Own the entire collection of the series Powered Flight in Canada: Beyond World War II with this $20 sterling silver 10-coin set. The reverse of each coin features one of Canada's historic planes along with a 24-karat gold plated cameo portrait of one of the nation's aviation heroes. 

1. 1995 Fleet 80 Canuck
2. 1995 DHC-1 Chipmunk
3. 1996 Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck
4. 1996 Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow
5. 1997 Canadair F-86 Sabre
6. 1997 Canadair CT-114 Tutor Jet
7. 1998 Canadair CP-107 Argus
8. 1998 Canadair CL-215 Waterbomber
9. 1999 de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
10. 1999 de Havilland DHC-8 Dash 8

Powered Flight in Canada: Beyond World War II

On the eve of World War II, Canada’s pre-war aircraft manufacturing industry was remarkably small and faced a monumental challenge, yet it ultimately rose to the occasion producing over 15,000 aircraft. Most were used in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). This historic effort prompted U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt to call Canada "the aerodrome of democracy." Almost overnight, the BCATP spurred the construction of airfields across the nation, many of which remain active today, while laying the groundwork for a modern, mass-production aviation industry.

By the 1950s, a massive resource boom and the construction of the military's Distant Early Warning radar line pushed Canadian aviation even further north. A new generation of bush pilots stepped up, channeling the grit of early pioneers to fly into the deepest corners of the Arctic. Landing on rough dirt runways or dropping straight onto the frozen tundra using skis and oversized "balloon" tires, these aviators kept the north connected. Throughout history, Canadians have spearheaded global aviation as pioneering flyers, designers, and builders dedicated to uniting and defending their vast land.