North Vietnam, Shoot-Down of the 3,000th U.S.Aircraft over North Vietnam, June 25th, 1968; Postal Authorities kept busy with the successful defense scheme which counted the number of U.S. aircraft shot down over Vietnam and issued four stamps in the nominals of 12 xu (two stamps) and 40 xu (two stamps). The stamp were issued perforated 11.0. Stamps with the same nominal were printed together vertically in a sheet of 100 stamps.
Mint perforated set of the 12 xu stamps:
Mint perforated set of the 40 xu stamps:
The stamps were printed in alternative rows within the same sheet. Here are pairs that show the arrangement.
These stamps were not released imperforate but a number of imperforate stamps, especially of the 40 xu values have come to market. The rarest version of the 12 and 40 xu imperforate stamps come on the paper that was used for final issuance. There are also trial proofs that were printed to glossy newsprint paper (sometimes previously used). These are more numerous.
Mint imperforate set of the 12xu stamps on issued paper. The 12 xu imperforate value on issued paper is much rarer than the 40xu values on issued paper:
Mint imperforate set of the 40 xu stamps on issued paper:
Mint imperforate set of the 40 xu stamps on glossy news print paper. These trial prints were made by using waste paper that had previously been used (in this case for a calendar). According to Klewitz these stamps were fully valid for postage and he did use them on letters sent to himself. 
Another imperforate set of the 40 xu values printed on paper that shows another print on the reverse:
This is how the piece looks from the reverse:
and a third example of the trial print on glossy magazine type paper.
Front:
Reverse:
The stamps on magazine type paper are rarest on white, unused paper like this block offer stamps.
Rare printing error of the perforated 12 xu values that shows a total lack of the black printing run:
Rare printing error of the perforated 40 xu values that shows a total lack of the black printing run:
Here is a perforation error on which the left pair of stamps is affected by a misplaced perforation line that runs through the stamps image.
Postcard with a photo of To-Na depicting a downed U.S. aircraft.
First Day Cover using a special commemorative cancel on all four stamps of the set.
Rare single franking of the yellow 12 xu stamp on a letter to Hungary from January of 1969.
Rare single franking of the green 40xu value on an air mail cover from October 1971 to Hungary.
Rare single franking of the 40xu value on a letter to Vientiane, Laos in June of 1977. This documents nicely that the postcard rate to Eastern countries and the letter rate to Laos were identical.
Rare single franking the red 40xu value paying the 40xu postcard rate to fellow socialist countries that came in effect on January 1st, 1975.
Mixed currency franking mailed registered by Xunhasaba using the old 2,000D Handicraft stamp from 1958 (which was devalued by 1,000:1 on March 1st, 1959 and hence only worth 2 Dong at the time of mailing) together with the 40xu Aircraft Shot Down and 1 Dong Lenin stamp for an overall postage of 3.40D.
Mixed franking of the 12xu Fruit, 6xu October Revolution and 40xu Aircraft Shot Down stamps paying an overall postage of 58xu on an air mail post card sent from Hanoi to East Germany.
Mixed franking of the brown 12xu and red 40xu value paying an overall postage of 52xu on a letter from Hanoi to East Germany.
Mixed franking of the red 40xu Aircraft Shot Down value plus the 6xu value from the Production and Defense set for an overall postage of 46xu. The postcard was sent to East Germany in December of 1973.
Mixed franking of the red 40xu Aircraft Shot down value together with the 12xu Flower value for an overall postage of 52xu on a letter sent from Hanoi to East Germany in February of 1974.
Mixed franking of the red 40xu Aircraft Shot Down value together with the 12xu Democratic Republic of Korea stamp for an overall postage of 52xu on a letter sent to Hungary in August of 1974.
Mixed franking from 1968 including the 12xu Cuban-Vietnamese Partnership stamp plus two of the 3,000th Aircraft shoot-down stamp for an overall postage of 92 xu. Since the standard letter rate was only 12 xu this letter must have been much heavier than the standard 20g.
Mixed franking on an air mail letter to Hungary in July of 1970 including one of the 40xu 3,000 Aircraft Shoot-Down stamps for an overall postage of 52xu.
Mixed franking of the green 40xu Aircraft Shot Down value together with three of the 10xu Nghe An stamps for an overall postage of 70xu on a letter to Hamburg, West Germany.
Mixed franking sent by Xunhasaba in June of 1973 to Czechoslovakia. The letter carries the green 40xu Aircraft Shot Down stamp plus two of the 2xu NLF stamps and one 50xu Hai Thu’o’ng stamp for an overall postage of 94xu.
Air mail letter (full content preserved) sent from Hanoi to Budapest, Hungary in July of 1970 carrying both of the 40xu aircraft stamps one one 12 xu Ho Chi Minh stamp for an overall postage of 52 xu.
Letter sent in July of from Lang-Son to a fellow Vietnamese located in Erfurt, East Germany. The letter carries two of the red and one of the green 40 xu stamps for an overall postage of 1.20D. The standard surface letter rate to Europe amounted to 1 Dong, so this letter was probably above the 20 gram limit.
Mixed franking of the 50xu Bird stamps together with the 40xu Aircraft Shot Down and 2xu NLF stamps for an overall postage of 92xu on an air-mail letter sent to Hungary in December of 1973.
Mixed franking of late 1960’s NVN stamps for an overall postage of 74xu on a Xunhasaba mailing to West Germany.
Mixed franking of one of the 12xu values together with the 40xu Aircraft Shot Down stamp for an overall postage of 52xu. The tariff to Western countries amounted to 50xu but the tariff to Eastern (socialist) countries was only 12xu. So it appears that the sender or postal clerk was unaware about the correct postage.
Air Mail postcard sent from Lang-Son to Hungary featuring the 6 xu Domestic Craft plus one 40 xu 3,000 Aircraft Shot down stamp for an overall postage of 46 xu.
Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in April of 1969 featuring the entire perforated set. The overall franking amounted to 1.48 Dong which appears to be 12 xu shy of the required tariff for a standard registered express mail letter to West Germany. However this was not noticed by the postal clerk and the letter was transmitted without any assessment of postage due. Interesting rail transit cancel and Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.
Very rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz of June 1977. The letter carries the im-perforated version of the 40 xu stamps on glossy newsprint paper. Im-perforated stamps, especially trial prints, on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage amounted to 2.87 Dong which most certainly was in excess of the required tariff of 1.00 Dong for a standard express mail letter to West Germany.
Air mail letter mailed on May of 1972 carrying one of the 12xu National Resistance plus one of the 40 xu 3,000 Aircraft-Shot-Down stamps for an overall postage of 52xu.
Air mail letter sent in May of 1971 from Hanoi to East Germany carrying one of the 12 xu Production and Struggle plus one of the 40 xu 3,000 Aircraft shot-down stamps for an overall postage of 52xu.
Air mail letter sent in April of 1970 from Hanoi to East Germany carrying one of the 12xu International Court plus one 40xu of the 3,000 Aircraft shot-down stamps for an overall postage of 52 xu.
Air mail letter sent in October of 1973 from Hanoi to Hungary (full contents preserved). The letter was franked with two of the red 40xu aircraft stamps plus one of the 12xu domestic wildlife series for an overall postage of 92 xu. The sender gives his address Thuong Vu Hunggari, Hom Thu 17 which might be a reference to a Hungarian military advisor unit stationed around Hanoi.
Registration Nr. 101590
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