On 21 January 1976, aviation history was made when Concorde began simultaneous commercial supersonic services, departing at 11:40am from London Heathrow to Bahrain with British Airways and from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Rio de Janeiro with Air France.

This marked the dawn of a new era in civil aviation. Flying faster than the rotation of the Earth, Concorde allowed passengers to witness the curvature of the planet below and the sky above fading from blue to black — an experience unique to supersonic flight.

Its extraordinary speed even made it possible to arrive in New York earlier than the local departure time in London.

Issued fifty years later, this official Royal Mail First Day Cover, featuring a special commemorative cancellation, celebrates Concorde as one of the greatest technical achievements of the twentieth century and a much-loved icon of global aviation.