC Real Photo version with four lines of text on the front.	1st Series 204 San Francisco - RPPC Mailed by a passenger using an 8-cent Airmail stamp and postmarked at Cheyenne, Wyo. March 15, 1933.
1st Series 204 San Francisco - Litho Litho version with six lines of text on the front.	1st Series 204 San Francisco - Litho Clear postmark from San Francisco, Calif. dated March 13, 1934.	1st Series 205 Los Angeles - RPPC Real Photo version with five lines of text on the front.	1st Series 205 Los Angeles - RPPC Typical back with "This is a Genuine Photograph."
1st Series 206 Cleveland - RPPC Real Photo version with six lines of text on the front.	1st Series 206 Cleveland - RPPC Usual back with "This is a Genuine Photograph" down the center.	1st Series 206 Cleveland - Litho Litho version with seven lines of text on the front.	1st Series 206 Cleveland - Litho Postmarked at Cleveland, Ohio dated March 1, 1934.