Certificates.

[j.sabourn]

After 56 years being lost , have suddenly come upon by chance buried in paperwork.
How many have crossed the North Pole ? Well I did on the. 26/2/69 and have the certificate to prove it. It’s only about 4 x 4 inches and on one side it has a coloured
picture of the Zodiac.
On the other side it also has a circle with the 12 signs with printed in the middle…..
The Japanese zodiac is called Juni-shi, and like the Babylonians is divided into twelve Signs. It is interesting to note
that the Ram and Bull are common to both systems.The Juni-shi Signs only indicate time and direction, but influence
a persons destiny and fortune , Thus a man born in the year of the Tiger is blest with high courage, a
woman born in the year of the Rabbit will be a wonderfull homemaker, a child born in the year of the monkey
possesses extraordinary wisdom.

Going back to the coloured side of certificate…shows the 12 signs plus a few bits of insignia and states.
Certificate of crossing the North Pole.
This certificate gives public notice that the bearer has crossed the North Pole aboard a Jet Courier Air Lines.
Signed in Japanese and in English Shizuma Matsuo . President of Japan Air Lines.

How many more thousand does one think exist today . Maybe one of the mutts on that tv show looking for bargains
and the kicking their legs in the air when they have spent more than it’s worth might be coerced into parting
with their money thinking it will profit when it comes under the hammer.
Funny how old things lost years ago suddenly re-appear.
JS

[John Arton]

10 of us flew out to join a terrible 0BO in Japan, went over the pole but never got a certificate. We were flying with British Airways and the flight wasn't even half full so we all had room to stretch out. Mind you, just because we were the single biggest party on the flight, B.A almost managed to leave us behind from the stopover in anchorage, just managed to get on board before they shut the door.
Arriving in Japan at Osaka airport found no-one to meet us as the captain of the ship had told the agent that we would be landing in Tokyo, having not bothered to read the message from head office informing him of the flight details and the names of the joiners.
I went to the tourist bureau and they organised transport to a hotel where I used my AMEX card to check us in. Phoned head office back in London and they got the agency in Japan and told them where they could find us. Had 4 days in the Diachi hotel in Osaka, which at that time, was the largest circular tower building in Osaka. Mind you in those 4 days we managed to run up a tab of well over 20 grand.
Rgds
J.A

[Tony Taylor]

10 of us flew out to join a terrible 0BO in Japan, went over the pole but never got a certificate. We were flying with British Airways and the flight wasn't even half full so we all had room to stretch out. Mind you, just because we were the single biggest party on the flight, B.A almost managed to leave us behind from the stopover in anchorage, just managed to get on board before they shut the door.
Arriving in Japan at Osaka airport found no-one to meet us as the captain of the ship had told the agent that we would be landing in Tokyo, having not bothered to read the message from head office informing him of the flight details and the names of the joiners.
I went to the tourist bureau and they organised transport to a hotel where I used my AMEX card to check us in. Phoned head office back in London and they got the agency in Japan and told them where they could find us. Had 4 days in the Diachi hotel in Osaka, which at that time, was the largest circular tower building in Osaka. Mind you in those 4 days we managed to run up a tab of well over 20 grand.
Rgds
J.A

I did that route John, but the other direction, me and a third matewere seated right at the back with a relief BOAC cabin crew. The party startd before even taxiing. I can only remember vaguely wandering about Anchorage airport in a stupor. Arrived at Heathrow in heavy fog and the pilot announced we had just done the first fully automatic landing, didnt sink in as I didnt know if I was coming or going..

[James Curry]

I have flown the polar route several times but never got a certificate, always went to see if the big polar bear was still there.
The polar route was more or less dropped once we all kissed and made up with Russia. It is back in use again due to Russia and the war in Ukraine.

The polar route to Japan, which for decades saw planes routed from Europe to Tokyo via Alaska, is back – as airlines are either banned from Russian airspace or choose to avoid it.

[j.sabourn]

Did the big stuffed polar bear in Anchorage airport not sober you up ? JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Have several for crossing the line and two for being in the Arctic circle.

[James Curry]

Did the big stuffed polar bear in Anchorage airport not sober you up ? JS

Never needed to John , did not drink on long haul flights, one never knew when one would have to take over and save everyone onboard because the flight crew got a bad Prawn in thier Sushi.
MV5BMTU3NTA4MjQwNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTQ0NTA2OQ@@._V1_.jpg It has been done

[Tony Taylor]

Did the big stuffed polar bear in Anchorage airport not sober you up ? JS

John, I doubt I would have noticed even if sitting next to a real one.

[j.sabourn]

I always associate that bear with Anchorage, it was on its hind legs and I would assume over 7 feet tall.Not to be argued with when alive. They must have scrubbed it down with Persil every so often .JS

[James Curry]

Big Bear.jpg If memory serves there were signs of bullet holes in it's chest. Certainly did not die from old age