DHC-2 Beaver Alaska Department of ForestryDHC 2 Beaver airplane model. The de Havilland Canada Beaver stands as the company's first aircraft specifically designed for bush flying and remains its best selling model, with nearly 1,700 units produced over twenty years. Development began in 1946, with significant input from the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests, resulting in a durable and adaptable utility plane. The prototype took flight on August 16, 1947, initially seating five or six