Latest Cover of the Month 2026

Wilkins – Detroit News Arctic Expedition 1927.

The cover dated 30^th  April 1927, signed G.H. Wilkins and endorsed, “1200 miles over the Arctic by airplane, 77°45’N 175°W, 100 miles on foot to shore.” It is from the Wilkins-Detroit News Arctic Expedition to fly to the North Pole of Inaccessibility. Hubert Wilkins and Carl Ben Eielson decided to do a test flight from Point Barrow, Alaska to 80° N, 180°W. It went well until an engine fault forced them to land on the ice at 77°45’N 175°W. The return trip went quite well until they were about 100 miles from safety and the motor failed. They crash landed, wrecking the plane and had to wait five days for a storm to abate. Heading south towards a trading post on the coast. Wilkins fell through the ice, ran around naked to restore blood circulation, then dried his clothes with snow. The movement of the Arctic icecap was taking them about 10 miles-a-day further away from safety. Eventually they reached the trading post. A dog-team was sent to Barrow to arrange a plane to bring them home.

Richard A. Hindle, Sheffield Philatelic Society.