Romanian Postage Stamp Day, celebrated for the first time in 1932 on the occasion of the first Romanian Philatelic Exhibition, was included in the list of events of national importance following the Law no. 62/2024, establishing July 15 of each year as “Romanian Postage Stamp Day”.
The issue of postage stamps with the topic Events. Aviation consists of four stamps, a perforated souvenir sheet, a First Day Cover and a special philatelic folder in a limited run printing, will be introduced into circulation on July 15, this year, being dedicated to Romanian Aviation and the Romanian Air Force.
The first Romanian military airplane, designed and piloted by Aurel Vlaicu, built at the Army Arsenal, flew on June 17th, 1910. The first military school for the training of pilots was established in 1912, and a year later the Aeronautics Organization Law was passed, officially establishing the Romanian military aviation.
It is worth mentioning that the Romanian Aviation and Air Forces have also set July 20th as a day of celebration.
On the same date is celebrated the feast of the Saint Prophet Elijah the Thesvite, considered the patron saint of aviators. Saint’s Day became an official holiday of military aviation by Royal High Decree No. 1343 of April 17th, 1931 signed by King Carol II.
The images of the postage stamps, the souvenir sheet and the First Day Cover illustrate several event-moments in the history of Romanian aviation, including portraits of three personalities in the field, namely Traian Vuia, Aurel Vlaicu and Henri Coandă. It is also presented a premiere moment of the first flight around the world, 55 years ago, performed by TAROM Company. Romanian airplane manufacturers are honoured with two important achievements: the first fighter plane (1939) and the first jet airplane made in Romania (1974).
Traian Vuia, world aviation pioneer (postage stamp with the face value of Lei 4) designed and piloted the first autonomous take-off airplane. The demonstration flight took place on March 18th, 1906 at Montesson (near Paris).
Aurel Vlaicu, engineer, builder and pilot of the first airplane designed and manufactured in Romania (postage stamp with the face value of Lei 5) whose maiden flight took place on June 17th, 1910, is recognized as a leading representative of national and world aviation. His last project, the Vlaicu III airplane, the world’s first metal airplane, was completed after his death (1913) by his friends Constantin Silișteanu and Giovanni Magnani, in 1914.
Henri Coandă, world-class inventor, specialist in aerodynamics, is present in the history of aviation as the builder of the first jet airplane, realized in 1910 (postage stamp with the face value of Lei 33 within the souvenir sheet). The IAR-93 airplane whose picture is reproduced next to the portrait of Henri Coandă is known as the first jet airplane manufactured in Romania, having the INCREST program as a guide (whose director, starting in 1969, was Henri Coandă) and which had its first flight in 1974.
The IAR-80 fighter (postage stamp with the face value of Lei 6) was designed and built at I.A.R. Brasov, and its maiden flight took place on April 12th, 1939. The serial airplanes participated in combat actions during the World War II.
In 1969, the TAROM company marked an important milestone in its existence by making the first flight around the world with an IL-18D aircraft (postage stamp with the face value of Lei 13). The flight, conducted between December 11th, 1969 and January 7th, 1970, totalled more than 50,000 kilometres, covered in almost 80 hours of actual flight time.
Romfilatelia thanks the representatives of the National Museum of Romanian Aviation for the documentary support granted to the development of this postage stamp issue.
