In 2024 Correos begun an interesting collaborative project with the Fundación Infante de Orleans (FIO), the museum of historic flying aircraft. Every year, the Correos philatelic service releases a variable value stamp (ATM) design dedicated to one of the museum’s aircraft, and sets up a stand and organizes a special issue as an official presentation at one of the flying exhibitions.
It will undoubtedly be a great series of issues because, as can be seen in the publicity brochure, the FIO has a collection of more than 40 historic aircraft consisting of 32 different models, mostly from the first half of the 20th century.
While the first issue in 2024 was dedicated to the Polikarpov I-16 (see article), the 2025 release commemorates 100 years of flight of the De Havilland DH-60 “Moth”. This design is part of the definitive series issued in January 2025 (see article).
The DH-60 “Moth” is a British two-seater, light, touring and training biplane of wooden construction manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It had a fuselage of plywood with fabric covered surfaces and its first flight was on February 22nd 1925.
As a curiosity, the aircraft allegedly flown by Robert Redford in the film “Out of Africa” was a 1929 DH-60 M “Moth”.
The Foundation’s DH-60 X “Moth” with registration number G-EBXU was built in 1928. It is the oldest aircraft in the collection, and the oldest airworthy one in the world. It was used in Brazil by a British aerial photography company, confiscated by the military, and crashed in the early 1930s. In the 1990s it was restored in the UK and finally acquired by the FIO in 2006.
The special issue had been scheduled for the first Sunday in March, almost coinciding in date with the centenary of the first flight, but the exhibition was suspended on the morning of the same day due to rain, so the presentation was postponed until Sunday June 1st.
The FIO flying displays at Cuatro Vientos aerodrome can attract over 2000 spectators. Throughout the morning, visitors are able to view the aircraft on the ground, take part in guided tours and children’s workshops, and wander around the various stands. The event concludes with a great aerial display.
As with last year, the philatelic service set up a tent where visitors were able to purchase the stamps with a special graphic, the commemorative cover, a postcard, a pack of products, and obtain the special first day postmark, all items dedicated to the DH-60 “Moth”.
The picture features the stamp advertising panel showing 2nd March the original planned date of the event.
For the printing of the variable value stamps, the philatelic service installed its computer system on the stand, and for the first time used two new Brother thermal transfer printers, one for stamps and another for receipts. It is the first ATM issue in Spain printed with this new technology.
This “small” change no doubt went unnoticed by most visitors, including many collectors, but is of enormous importance and significance for variable value stamp issues in Spain. After more than 30 years of issuing stamps with direct thermal printers, with imprints susceptible to fading or discolouration over time, the new ATMs and receipts will be printed with thermal transfer technology, which is much more stable and resistant to time and environmental conditions (article).
All the stamps issued in Madrid Cuatro Vientos include the ‘1 junio Madrid‘ imprint on two lines under the face value indicator, a special graphic with the front image of the aircraft, and the CV25 special code. The receipts include a special ‘Aeródromo 2025 Madrid – Cuatro Vientos‘ heading.
Left, strip with four domestic mail stamps – Tarifa A (‘Tarifa A Tira 4’ on the receipts). Right, strip with the set with the four programmed postage rates (‘Tira 4 Tarifas’ on the receipts). Click on the pictures to enlarge.
The philatelic service produced a special commemorative cover and postcard for the Cuatro Vientos air show. The postmark, which is a special one for this event, incorporates the logo of the Infante de Orleans Foundation in the design.
Following the great interest in the special 2024 issue, it was decided in 2025 to prepare packs containing a first day cover, a maximum card and a notebook with a stamp. The pack has a preprinted design on the upper right corner that simulates a stamp. However, this stamp has no face value nor the postmark a date, so it is not a postal stationery item.
(English edition rewritten by J. Gareze – June 2025)
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