The centenary of the first officially recorded powered flight in the UK – here at Farnborough – was marked yesterday when the British Royal Mail issued a new set of postage stamps featuring the magnificent array of flying machines and pilots that have entertained millions at Britain’s airshows over the years.
The stamps were officially launched by the Red Arrows’ pilots, highly appropriate as their scarlet BAE Hawk aircraft – pictured at Farnborough in 2006 – feature on two of the stamps.
As the cradle of British aviation, Farnborough’s air display also features on one of the stamps showing two prototype Avro Vulcans flying in formation with the Avro 707s that were built to test the aerodynamics of the bomber’s triangular wing. And, incredible as it seems, this picture was taken in 1953 – 55 years before this year’s re-appearance of the mighty Vulcan!
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* How many people know that the pre-paid postage stamp was a British invention? The concept of the sender paying for the stamp, including delivery anywhere in the UK, was created by Sir Rowland Hill in 1840.
Source: Flight International
