1948 Perceval Map of the World and Air Mail Routes

A visually striking piece highlighting the constant expansion of aviation in the years following World War II, this is a 1948 Air France map of the world and its air mail routes. Because of the incredible advances made in aviation technology during the war, air mail and passenger airline travel experienced incredible gains in the postwar world.

A Closer Look

Solid red lines highlight Air France's global air mail routes, with service to Tananarive, Madagascar; Saigon, Vietnam; Brisbane, Australia; and New York, U.S.A. Dashed lines illustrate routes operated by foreign airlines, opening most of the world to air mail. Cities and towns are identified worldwide. An inset in the upper right corner details air mail routes in Europe.

Publication History and Census

This map was published in 1948 by Perceval in Paris. We note two examples cataloged in OCLC which are part of the collections at Stanford University and the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. An example is also part of the David Rumsey Map Collection.