posted 01-22-2016 04:40 AM               

The stamps capture an incredible history of aerospace innovation and exploration over the last 150 years using a range of colour and black and white high definition images along with accompanying industry commentary by Brian Riddle, Chief Librarian of the National Aerospace Library, who provides a potted history of aerospace innovations over the last 150 years.

Depicted is Vincenzo Lunardi's ascent of the hydrogen balloon in 1784, Sir George Cayley in 1853 with his fixed wings design, a French-built Wright Flyer rounding a pylon at Reims air event in 1909 and Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin who achieved the first manned space orbit of earth in 1961.

In addition are The Hawker PII27 aircraft — a prelude to the Harrier Jump Jet which made its first free flight in 1960 with components produced by the Ronaldsway Aircraft Company and Dowty, British Airways Concorde which undertook the first supersonic airline passenger flight in 1976 with manufacturing involvement from Ronaldsway Aircraft Company, Dowty Aerospace and Asystem. Also pictured is the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 turbofan engine — one of the company's most successful jet engines which Ronaldsway and Swagelok were involved in from the very early stages of its creation.

Finally pictured is the International Space Station – the biggest structure ever placed in orbit around the earth with which there are now many Manx connections.

The stamps also incorporate an ingenious selective varnish and metallic over-layered print technique which adds shine and lustre to the set.