A collection of 36 First Day Covers commemorating significant events, personalities and aircraft of the RAF during World War 2. They are all signed by one or more British airmen (mainly fighter pilots who saw action in Spitfires and Hurricanes), with the exception of the German ace Adolf Galland, who has signed two covers. Well-known signatories include Douglas Bader, Don Bennett and Johnnie Johnson

Subjects covered include the Dambusters Raid (four covers), the 40th anniversary of the Hawker Hurricane, the 60th anniversary of the formation of 35 Squadron, and the last flight from Royal Airforce Masirah. There are 27 covers featuring the Supermarine Spitfire, including 21 copies of a single cover, 'Michell's Spitfire', signed by different pilots and postmarked 'Duxford '97 Air Show' (each of these is number 17 of the limited edition of 18). In all, 29 covers are postmarked in the 1990s, four in the 1980s and three in the 1970s. The latter (signed by Bader, Bennett and Johnson) have no stated edition numbers. For the rest, two are 'limited' to 1250 and 1500 respectively, one each to 40, 50 and 75, and the balance range in quantity from six to 31. Most covers are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and relevant biographical information; all but one cover is in very fine condition (and the odd one out has merely a trifling blemish to the verso). A quantity of related prospectuses and invoices are included.

Item #96546

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