Before Junkers initiated its services in Persia, the Ministry of Post, Telegraph and Telephone - MPTT - became involved in air transportation in 1924, when the Persian airmail service commenced. The ministry often operated nonregular flights using air force aircraft to distribute mail across the country. By the time that Junkers ceased its operations in Iran, the government had in place a plan for MPTT to use aircraft which would be handled, maintained and flown by the Iranian Air Force. Two De Havilland DH-89s (also known as ‘Dragon Rapide’) were purchased, and this fleet was later increased to four aircraft. This twin-engine model was capable of carrying up to eight passengers, and it initially operated between Tehran and Baghdad. 24 January 1924 Extract from Summary of news received by His Majesty’s Political Residency in the Persian Gulf: “On the 24th January the S.S. “ Kurmack ” arrived at Bushire with a cargo of aeroplanes, aviation stores and other munitions of war for the Persian Government, and with four French pilots, etc., as passengers. Owing to the excessive weight of the packages it has been decided to assemble the machines at Bushire and fly them to Tehran; a hangar is being constructed for this purpose close to the British aerodrome.” File 1749/1921 ‘Persian Gulf:- Residency news summaries 1921-25’ [76r] (166/494) | Qatar Digital Library (qdl.qa) February 1924 Extracts from Summary of news received by His Majesty’s Political Residency in the Persian Gulf: “The Persian Post Office was opened at Abadan on the 1st February. A clerk of the Muhammerah Post Office has been appointed Post Master and the staff of the Mail Department of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, at Abadan, are temporarily doing the work for the Persian Post Office.” “His Highness Brigadier-General Amanullah Mirza Chief of the Persian General Staff, arrived on February 6th at Shiraz from Bushire with two French Citroen tractors driven by French mechanics. He has been occupied since with selecting an aerodrome and the construction of a hangar for the aeroplanes now at Bushire. The tractors gave some striking and successful demonstrations of their power to climb the rough hillsides.” “French Air Mission. On the 27th February an attempt was made by M Berhault to fly to Shiraz, but the project was abandoned on account of engine trouble. On the 1st March another attempt was made and Shiraz was reached with safety.” File 1749/1921 ‘Persian Gulf:- Residency news summaries 1921-25’ [72r] (158/494) | Qatar Digital Library (qdl.qa) 1 March 1924 Extracts from Summary of news received by His Majesty’s Political Residency in the Persian Gulf: “French Air Mission. The first Persian army aeroplane successfully reached Shiraz from Bushire on 1st March. On the 3rd, in trying to start for Isfahan, a defective cylinder necessitated a forced landing in which the machine was reported to be severely damaged. On the 13th March the second Persian aeroplane to reach Shiraz from Bushire made a bad landing into an irrigation channel and was wrecked.” “French Air Mission. The Second Persian Army aeroplane left for Shiraz on the 13th instant. Owing to the non-receipt of their wages the for two months the French members of the Mission struck work on the 23rd February, but were persuaded by the French Consul to resume work after a few days. They express considerable dissatisfaction with the machines and contend that the Persians deputed to buy them cheated their government by buying old war machines which had been reconditioned, instead of new ones.”
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