Scott No: 3291-2
Serial number: 2003-14
Values in set: 2
Denomination: 2.80 yuan
Date of issue: 9th August 2003
Designer: Huang Huaqiang and Nie Chongwen
Size of stamps: 50*30 mm
Perforation: 13*12.5
Sheet composition:
16 for Sheet I
12 for Sheet II
Printing process: Photogravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

This is a set of two commemorative stamps titled Centenary of the Invention of the Airplane, issued on August 9, 2003, with a total face value of 2.80 yuan, designed by Nie Chongwen and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process.

In 1903, the Wright brothers successfully completed the first powered, manned flight in human history, marking the official birth of the airplane and ushering humanity into the aviation age. Over the past century, aviation technology has advanced rapidly, and aircraft have evolved from crude experimental flying machines into important equipment that has transformed transportation, military affairs, and science and technology. This stamp set features two milestone aircraft, one Chinese and one international, reviewing the century-long development of human aviation and showcasing the spirit of continuous technological breakthrough and the pursuit of the skies.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

World Chapter

The main subject is the Wright Flyer, the first airplane in human history to achieve sustained powered, manned flight. Its structure is simple, using a wooden frame, canvas skin, and a propeller engine. On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers piloted this aircraft on a historic flight, breaking the barrier that prevented humans from achieving powered flight and opening the era of modern aviation. The stamp recreates the appearance of this early flying machine, with a blue sky and early test flight scenes in the background, commemorating the great moment when humanity first took to the skies.

China Chapter

The main subject is the J-8II fighter, a high-altitude, high-speed interceptor independently developed by China, representing an important achievement of China's aviation industry in the last century. The aircraft has a streamlined aerodynamic design and excellent high-altitude, high-speed combat performance. It embodies the wisdom and dedication of Chinese aviation researchers and bears witness to the development of China's aviation industry from scratch to independent research and development. The background incorporates elements of early Chinese aircraft, showcasing the journey of China's aviation industry as it caught up and forged ahead.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses a realistic painting style, with simple and grand compositions set against a blue sky backdrop that highlights the aviation theme. The photogravure printing provides bright and clear colors, accurately reproducing the structural details of the aircraft. The two stamps correspond to the origins of world aviation and the development of Chinese aviation, one international and one Chinese, echoing each other. They condense a century of human aviation exploration into the stamps, paying tribute to the pioneering spirit of generations of aviation pioneers who dared to venture into the skies.