Canada 20 Dollars Silver Coin 1998 Canadair CL-215
Aviation Commemoratives
Obverse: Profile portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II created in 1990 and notable for the grand jewelled tiara and a beautiful string of pearls, this royal effigy was designed by Canadian artist Dora de Pedery-Hunt.
Lettering: ELIZABETH II D·G·REGINA · 1998 ·
Reverse: Canadair (Bombardier) CL-215 Waterbomber. The Canadair CL-215 was the first aircraft ever designed specifically for Water Bombing. Portrait of Paul Gagnon in 24-karat gold-plated cameo, denomination below.
Lettering: CANADA 20 DOLLARS RRC
Engraver: Peter Mossman.
Edge: Reeded & Plain Sections.
Diameter: 38 mm.
Weight: 31.103 g.
Material: Silver.
Fineness: 0.925.
Denomination: 20 Canadian Dollars.
Produced By: Royal Canadian Mint.
Canadair (Bombardier) CL-215 Waterbomber
The Canadair CL-215 (Scooper) was the first model in a series of firefighting flying boat amphibious aircraft built by Canadair and later Bombardier. The CL-215 is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft designed to operate well at low speeds and in gust-loading circumstances, as are found over forest fires. It is also able to land and take off from short, unpaved airstrips.
Design and development
The CL-215 can be traced back to two early projects by Canadair, the CL-43 and CL-204. The CL-43 was conceived as a logistics aircraft and was based on the design of the Canadian Vickers-built 369 Canso (a variant of the Consolidated PBY Catalina). Arising from an earlier 1960s research study at the company, the original concept was for a twin-engined floatplane transport, that was altered into a "firefighter" as a result of a request by forestry officials in the Quebec Service Aérien (Quebec Government Air Service) for a more effective way of delivering water to forest fires. The 1962 preliminary design, the CL-204, was a purpose-designed water bomber that evolved into an amphibian flying boat configuration, powered by two shoulder-mounted 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800 piston engines. The definitive design known as the CL-215 received a program go-ahead in February 1966 with its maiden flight on 23 October 1967. The first delivery was to the French civil protection agency (Sécurité Civile, then known as Protection Civile) in June 1969. Production of CL-215s progressed through five series ending in 1990.
Variants
In 1987, the CL-215T was announced, with improvements in handling brought about by design changes to the wings and empennage, and more powerful Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines. Originally the follow-up CL-215T was to be a simple turboprop-powered development of the CL-215, and Canadair converted two aircraft in 1989 to act as development aircraft. The first of these flew on 8 June 1989. Retrofit kits for CL-215s to the new standard are offered, but Canadair elected not to build new CL-215Ts and instead developed the CL-415.
Cascade Aerospace, Canada, offers CL-215 to CL-215T engine retrofits using the Bombardier kit and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF engines and is currently the only conversion kit installer in the world.
General characteristics
Crew: two pilots
Capacity: 18 passengers (utility version)
Payload: 5,346 litres (1,176 Imp gal) of water or 5,444 kg (12,000 lb) of chemicals
Length: 19.82 m (65 ft 0½ in)
Wingspan: 28.60 m (93 ft 10 in)
Height: 8.98 m (29 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 100.3 m² (1,080 ft²)
Empty weight: 12,065 kg (26,600 lb)
Max. takeoff weight:
From water: 17,100 kg (37,700 lb)
From land: 19,730 kg (43,500 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-83AM 18-cylinder radial engines, 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) each
Performance
Cruise speed: 291 km/h (157 knots, 181 mph) (max recommended power)
Stall speed: 123 km/h (66 knots, 76 mph)
Range: 2,260 km (1,220 nm, 1,405 mi)
Service ceiling: 14,600 ft (4,450 m)
Rate of climb: 5 m/s (1,000 ft/min)
Canadian Coins
Canada 20 Dollars Silver Coin 1998 Canadair CL-215