Catapult Mail

Before the development of aircraft that could dependably carry mail non-stop across the Atlantic, the North German Lloyd Line developed a mixed mode mail service. Two ships, the Bremen and the Europa, were equipped with airplanes and catapult equipment and would begin to cross the Atlantic. When they came within the aircraft's range of the opposite shore, they would catapult the aircraft off the ship and the plane would fly the remaining distance with the mail. In this way, 1 or 2 days would be saved in the transmission time for trans-Atlantic airmail. Because of harsh winter weather on the North Atlantic, the service was limited to the months of May through October. These services were tested in late 1929 and operated regularly in the summers of 1930 through 1936. Of course, once longer-range aircraft were developed, catapult mail service became obsolete.

Card carried aboard Steamship Europa's first voyage from Europe to America equipped with catapult equipment. The ship left Cherbourg September 10, 1930 and the catapult flight took place on September 15.