CV90 Armadillo

De Havilland Canada

Established in 1928 at De Lesseps Field, Toronto before relocating to Downsview, Ontario to build the De Havilland DH60 Moth for the training of Canadian airmen.

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada

DeHavilland Canada logo
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited was established in 1928 at De Lesseps Field, Toronto although they relocated to Downsview just a year later in order to build De Havilland DH60 Moth aircraft for the training of Canadian airmen. Over 1,700 of the 7,000 Tiger Moths produced were built in Canada, the majority being the DH82C closed cockpit version.
 
During World War II, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada also produced the De Havilland Mosquito , one of the fastest aircraft of the war at 425mph.
Some 1,134 aircraft were built in Canada and although a number were lost during transportation, over 500 were delivered to the UK.
 
DH Canada Headquarters

 

After the war the company began designing and building indigenous aircraft, especially those best suited to the harsh Canadian environment.  The first true De Havilland Canada type was the DHC1 Chipmunk which was also selected as the standard primary trainer for the RAF in the UK and is still a favourite amongst pilots today.

A number of aircraft designed specifically for Canadian Operators followed such as the DHC2 Beaver, DHC3 Otter and DHC4 Caribou, the latter being a tactical transport aircraft for the US and Canadian Army.

De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk prototype CF-DIO-X Air to air photograph of De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk prototype CF-DIO-X
 
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada became part of the Hawker Siddeley Group during the take-over of the parent De Havilland Aircraft Company in 1959.  After a short period, they were eventually merged with Avro Canada (who were already part of the Hawker Siddeley Group) although the De Havilland Canada brand still continued.
 

In the 1970s, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada turned its focus to commercial feeder-liners with short take-off and landing (STOL) capabilities in areas of strict noise limits. Even today, many DHC7 Dash 7 and DHC8 Dash 8 aircraft are still in daily operation around the world.

In 1980, the Canadian Government forced the privatisation of De Havilland Aircraft of Canada and in 1986 it sold the company to Boeing. The company and name is now in the ownership of Bombardier Aerospace.

Genealogy

1927 De Havilland Aircraft Limited
1928 De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd                                                        
1980 Canadian Government

 

Aircraft

 1946 DHC-1 Chipmunk  1964 DHC-5 Buffalo                                       
 1947 DHC-2 Beaver / DHC-2T Turbo Beaver  1965 DHC-6 Twin Otter
 1951 DHC-3 Otter  1975 DHC-7 Dash 7
 1958 DHC-4 Caribou  1983 DHC-8 Dash 8