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New stamps mark 50th anniversary of first commercial Concorde flights

The first commercial Concorde flights departed on January 21 1976.

By contributor Neil Lancefield, Press Association Transport Correspondent
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Supporting image for story: New stamps mark 50th anniversary of first commercial Concorde flights
A new set of stamps and co-ordinated nose drop events will mark the 50th anniversary of the first commercial Concorde flights (Royal Mail/PA)

A new set of stamps and co-ordinated nose drop events will mark the 50th anniversary of the first commercial Concorde flights.

The Royal Mail said it has produced 12 stamps which pay tribute to the supersonic aircraft’s “innovation, elegance and engineering excellence”.

The nose cones of three Concorde planes exhibited in the UK will be moved simultaneously at 11.40am on Wednesday to mark the moment the first commercial Concorde flights departed on January 21 1976.

Eight of the new Concorde stamps
The stamps highlight the ‘elegance’ of Concorde, the Royal Mail said (Royal Mail/PA)

A British Airways flight set off from London’s Heathrow airport to Bahrain at the same time as an Air France flight departed from Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport for Rio.

The main set of eight Concorde stamps features photography of British Airways’ Concordes throughout their history, including the first and last commercial flights.

One of the stamps depicts four Concordes flying in formation to celebrate 10 years of service.

A further four stamps are presented in a miniature sheet.

A British Airways Concorde taking off for its first commercial flight
Concorde’s first commercial flight was in 1976 (PA)

David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at the Royal Mail, said: “Concorde remains one of the most iconic achievements in aviation history, and we’re proud to celebrate its legacy with this special set of stamps.

“These designs pay tribute to the innovation, elegance and engineering excellence that made Concorde a symbol of British ingenuity and ambition.”

Hamish McVey, director of marketing for British Airways, said: “Concorde represents a landmark chapter in our history at British Airways, embodying the pioneering spirit of British innovation and creativity that remains integral to our brand today.”

Concorde planes have distinctive hydraulically operated nose cones designed to move down during take-off and landing to give pilots better visibility of runways.

A demonstration of a Concorde's nose in the down position
Concorde’s nose in the down position (Alamy/PA)

The aircraft at Aerospace Bristol, Manchester Airport Runway Visitor Park and Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire will drop their noses in front of spectators on Wednesday.

Brooklands Museum in Surrey, which also has a Concorde on display, is hosting a dinner on Wednesday night when aviation enthusiasts will be able to hear from eight former Concorde pilots and view archive material relating to the jet.

Cabin crew serve refreshments to passengers on board a British Airways Concorde
Concorde was one the height of luxury for the famous and the well-heeled (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Last week, the Royal Mint launched a new 50p coin celebrating Concorde.

Born out of a joint Anglo-French project, Concorde’s success was savoured as a moment of intense national pride.

Most impressive of all was its speed. A cruising velocity of twice the speed of sound, or 1,350mph, allowed it to cover a mile in just 2.75 seconds.

Concorde quickly established itself as the way to travel for the discerning tycoon and Hollywood star.

Its fine wines and five-star cuisine assured it a large, well-heeled fan base, with regular passengers including the likes of Joan Collins, Sir Paul McCartney and Diana, Princess of Wales.

But the aircraft was retired from service in October 2003, with British Airways and Air France blaming a downturn in passenger numbers and rising maintenance costs.