27 July 2026
Royal Mail is celebrating the man who changed aviation forever by putting Sir Frank Whittle at the heart of a new collection of military aviation stamps.
The special issue marks the 30th anniversary of Whittle’s death with four commemorative stamps honouring the pioneer of the jet engine. Alongside them is a collection of eight stamps featuring some of Britain’s most iconic military jets – all descendants of the revolutionary idea Whittle first sketched out as an RAF cadet nearly a century ago.
The aircraft featured read like a greatest-hits album of British military aviation: the Gloster Meteor, de Havilland Vampire, Vulcan, Buccaneer, Javelin, Hawk, Tornado and today’s F-35B Lightning II.
Tornado GR4
Royal Mail has chosen the issue to coincide with several major anniversaries in 2026, including 80 years since the Vampire entered RAF service, 70 years for both the Vulcan and Javelin, and 50 years since the Hawk first took to the skies as the RAF’s advanced trainer.
Whittle first conceived the turbojet while studying at RAF College Cranwell in 1928. After years of persistence, the world’s first successful turbojet engine ran in 1937, eventually powering Britain’s first jet aircraft and laying the foundations for virtually every military and commercial jet that followed.
Military jet stamps
The stamps themselves are beautifully illustrated by leading aviation artists including Chris French, Paul Couper and Alex Hamilton. They’re almost too nice to use on a birthday card—although if you do, it might be the first envelope in years that’s worth keeping.
The collection goes on general sale from 30 July, with a presentation pack containing all 12 stamps priced at £22.50.
