Europa 1992 - Poland - 500th Anniv. of discovery of America

Date of Issue: May 05, 1992
Scott #: 3085a

Designer: J. Wysocki

Polish Post issued a se-tenant pair of stamps to commemorate 500th Anniversary of discovery of Americas by Christopher Columbus.

The pair of stamps show Christopher Columbus and his flagship 'Santa Maria' and the chart showing Atlantic ocean, Africa, and America.

Click here to see other stamps of Europa 1992.

Europa 1992 - Jersey

Date of Issue: April 14, 1992
Scott #: 593 - 595

22p - John Bertram (1796-1882)
28p - Sir George Carteret (1610-1680)
39p - Sir Walter Ralegh (1554-1618)

This FDC with set of three stamps are issued by Jersey Post to commemorate 500 years of Discovery of Americas by Columbus.

Click here to see other stamps of Europa 1992.

Death of Lord Nelson - October 21, 1805

Date of Issue: October 21, 2005
Scott #: 1028, for Isle of Man #: 1127

On this very same day, October 21, Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, a British flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars who won several victories, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, during which he was killed.

The battle of Trafalgar was the most decisive British naval victory of the war. Twenty-seven British ships of the line led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard HMS Victory defeated thirty-three French and Spanish ships of the line under French Admiral Pierre Villeneuve off the south-west coast of Spain, just west of Cape Trafalgar. The Franco-Spanish fleet lost twenty-two ships, without a single British vessel being lost.
Extracts from the log book of Manxman Captain John Quilliam on board "Victory" 21st October, 1805 "At 4.15pm the Spanish Rear Admiral to windward struck to some of our ships which had tacked after them, observed one of the enemy's ships blow up and 14 sail standing towards Cadiz and 3 standing to the southward, partial firing occurred until 3.40 when a victory having been reported to Admiral Right Honble Lord Visc't Nelson KB, Commander in Chief died of his wounds."

Nelson was mortally wounded during the battle, becoming Britain's greatest war hero.

A number of monuments and memorials were constructed across the country to honor his memory and achievements, with Dublin being the first city to create its own monument to Nelson, with work beginning on Nelson's Pillar in 1808. Others followed across the country, with London's Trafalgar Square being created in his memory in 1835 and the centrepiece, Nelson's Column, finished in 1843.

Source: wikipedia, gibraltar-stamps.com

USS Constellation - 150th Anniv

Date of Issue: June 30, 2004
Scott #: 3869

Designer: Howard E. Paine
Engraver: Christopher Broadbridge

Many thanks to Mr. E. Alexander Gerster, friend through MyPhilately.com, for the mint stamp, stamps on cover, and providing information on the stamp and USS Constellation.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) issued a stamp on USS Constellation to commemorate its 150th anniversary.

USS Constellation constructed in 1854 is a sloop-of-war, and the second United States Navy ship to carry this famous name. For decades, naval authorities disagreed on whether Constellation was a new ship built in 1854 of a modification of the 1797 frigate of the same name. In 1991, scientific examination of the ship and a recently discovered half-hull model confirmed that the ship berthed in Baltimore and known as the USS Constellation was indeed a new ship built in 1854.

USS Constellation is the last sail-only warship designed and built by the United States Navy.

The stamp art is a hand engraving based on a photograph, believed to date to 1893, in the collection of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

Click here to know more about USS Constellation.

Source: wikipedia, USPS.com

INS Vikrant

Date of Issue: February 16, 1986
Scott #: 1115

India Post issued this stamp of INS Vikrant to commemorate her Silver Jubilee on February 16, 1986.

INS Vikrant, (R11) formerly HMS Hercules, was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. The name Vikrant was taken from Sanskrit vikrānta meaning "stepped beyond", i.e. "courageous", "victorious".

The HMS Hercules was purchased by the Govt. of India on 1957 and the ship was commissioned as INS Vikrant on February 16, 1961. Her service to the country, particularly during Indo-Pak war on 1971 showed her real prowess and shall always be remembered. As the flagship of the Eastern Fleet, commencing on December 04, 1971, she launched strikes on Cox Bazar, Chittagong airfield and ships in harbor of Chalna, Khulna, and Mongla. The part played by Vikrant in the 1971 operations undoubtedly helped hasten the surrender of Pakistani troops.

The stamp is based on the art work prepared by Alka Sharma and designed by India Security Press, Nashik. The First Day Cover shows a Sea Harrier Aircraft ready for take off and Seaking Aircraft started upon either side of the deck ready for launch and the crest of INS Vikrant superimposed on it. The cancellation designed by Alka Sharma.

Vikrant was India's only carrier for over twenty years, but by the early 1990s she was effectively out of service because of her poor condition. Even following major overhauls she was rarely put to sea. She was formally decommissioned on January 31, 1997 and is preserved as a museum at Mumbai. She is the only World War II-era British-built aircraft carrier to be preserved as a museum.

Source: Wikipedia, India Post information brochure.

ORP Piorun (G65) and ORP Piorun (422)

Date of Issue: January 04, 1999
Scott #: 3434a

This set of stamps were issued to commemorate 80 years of Polish Navy. 1918 - 1998

The ship in the first stamp is ORP Piorun (G65), an N class destroyer used by the Polish Navy during the Second World War. The name is Polish for "Thunderbolt". Initially commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Nerissa, she was later transferred to the Polish Navy in 1942 as a replacement for the destroyer ORP Grom. She was returned to the Royal Navy in 1946, as HMS Noble and scrapped in 1955.

The second stamp shows ORP Piorun (422), commissioned on March 11, 1994, a small missile ship, one of the three vessels of the "Orkan" type used by the Polish navy.

Source: Wikipedia, marynarkawojenna.pl