First Polar Flight

On April 10, 1938 the USSR issued a set of 4 stamps to commemorate the first trans polar flight that was completed between the 18th and 20th of June 1937. The stamps issued in 10k, 20k, 40k and 50k denominations the set all has the same design featuring the 3 aviators who flew on the flight with a map and the route taken.

Classic Aircraft on US Airmails

One of my favourite stamp sets is the American Airmail stamps issued in the summer of 1947.  The 3 value set features prominent aircraft and landmarks of the time.   The stamps were printed by rotary press and are perforated 11 x 10½.  

The 10¢ value features the Martin 2-0-2 and the Pan American Union Building in Washington DC.  The Martin 2-0-2 first flew in November of 1946 and was built as an intended replacement for the venerable DC-3.  With a production run of only 47 aircraft, these aircraft were in operation until the mid-1970s.  The major operators of the 2-0-2 were Northwest Orient Airlines, LAN Chile and Trans World Airlines.