The Royal Air Force came into existence on 1 April 1918 when the aviation branches of the Royal Navy and the British Army were merged to form an independent military foce. The growing role of airpower in warfare, particularly in the Great War was the chief inspiration for this move. A fascinating and informative Isle of Man sheetlet commemorates this milestone of British military history. The sheetlet features two sets of the stamps. The impressively detailed stamps feature not only an historically significant aircraft but also a medal ribbon and its initials, the RAF Ensign, the name of an important RAF member, the name of an RAF airbase and its GPS co-ordinates - you may well need a magnifying glass to distinguish some of these details! One further tribute lies hidden in the stamps and can only be read under UV light - the sonnet 'High Flight' by John Gillespie Magee with its evocative opening lines: 'Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings'. Magee was an Anglo-American officer pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force who died in training at the tragically young age of nineteen. All in all this Presentation Pack represents as perfect a philatelic tribute to the RAF Centenary as any dedicated collector could wish.
