Cover bears full set of 1997 Classic Tales of Horror (The hound of the Baskervilles, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Frankenstein and Dracula) stamps cancelled on 1st Day of Issue with  Gosport CDS depicting 13 Squadron's Lynx's head crest. Cover also depicts the Squadron Badge of 13 Squadron and a Tornado  which is the aircraft flown by 13 Squadron.
Cover has been flown in Tornado from RAF Marham in Tornado GR1A ZG707 B the lead aircraft of a Diamond Nine formation flypast and simulated airfield attack of RAF Marham to mark the 82ns Anniversary of 13 Squadron.
Cover is signed by Wing Commander J M Hetherington Officer Commanding  617 Squadron

13 Squadron

Perhaps the most famous RAF squadron currently flying, 617 Squadron was formed at Scampton on 21 March 1943 specifically to undertake one operation - Operation Chastise - the breaching of dams vital to the German war effort. The Squadron's Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, was given free reign to comb other Lancaster squadrons for the crews he thought could best undertake the mission. For weeks, not even Gibson was told of the unit's task, only that low-level flying over water was essential, and training was undertaken in around the dams and reservoirs of Derbyshire. Chastise called for the breaching of three enormous dams in the Ruhr - the heart of German industrial production - by dropping a specially designed mine at exactly 60 feet (18.29m) and a speed 220 mph (354 km/h). Nineteen specially modified Lancaster carried out the attack during the night of 16/17 May 1943, successfully breaching the Mohne and Eder dams, but failing with attacks on two others, the Sorpe and Schwelme. Wing Commander Gibson repeatedly flew over the Mohne and Eder dams to draw fire away from the attacking aircraft and was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry. Thirty-two other members of the Squadron were also decorated but a total of eight aircraft and their crews were lost during the night.
 
The unit was retained to carry out highly specialised attacks, many of which employed the 12,000lb (5,448kg) 'Tallboy' and 22,000lb (9,988kg) 'Grand Slam' bombs. The Squadron received Lincolns in September 1946 and Canberras six years later with which the Squadron took part in Operation Firedog in Malaya before disbanding on 15 December 1955. On 1 May 1958, No 617 reformed at Scampton equipped with Vulcans, a type that remained on strength until 31 December 1981 when the unit disbanded. The following year, the Squadron reformed with Tornado GR1s at Marham, initially in the strike role, but latterly in the maritime strike mission based at Lossiemouth.

Number 617 continued to fly the Tornado GR1 until it was replaced by the updated GR4 and it was with these that the squadron carried out the first attacks with the RAF's stand-off weapon - Storm Shadow - during Operation Telic in April 2003.

Aircraft: Tornado GR4
Motto: Aprés moi, le déluge - 'After me, the flood'.
Badge: On a roundel, a wall in fesse, fracted by three flashes of lightning in pile and issuant from the breach water proper - approved by King George VI in March 1944. The broken dam is indicative of the successful attack on the dams in May 1943.
Battle Honours: Fortress Europe 1943-1945*, The Dams*, Biscay Ports 1944*, France and Germany 1944-1945*, Normandy 1944*, Tirpitz*, Channel and North Sea 1944-1945*, German Ports 1945*, Gulf 1991.

Honours marked with an asterisk, are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard.

Tornado

The Tornado GR4 is the latest version of the RAF's primary attack aircraft. Capable of supersonic speeds and flight at low-level, the aircraft is one of the most potent in the world today.

First deliveries to the RAF of the original GR1 version were made in 1980 where it replaced a number of older RAF aircraft including the Buccaneer and Vulcan as low-level attack aircraft. A major feature is the Tornado's 'swing wings' (or 'variable geometry' to give it its correct title). With the wings swept fully forward, the aircraft can fly very slowly - ideal for landing on short, unprepared runways. With the wings swept to their full 68°, the aircraft can fly supersonically, whilst at the intermediate position the manoeuvrability is greatly increased - useful should the aircraft need to undertake rapid action during an attack. Another innovative feature of the Tornado is the ability to use thrust-reverse to shorten landings.

GR4 Specifications
Engines:
Two Turbo-Union RB199s

Length:
54ft 10in (16.70m)

Wingspan:
45ft 7in (13.90m) at 17° sweep; 28ft 2in (8.60m) at 68° sweep

Top Speed:
1,452mph (2,336km/h, Mach 2.2) at 36,000ft (11,000m); 710mph (1,140km/h) at sea-level

Crew:
Pilot and Weapons Systems Operator
A programme to update many of the Tornado's weapons and navigation systems was completed in 2003 and these updated aircraft are known as Tornado GR4s. As well as the existing weapons carried by Tornados (such as the Paveway family of laser- and GPS-guided bombs and the ALARM anti-radar missile) a number of new weapons can now be used. These include the Storm Shadow stand-off (or 'cruise') missile and the RAPTOR reconnaissance pod - both of which were used for the first time during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and the forthcoming Brimstone anti-tank missile. Other improvements include GPS navigation and changes to the cockpit to allow the use of night-vision goggles.