New Issue: 25 Years of Manx Aviation and Military Museum (IOM)

The Isle of Man has today issued a new set marking the 25th anniversary of the Manx Aviation and Military Museum.

The museum was opened on Remembrance Sunday in 2000 and is home to over 9,000 exhibits - all of which tell a story of the history of aviation and the military on the island. Many displays relate to RAF Jurby and RAF Andreas, two former air force stations that were in use on the Isle of Man during World War II.

Isle of Man Stamps and Coins state that this issue "captures the Island’s aviation and military heritage" They explain that "each stamp represents a significant aspect of the Museum’s collections, from World War I and II service personnel to civil aviation milestones"

Information on the website states: "Stamps feature notable figures such as Lieutenant Colonel John Douglas Clague, highlighting acts of bravery and leadership during global conflict. Others depict the Manx Regiment, RAF and Royal Navy training facilities, and aircraft used to defend shipping and airspace. Civil aviation is represented by historic aircraft and the distinctive Manx Airlines turboprop, illustrating the Island’s aviation evolution. The set also reflects the Museum’s wide-ranging exhibits, including model soldiers, crash artefacts, and rare items such as a surrendered Japanese officer’s sword from 1945." There are six stamps in the set. These feature World War I (£1.90), World War II (£1.90), Victory in Japan (£1.90), Civil Aviation (£2.26), Museum (£2.26) and Korean (£2.26).

Design Quality - I think overall the design is quite good but on the down side there is a lot going on in some of these and it's difficult to know what everything is. 5/10

Theme and Subject Choice - I would say this is a very good theme and subject choice. The museum plays a significant part in telling the island's story and it seems fitting that its anniversary should be marked. 10/10

Historical and Cultural Relevance - These stamps are very relevant to the Isle of Man's history and seek to bring that history to the attention of a wider audience 10/10

Innovation and Creativity - I think the stamps' design has tried to be creative but unfortunately they're trying to do too much and there's so much happening in all the stamps with no real explanation as to who people are or what the photographs show. 5/10

Collectability - Lots of people like collecting stamps with a military theme, but I think these will also appeal to people with an interest in local history. 8/10

Personal Appeal - I love the theme but I'm not such a huge fan of the design. 6/10

Overall score: 44/60