WINDOW - The 360 FLOWN COVER

The front and reverse sides of philatelic covers flown on 2 exercise sorties in Canberra T17 WJ977
on 25th July 1978 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the first operation use of "window". 
A strip of window was included in the envelope, as shown across the flap above right.

Some 2,000 plain covers were flown over the North Sea on the 2 sorties on that day,
 with a landing for refuelling at RAF Lossiemouth.
The cover shown, is No 112 of 112 'specials',  the front of which carries the signatures of
Professor RV Jones and Mr Martin Middleton for reasons shown below,
 and also the Squadron Commander at the time,  Wg Cdr Ron F Saunders.
The reverse carries the signatures of the crew:
Pilot: Lt 'Nic' Taylor RN
Navigator: Flt Ll Greg Richardson RAF
Electronic Warfare Officer: Sqn Ldr Martin Anscombe RAF

The EWO is the editor of this website. Tragically, Lt Taylor was the first British fatality of the
Falklands War when his Harrier aircraft was shot down over Port Stanley. 

BELOW ARE SHOWN PARTS OF THE 'INSERTS'  FOR THE COVERS 

Professor R. V. Jones
Professor R. V. Jones was educated at Alleyn's School, Dulwich and Wadham College, Oxford,
 where he graduated as a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Physics in 1934.
 From 1935 to 1939 he worked on problems of air defence and infrared detection with the
Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
 Between 1939 to 1946 he was Head of Scientific Intelligence on the Air Staff, and Scientific Adviser to MI6

His work has been described on radio and television (the BBC. series: 'The Secret War') and in many books,
 most notably Sir Winston Churchill's book 'The Second World War'.
 His own book, 'Most Secret War' published in 1977, was a best seller.

Professor Jones was awarded the CBE in 1942 and the CB in 1946.
 He also holds two American Medals: the Medal for Merit, awarded directly by the President,
 and the Medal of Freedom, for services to the US Navy and the US 8th Air Force.

Acknowledgments to the Lincolnshire Lancaster Committee for the above extract from the insert card

Mr. Martin Middlebrook
Born in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1932, Martin Middlebrook was a poultry farmer who became
 a respected military aviation historian. When this 'window' commemorative cover was being  produced,
he was working on a book entitled "The Battle of Hamburg", which was subsequently published in 1980.
The book describes the series of raids carried out by the RAF and USAF on that city in July & August 1943.
 It was during the battle of Hamburg that 'Window' was used for first time in operations by the RAF.