A-213 Totem
Boeing Aircraft of Canada · Canada · Interwar (1919–1938)
The Boeing-Canada A-213 Totem was a Canadian single-engine parasol-wing monoplane built by Boeing's Vancouver subsidiary at the foot of Granville Street. Designed in 1932 for British Columbia coastal and interior bush work, it carried cargo and passengers on either floats or wheels. First flight came in 1932, and just one airframe — registration CF-AYV — left the factory. Western Canada Airways flew it first, then Canadian Pacific Air Lines, with service continuing through the 1930s into the early years of WWII.
Power came from a single Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior, a 9-cylinder radial rated at 450 hp. Top speed reached 217 km/h, range 480 km, service ceiling 4,575 m, and MTOW 1,860 kg. The cabin held four to five passengers plus freight. Float gear handled water work; wheels were fitted for runway operations. A parasol wing and high-mounted engine gave the short takeoff and landing behaviour bush operators demanded, along with unobstructed access for loading cargo. One aircraft was all the small 1930s Canadian bush market could absorb.
CF-AYV worked BC coastal and interior routes through the decade before retiring early in WWII. Boeing-Canada built more numerous types alongside it, including the C-204 Thunderbird flying boat and — after the 1942 wartime expansion — Consolidated PBY Catalinas and Handley Page Hampdens under licence. The A-213 Totem sits as a footnote in the company's history, but it shows the small-batch, customer-specific work Boeing-Canada took on for bush operators before the war.
For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version
The Boeing-Canada A-213 Totem was a small bush plane built in Vancouver, Canada, in 1932. It was made by Boeing-Canada, a company that worked near the water on Granville Street. The plane had a single engine and a high wing mounted above the cockpit. This wing style was great for rough, wild places.
The Totem was built to fly along the rugged coast of British Columbia. It could land on water using floats, or land on regular runways using wheels. It carried four to five passengers plus cargo. That made it very useful for reaching remote areas with no roads.
Only one Totem was ever built, and its registration was CF-AYV. It flew for Western Canada Airways and later for Canadian Pacific Air Lines. It kept flying through the 1930s and into the early years of World War Two. It was heavier than a large pickup truck, weighing about 1,860 kg at full load.
The Totem used a Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior engine with nine cylinders and 450 horsepower. It could reach a top speed of about 217 kilometers per hour. It could fly as far as 480 kilometers on a single tank of fuel. That was enough to reach many remote communities along the British Columbia coast.
Fun Facts
- Only one Totem was ever built — making it one of the rarest bush planes in history.
- The Totem could swap between floats for water landings and wheels for runway landings.
- Its Wasp Junior engine had nine cylinders arranged in a circle, like a star.
- The Totem was heavier than a large pickup truck when fully loaded with passengers and cargo.
- It was designed and built right in Vancouver, Canada, in 1932.
- The plane's high wing kept the engine clear of waves during water takeoffs.
- It served Canadian Pacific Air Lines, one of Canada's most famous airlines.
- The Totem could climb higher than 4,500 meters — that is taller than most mountains in British Columbia.
Kids’ Questions
Why did the Totem have floats?
British Columbia has many lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. Floats let the Totem land on water where there were no runways. This helped it reach remote communities that had no roads or airports.
Why was only one Totem ever built?
In the 1930s, not many people needed bush planes in Canada. The market was very small. So Boeing-Canada only made one, and that single plane did all its work alone.
What is a parasol wing?
A parasol wing sits high above the body of the plane, held up by struts. It looks a little like an umbrella over the cockpit. This design gave pilots a great view and kept the engine away from splashing water.
How far could the Totem fly?
The Totem could fly about 480 kilometers on one tank of fuel. That is roughly the distance from Vancouver to the middle of British Columbia. It was just enough to reach many remote communities along the coast.
Variants
- A-213 Totem (1932)
- Single airframe built. Interchangeable wheels and floats.
Notable Operators
- Western Canada Airways + CPA (1932-1940s)
- BC coastal and interior bush routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Boeing-Canada?
Boeing-Canada was a Boeing subsidiary in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 1929 and active until the mid-1980s. Through the 1930s the Vancouver plant built bush aircraft for Canadian operators, then took on licence production of Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boats and Handley Page Hampden bombers during WWII. After the war the site passed through Boeing, de Havilland Canada and later McDonnell-Douglas-Canada ownership, turning out Boeing 727 and 767 fuselage sections and later 737NG components. As of 2026 the Sea Island plant still produces Boeing commercial-aircraft parts.