Released in 1995, this $20 sterling silver coin is the second 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 DHC-1 Chipmunk and Russell Bannock, a WWII fighter ace who later served as the chief test pilot for de Havilland Canada. 

The Design

The reverse features the DHC-1 Chipmunk along with a 24-karat gold plated cameo portrait of Russell Bannock. The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Dora de Pédery-Hunt.

The DHC-1 Chipmunk 

Following its vital contributions to the Second World War, de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. turned its focus toward the civilian market and the development of original domestic designs. The company's first new model, the DHC-1 Chipmunk, found immense popularity in both military and civil aviation. This agile, tandem-seat trainer was exceptionally well-suited for military flight instruction, ultimately making history as the first Canadian-designed aircraft to be manufactured under license abroad.