Most countries have collectors that specialize only in Airmails. It makes an interesting specialty. Early airmails of most countries are scarce but usually affordable and the addition of early flight covers and zeppelins makes for a manageable but sufficiently exotic sub specialty. Russian Airmails are perhaps the best example of this. They are mostly scarce and, as they were issued in the early Soviet period, they are (in my opinion) some of the most fascinating stamps in the world (early Soviet stamps were designed in an art nouveaux fashion- and have an exaggerated, cartoonish feel that I find very compelling). The sets themselves are scarce but affordable and there are errors and imperfs and perf varieties as well as covers and flights. And to top it off, it's Russia. Though the recession has dampened the Russian appetite for stamps, I still think it's one of the few areas in philately where, in twenty years, today's prices will look cheap. Pictured here are some of the more interesting Russian airmail items.