Royal Canadian Air Force – RCAF – Challenge Coins
Like the RCAF, Sharkz Coins is Canadian. We have been producing the best custom challenge coins for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for over ten years! Custom challenge coins help celebrate the Royal Canadian Air Force and the airmen and women who serve Canada wearing Air Force blue. Royal Canadian Air Force challenge coins have played an important role in morale building and celebration of achievement. We have created Royal Canadian Air Force challenge coins for a variety of purposes including:
- Unit, Wing and Squadron coins as souvenirs of service available in squadron kit shops or provided exclusively for members.
- Commanding Officers’ coins for commendation or dignitary gifts – we’ve even created these with golf ball markers attached as part of the coin!
- Commemoration of overseas missions and domestic exercises.
- Custom Royal Canadian Air Force challenge coins are often used to celebrate historical milestones, for example, the 50th anniversary of the CT114 Tutor, 75th anniversary of various squadrons formed during WWII, and
- Various support trades also create custom Royal Canadian Air Force challenge coins to commemorate the teamwork it takes to operate the RCAF.
- Coins are also used to commemorate retirements of aircraft, closure of squadrons, and we’ve even made retirement coins for individuals!
Look through our gallery (at this link) and you will see many examples of Challenge Coins for Royal Canadian Air Force. There are lots there to get your creative juices flowing! If you get inspired, contact us right away and we will prepare a quote for you. The coins in our gallery are not usually for sale, they are only examples of coins we’ve made for you to enjoy and get inspired about creating your own custom challenge coin.
Sharkz Coins RCAF Trivia
Did you know that the oldest son of Sharkz Coins owners Chris and Helen is a helicopter pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force? As of the time of writing this article, he flies CH-147F Chinook dual-rotor heavy-lift helicopters. In 2015, Chris and Helen had the opportunity to fly in a Chinook out of 450 SQN in Petawawa Ontario – an amazing experience!
Royal Canadian Air Force History
The Early Years
The Canadian Air Force was first formed in 1918 near the end of the First World War. It consisted of two squadrons that were to operate out of Britain but they never saw action, and after the war, they were deemed unnecessary and disbanded in early 1920. Back on home turf, the Canadian Air Force was formed again late in 1920, and in 1924 was granted the royal title and became the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The Second World War
The Second World War saw the first major growth in the RCAF as it took on a number of roles and by the end of the war it was the fourth largest air force in the world. During WWII, the RCAF played an important role with Commonwealth Air Training and was involved in operations in Great Britain, Europe, the North Atlantic, North Africa, Southern Asia, as well as with home defence. In the summer of 1940, the Germans launched an air attack of Great Britain and the RCAF played a role as part of the defence of England. This was the Battle of Britain, and although Canada’s role was not as big as the RAF’s it marked the coming of age of the RCAF. Many of the RCAF squadrons that we have today, were formed in the UK during WWII and recently celebrated their 75th anniversaries. Sharkz Coins is proud to have designed and produced many of the 75th-anniversary custom Royal Canadian Air Force Challenge Coins.
The Recent Years
In the years since the war, the RCAF has modernized and specialized in a couple of areas. The RCAF supports the Royal Canadian Navy with submarine-hunting operations and ship-bourne helicopter support. The RCAF also operates CF-18 hornets and several CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook helicopters, CC-130 Hercules, and a variety of search and rescue and other support aircraft.
Today’s Royal Canadian Air Force
Canada’s Air Force carries out a number of roles supporting Canada’s international and domestic commitments. The RCAF works with the Royal Canadian Navy providing air support for the Navy’s operations, protecting Canada’s coastline, and participating in the international effort to reduce drug smuggling and piracy. The Air Force also provides search and rescue operations out of a number of bases across Canada.
The RCAF is an “environmental command” of the Canadian Armed Forces, operating alongside the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army. The RCAF is headquartered in Ottawa at National Defence Headquarters and operates out of bases across Canada – a selection follows:
- CFB Cold Lake – Primarily Fighter training and Operations
- CFB Comox – Primarily maritime search and rescue as well as long-range maritime patrol including submarine-hunting
- CFB Winnipeg – Primarily training operations (located in Portage la Prairie)
- CFB Gander – Primarily maritime search and rescue.
- CFB Greenwood – Primarily long-range maritime patrol including submarine-hunting
- CFB Kingston – Home to 1 Wing, primarily tactical helicopters that operate out of CFB Petawawa
- CFB Borden – Primarily training
- CFB Trenton – The largest Air Force Base in the country, it is home to transport and search and rescue squadrons
- CFB Bagotville – Primarily tactical fighters and search and rescue operations
- CFB Moose Jaw – home of 2 CFFTS flying training school and the famous Snowbirds Air Demonstration Team.
Royal Canadian Air Force Coins for Sale
Did you know that we have some coins for sale? Click here to go directly to our store and scroll around to find challenge coins to purchase right now.
Sharkz Coins – The Top Canadian Source for Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Air Force Challenge Coins
We are a Canadian company co-owned by a Canadian veteran and we serve the Canadian Armed Forces. We understand who you are and what you do. You have no reason to send your Canadian taxpayer-provided salary to the USA. You can make awesome coins while supporting the Canadian economy. Here is a little bit about us:
- Pride of service. We know you are proud to serve your country and your community – you should be! We’re proud of our coins, and it’s important to us that your coins are awesome so that they reflect your pride of service.
- We are a real company with a team of professional graphic designers and customer service experts. This allows us to produce the best Canadian challenge coins and stand behind our products.
- Professional Graphics and Project Management – If you like the quote we provide, you’ll be even happier to know that professional graphic design and project management are included with your coin production!
- Behind the scenes – We put as much care and attention into managing the production as we do in drawing your coins. We are fanatical about what the dies look like and how our factories make your coins – it’s the only way to make sure they are as good as can be.
- All-in pricing. Your quote will be to-your-door all-inclusive (except for applicable sales tax).