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2026 marks a number of important anniversaries in the evolution of Jet Aircraft and Royal Mail is delighted to recognise these key events with a set of commemorative stamps in celebration of some of the British military’s most iconic jet aircraft alongside the story of Sir Frank Whittle and the development of the jet propulsion engine.
This year mark 50 years since the Hawker Siddeley Hawk entered service in 1976, 70 years since the Gloster Javelin and Avro Vulcan entered service in 1956, and 80 years since the de Havilland Vampire first entered service in 1946.
This year is also 30 years since the death of Sir Frank Whittle (1 June 1907 – 8 August 1996) an English engineer, inventor and Royal Air Force officer who is credited with co-creating the jet propulsion engine. In 2002, Whittle was ranked number 42 in the BBC poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. The Medal Cover in this product range celebrates Sir Frank Whittle’s impressive career.
A stunning set of 8 first class stamps featuring illustrations of Jet Aircraft including a newly commissioned piece for the Gloster Meteor F1 by Chris French. These stamps showcase the beauty of these engineering masterpieces and mark some significant milestones for a few of these aircrafts:
- 50 years since the Hawker Siddeley Hawk entered service
- 70 years since the Gloster Javelin and Avro Vulcan entered service
- 80 years since the de Havilland Vampire entered service
1st Class Gloster Meteor F1
1st Class Gloster Javelin FAW9
1st Class Hawker Siddeley Hawk T1
1st Class Avro Vulcan B2
1st Class De Havilland Vampire FB5
1st Class Panavia Tornado GR4
1st Class Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2B
1st Class Lockheed Martin D- 35B Lightning II
