Canada Post Corporation had its most productive day ever on September 4 when a total of 20 new stamps were readied for take-off. Canada's national postal administration has never issued as many stamps at one time as in this introduction.
The September stamp spree commemorates two anniversaries, the 75th birthday of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the 50th anniversary of the Canadian International Air Show (CIAS). The RCAF commemoratives feature a sheetlet of 16 different stamps while the Air Show is celebrated with a four stamp souvenir sheet. Both sets are 46-cent denominations.
The RCAF stamps depict a selection of aircraft which mark significant milestones in the development of Canada's air force. The release include the 1914 Burgess-Dunne seaplane, the country's first military plane, as well as other World War I related planes: the Sopwith F.1 Camel; the Sopwith 5.F.1 Dolphin.
Between-the-wars craft are represented by the AVRO 504K, Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA; Canadian Vickers Delta II, and the Avro Anson Mk.1. Both aircraft served in World War II as did the De Havilland Mosquito FB VI and the Vickers-Armstrong Wellington Mk.II.
The most popular craft after the war, the widely acclaimed F-86 Sabre, because they were flown by the famed aerobatic team, the Golden Hawks that performed in many countries around the world. The de Havilland DHC-3 Otter had a long and distinguished service as a search and rescue craft, while the Argus and the Caribou were the stalwart servants of the RCAF for many years.
The panel of aeronautical stamps conclude with the more modern Sea King helicopters, the CF-104G Starfighter, and the F-18 Hornett.
The CIAS souvenir sheet displays a H101 Salto sailplane, Stearman A-75, Vampire Mk III and the Fokker DR. 1. The famed Snowbirds, a contemporary high-performance aerobatic team, provide a background photo spanning two of the four-stamp set.
First Day Cover cancellation site for the RCAF stamps was in Ottawa, while the CIAS stamps received a Toronto, Ontario postmark. The stamps were all launched at a special ceremony September 4, at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The Snowbirds took to the air at the conclusion of the ceremony in one of their distinctive performances over Lake Ontario.
Incidentally, the Canadian government announced a few days later, that the Snowbirds may be shelved for economic reasons.
This parade of stamps enhances any airplane topical collection, and the popularity of both the RCAF and the International Air Show will ensure key interest within Canada as well as in the international philatelic community.
Michael O. Nowlan was born in Chatham, New Brunswick Canada. He grew up on a nearby farm, was educated, and became a teacher. In retirement, he follows his life-long avocation of writing. His credits include 16 books (four books of poems, two children's titles, and anthologies for schools). In recent years, he has written extensively about stamp collecting for CANADIAN STAMP NEWS, GIBBONS INTERNATIONAL STAMP NEWS, and other philatelic publications.
