Hungarian Stamps

Magyar Posta is commemorating the centenary of notable events in the history of aviation by issuing a special pair of stamps with a label.

Graphic artist Péter Nagy, who designed the stamp, said about his work: “In my childhood I spent the weekends at airfields with my father and brother. My father, József (Nagy) Pázmándi, was obsessed with flying. He was involved in the history of Hungarian aviation as an external consultant to the Transport Museum. That was how I met his friends, outstanding personalities in the history of aviation: Pál Rév Senior, Ernő Rubik, László Winkler, Antal (Tóni) Bánhidi, Lajos (Lulu) Rotte, János Weingartner and others. I dedicate the stamp design to the memory of my father and the great figures of aviation, with gratitude for Magyar Posta for being able to do so.”

100 years ago, on 25 July 1909, the French engineer and constructor Louis Blériot (1872–1936) flew the 37 km across the English Channel between Dover and Calais in 36 minutes. In the same year, on 17 October, he also held a display in Hungary. This was the first time that an aeroplane took off in Hungary. The first reports of the work of Hungarian aeromodellers come from the time of the first engine-powered flight (1903). However, Blériot’s flight in 1909 was a real breakthrough, inspiring the foundation of the first aeromodel clubs in Hungary. So 1909 is considered as the start of organised Hungarian aeromodelling. (Source: http://hu.wikipedia.org, http://www.dvmk.hu/tortenelem.php?magy)

One of the denominations of the pair of stamps with a label shows the moment when Louis Blériot reached the English coast at Dover on the first flight across the Channel. The other stamp captures Blériot’s demonstration flight in a small Hungarian village, Kisrákos. The label between the stamps features a constructional drawing of Blériot’s aeroplane, which is intended to symbolise and document the 100 years of Hungarian aeromodelling. The first day cover depicts Blériot as a pilot, in the cockpit of his aeroplane, while on the special postmark there is a front view of his aeroplane’s constructional drawing. The preparation of the new pair of stamps was assisted by the Budapest Transport Museum.

• (EUROPA) postcard (between 2009-01-01 and 2009-12-31)
• (EUROPA) standard letter weight up to 20g (between 2009-01-01 and 2009-12-31)
• (EUROPA) postcard (between 2010-01-01 and 2010-12-31)
• (EUROPA) standard letter weight up to 20g (between 2010-01-01 and 2010-12-31)