Original Avro Arrow Manufacturers First Flight Model

[davem]

Does anyone know anything about this model??

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Original-Avro-Arrow- ... ltDomain_0

I tried to research it, one person told me there were 20 of these made for the Executive at Avro, another said there were about 200 made - both said there were only a couple know to exist. They were made of titanium.

Is it that rare and what sort of value would be resonable?

Thanks

[bdk]

The photos look like it is made of brass to me, just like the brass plate mounted to the base. Titanium is more of a silver/gray color and shouldn't tarnish.

[davem]

The people I spoke with said it was Titanium, I found this website that makes reference to this and shows a model with the same type of finish:

http://www.avro-arrow.org/Arrow/models.html

I also found an auction, the model looks exactly the same and was credited as being titanium:

http://toronto.empireauctions.com/newsItem.php?id=46

So perhaps a titanium with impurites was used?

[bdk]

Well, I have a few pieces of titanium at my desk, but they have all been sandblasted. Still silver/gray though. A presentation model like that probably would have been polished at some point, at which point it should look close to polished aluminum, just a little less bright.

There are many different alloys of titanium, and I haven't seen them all, especially not from 1956, but I've never seen an alloy to be anything but silver/gray.

What we can't tell from the photo is how correctly the colors were reproduced, or in fact how well the colors are adjusted on my monitor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium

Titanium nitride (TiN), having a hardness equivalent to sapphire and carborundum (9.0 on the Mohs Scale),[20] is often used to coat cutting tools, such as drill bits.[21] It also finds use as a gold-colored decorative finish, and as a barrier metal in semiconductor fabrication.[22]

And:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_nitride

Maybe that explains it?

[davem]

Thanks.

I really have more of an interest as to the rarity of the model and what value it perhaps represents. I spoke with an self described 'Arrow nut', who said potentially well over $10,000.00 - but I don't see that as being realistic. I suppose in a few days when the auction ends, we all will know, just tempted to buy as in investment if it is as rare as some seem to indicate.

[tom d. friedman]

the rcaf & other entities have mounted hunts for actual flying models of the arrow in lake ontario that were launched to test aerodynamics of the prototype. at least 4 were launched. launched by rocket or other methods. the models have never been recovered, & are lying their in lake ontario to this day. there have been a few search attempts for them by private citizens, & at least 1 by the rc navy with sonar & side scan technology cooperating with civil canadian aviation history groups. the models were much larger than the pic on ebay, & obviously much lighter in weight. they are out their & probably in decent shape w/ the early composite material they were made of. no frikken zebra mussels to destroy the artifacts. i can't remember the base or town the test launchs were done, but it has to be a small area. canada's side of the lake is much deeper than the yank side.