Released in 1996, this $20 sterling silver coin is the third release in the RCM's second aviation series, Powered Flight in Canada: Beyond World War II. Celebrate Canada's aviation heroes and their groundbreaking achievements.

This piece honors the CF-100 Canuck and Janus Zurakowski, a renowned aerobatic pilot,  test pilot and engineer at Avro Canada. While diving the CF-100 he became the first Canadian to break the sound barrier and the first to go supersonic with a straight-winged jet aircraft.

The Design

The reverse features the CF-100 Canuck along with a 24-karat gold plated cameo portrait of Janus Zurakowski. The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Dora de Pédery-Hunt.

The CF-100 Canuck 

Seeking to end its reliance on foreign aircraft, the R.C.A.F. commissioned Avro Canada to design and build the CF-100. As a fledgling enterprise, Avro quickly drew in a wealth of experienced Canadian aviation personnel who had worked throughout the Second World War. The resulting Avro CF-100 Canuck became a monumental success for domestic aviation. Affectionately nicknamed the "Clunk," this two-seat fighter was highly regarded for its impressive rate of climb, twin-engine reliability, and advanced radar and fire control systems.