DHC Unveils The Beaver

The Beaver Stamp

On October 13th, the DHC-2 Beaver claimed its rightful spot alongside Canadian aviation pioneers and trailblazers. Sherry Brydson joined Canada Post for the unveiling of the DHC-2 Beaver stamp featured in their latest stamp issue of Canadians in Flight. With over 1,000 viewers joining the stream, the stamp unveiling occurred at the perfect moment as we celebrated a momentous milestone this summer - the Beaver’s 75th birthday.

The DHC-2 Beaver

75 years ago, on August 16 1947, the Beaver took off on its very first flight from the Toronto Downsview Airport. It is a testament to our organization’s dedication to building the best of the best in rugged, reliable aircraft that of the 1,692 Beavers built during its 20 year production period, over 750 still remain operational worldwide. De Havilland proudly maintains a renowned history of crafting legendary aircraft, and the DHC-2 Beaver is no exception.

In 1987, the Beaver was named one of Canada’s top 10 engineering achievements of the 20th century by the Canadian Engineering Centennial Board.

To date, the Beaver outnumbers any other Canadian aircraft ever built, exceeding 1,600 between its debut to the world in 1947 and the end of its production period in 1968. For good reason - it was the first all-metal bush plane ever built, with the ability to be equipped with wheels, skis, or floats to fly year-round in a range of conditions. Compared to most aircraft, the Beaver boasted short takeoff and landing capabilities that allowed it to access remote regions, needing very little land, water, or snow to take off and land.

The Beaver was the first all-metal bush plane ever built, with the ability to be equipped with wheels, skis, or floats to fly year-round in a range of conditions. Compared to most aircraft, it boasted short takeoff and landing capabilities that allowed it to access remote regions, needing very little land, water, or snow to take off and land. To date, the Beaver outnumbers any other Canadian aircraft ever built, exceeding 1,600 between its debut to the world in 1947 and the end of its production period in 1968.

Its robust design was in part due to requests from bush pilots De Havilland polled within remote Northern Canadian communities as well as pilots from other countries. Eventually, over 60 countries around the world would adopt the Beaver for its multipurpose capacity, from accessing remote regions and crop dusting to military duties.

The Beaver’s rich and colourful history includes a range of things that put it in the Canadian aviation hall of fame:

• World War I ace Punch Dickens, a highly decorated Canadian bush pilot who logged over 1.6 million km flying over remote Northern Canada, was one of the many pilots surveyed for the Beaver’s design.
• One of the Beaver’s first prototypes was tested and flown in 1947 by Canadian World War II fighter ace Russell Bannock.
• To date, the Beaver outnumbers any other Canadian aircraft ever built, exceeding 1,600 between its debut to the world in 1947 and the end of its production period in 1968.
• In 1951, the Beaver won both the US Army and US Air Force competitions for a utility aircraft.

Its excellence earned the Beaver the affectionate monikers ‘Swiss army knife of the skies’ and ‘the workhorse of the North’, and it is to this day known as the best bush plane ever built, commemorated and celebrated in museums across Canada and featured in Canada Post’s stamp in its 75th year of service.

The DHC-2 Beaver stamps are available for purchase since release on October 17th, and can be found on Canada Post’s website.

The Beaver in Action

Curious to learn more about the infamous Beaver? Follow the link to watch the documentary The Immortal Beaver, or watch the looping video on the Beaver’s historical photography and videography.