Avro Canada CF-100

Military flying is the pillar of Canadian aviation. The military gave thousands of young Canadian aviators their start and provided Canadian manufacturers invaluable experience in the design and production of modern aircraft. Soon after the Second World War, Canadian authorities decided that to stave off the Soviet bomber threat, the R.C.A.F needed an all-weather, day and night fighter capable of operating in the Arctic. Since no such aircraft existed, and since the R.C.A.F wanted to avoid over-dependence on foreign manufacturers, Avro Canada began work on the CF-100 in 1946. It first flew on 19 January l950. The CF-100 became the R.C.A.F's first jet fighter to be designed and built in Canada, and the world's first straight-winged combat aircraft to break the sound barrier. Avro eventually produced 692 of the aircraft, exporting 53 to Belgium. The R.C.A.F still uses CF-100's for electronic warfare training. The aircraft on the stamp are of R.C.A.F. Squadron No. 428, known as the "Ghost Squadron". This squadron was based at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, until disbanded in 1961. The military aircraft stamps were designed by Robert Bradford and Jacques Charette. Mr. Bradford prepared the paintings that appear in the typographic format designed by Mr. Charette.