1998 Canada $20 Aviation Series 2 : Waterbomber Sterling Silver Coin #8

Canada pre-war aircraft manufacturing industry was small and faced an enormous challenge on the eve of World War II. Eventually, it produced over 15,000 aircraft, many to be used as trainers in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). The BCATP inspired U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous description of Canada as “the aerodrome of democracy” and became the world’s largest and most successful scheme to train aircrews for military service. Almost overnight, the plan produced airfields all across Canada, many of them still in use today, and helped create a modern, mass-produced aircraft industry in this country.

The modern era of air transport in northern Canada began in earnest during the 1950’s driven by a resource exploration and development boom and the building of the distant early warning radar system for the military. Modern bush pilots continued on in the best traditions of their predecessors, operating from dirt runways or landing “off strip” on the frozen tundra in aircraft equipped with skis or high floatation “balloon” tires.

Since aviation’s early years, Canadians have been devoted to opening up and defending this huge and rugged land, taking leading roles as flyers, designers, and builders of aircraft.

The coin pictures a gold plated portrait of Paul Gagnon, with the Canadair CL-215 Waterbomber in the background