The DHC-2 Beaver, honoured with new Canadian stamp
Pictures courtesy of De Havilland Aircraft of Canada
Today, a bit of an unusual topic, although not totally stranger to this site, since we have already covered the topic of stamps & aviation!
Canada Post has just presented a stunningly beautiful stamp dedicated to the DHC-2 Beaver aircraft.
This stamp, which is going on sale at post offices on 17 Oct, is part of a series called “Canadians in flight”, that will feature four other Canadian aerospace achievements.
While reading about this stamp issue, I discovered that the design of the DHC-2 Beaver dates all the way back to 1946!
It was conceived from the very first moment to cater to the needs of bush pilots that were serving remote communities throughout the vast expanses of Canada.
The first flight of the Beaver was just one year after design work started…in 1947, which means that it just turned 75, a rather venerable age for an aircraft that is still in service. There are currently some 750 of them around the world.
Not only this, but the DHC-2 is at the forefront of the new wave of innovation in aviation:
Fitted with a set of magniX electric motors, Harbour Air, a seaplane airline based in British Columbia, has become a true pioneer of electric commercial aviation.
The aptly renamed eBeaver has been making headlines, first, in 2019, by completing the first commercial flight running 100% on electric propulsion, and more recently, last August, the first fully electric commercial (test) flight between two points.
This 45-mile, 24-minute flight took place between Vancouver International airport (YVR), or more accurately, from a mooring point in the river next to the airport, and Victoria International airport (YYJ).
So, in its electrically-powered version, the super-versatile DHC-2 Beaver is experiencing a sort of second youth!
By the way, if you wish to learn more about the magniX electric motors that have powered those Beaver flights, check out this podcast episode which we did with the then magniX CEO , Roei Ganzarski.
