C2801

First Supersonic Flight

50th Anniversary

Collins Cover Announcement 

First Supersonic Flight

On August 4, 1995, I drove the high desert of California to reach the flight test field and NASA facility of Edwards Air Force Base for a great First Day postmark (a Collins exclusive) for my Endeavour Space Shuttle Cover - Item #W2401. On October 14th two years later, "Eddie" was chosen as the site for the Day of Issue of this exciting aviation stamp

Marking the 50th Anniversary of the day in 1947 that test pilot Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier for manned flight, the stamp and my hand-painted cachet feature the Bell X-1 experimental aircraft. It is a unique golden color, and I decided to go with a most unusual and attractive watercolored, graphic background that you must see in person. It is a very bold and colorful First Day Cover, and I truly believe it will be judged "Best of Issue" by any cachetmaker.

With the Classic American Aircraft set and 50th Air Force Anniversary issue, this was quite a year for aviation on U.S. stamps. This Collins pays tribute to the engineers who built it and the test pilot who flew it - the world's First Supersonic Aircraft. The Bell X-1. Item #C2801. $1 1.75.