Aircraft Description

Here’s a bullet-point history of the Avro Arrow:

• Early 1950s: Origins and Threat Assessment
  • Following the Korean War and rising Cold War tensions, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) sought a new, advanced all-weather jet interceptor to counter the perceived threat of Soviet long-range bombers attacking North America over the Arctic.
  • A.V. Roe Canada Limited (Avro Canada) was commissioned for the project, building on their experience with Canada’s first all-weather jet interceptor, the CF-100 Canuck.
• 1953: Design Studies Begin
  • Research and design for the CF-105 (later named “Arrow”) supersonic interceptor commenced. The design aimed for exceptionally high performance.
• 1954-1955: Development and Production Go-Ahead
  • Formal production and testing began.
  • The project incorporated innovative technologies, including a fly-by-wire control system and a computerized control system.
  • Extensive testing was undertaken, including wind tunnel tests and launches of 1/8 scale models over Lake Ontario.
• October 4, 1957: Roll-out of the First Arrow (RL-201)
  • The first Avro Arrow prototype, RL-201, was publicly unveiled to great fanfare in Malton, Ontario, on the same day the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1. It was hailed as a symbol of Canadian ingenuity.
• March 25, 1958: First Test Flight
  • RL-201, piloted by Avro’s Chief Developmental Test Pilot Janusz “Zura” Zurakowski, completed its successful maiden flight.
  • The Arrow quickly demonstrated excellent handling and performance, reaching speeds just under Mach 2 in level flight.
• 1958-Early 1959: Continued Testing and Cost Escalation
  • Four more Mark I Arrows (RL-202, RL-203, RL-204, RL-205) were completed and joined the flight testing program, powered by Pratt & Whitney J75 engines.
  • A Mark II Arrow, RL-206, was nearing completion and intended to be fitted with the more powerful Orenda Iroquois engine, expected to break world flight speed and altitude records.
  • Despite its technical successes, the project faced significant cost overruns.
• February 20, 1959: “Black Friday” – Cancellation
  • Prime Minister John Diefenbaker’s Progressive Conservative government abruptly cancelled the Avro Arrow and the Iroquois engine programs.
  • The primary stated reasons were the escalating costs (around $470 million total development) and a perceived shift in the Cold War threat from manned bombers to intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), making an interceptor like the Arrow less relevant.
  • The decision sparked widespread outrage and led to the immediate layoff of over 29,000 workers, a significant blow to Canada’s aerospace industry.
• Post-Cancellation: Destruction and Legacy