The Post Office decided to expand the Philadelphia-Washington D.C.-New York route. A network of routes across the country was set up and the country divided into three zones., East, West and central. The 8¢ stamp was for mail from one zone to the next.

DH-4 mail plane equipped with lights on nose and wingtips, for night flying, around 1924.

Airmail personnel at Offutt Field near Omaha unload the first eastbound mail plane on July 1, 1924, the first day
of regular through-service (night and day flying).

Business's found it quicker and cheaper to send mail by train as appeased to the accident prone, daylight only airmail service. The post office implemented night flights.

Airmail flight, 1924

Airmail flight, 1924 (the pilots view). With danger and daring do!

1932 full length movie about Air Mail flights

At the end of WWI the army had hundreds of de Havilland DH-4's which it had no use for. The Airmail Service helped themselves to as many free DH-4's as they needed.

As they were, they were not fit for purpose. Due to the design the pilot would be crushed between the gas tank and the engine if they had a rough landing. They were called "flying coffins".

The design was modified and new 400 horsepower liberty engines were fitted, now to become the DH-4B. They were in service from 1918 through to 1926, when they were replaced by the Douglas M-4

First day cover from August 15th, 1923.