Avro Arrow..Interesting Article

[m charters]

Was sent this today...short info on the Avro Arrow

http://www.innovationcanada.ca/en/artic ... o-campagna

[Lightjug]

Thank you for sharing this. Coincidentally I just read an "Arrow" book dated 1978; it was interesting to hear the perspective of the author from over 30 years ago. I was shocked reading this article on who signed the destruction order and that one of the arrows was offered to a research outfit... oooh... if only they had said yes.

[rreis]

I've just found the Arrow telefilm (haven't saw it yet)

[tom d. friedman]

i posted this info on the wix hangar category some years ago. it would be great if someone could dig it up. the rcaf shot i believe a quantity of 4 1/2 scale mock ups / models over lake ontario to test the feasibilty of aerodynamics of the type. they were propelled by rocket motors. those 4 models are still in that lake, & numerous efforts have been made by a canadian aviation history group with cooperation from the canadian navy to search & recover these rare relics with the use of side scan radar. they should be in great shape as they were made of fiberglass if i remember. the arrow was a beauty, & cutting edge technology for the day. alot of people wanted the prime minister's head on a platter by the sneaky way he canned the program & cost people their jobs.

[m charters]

Indeed, he cancelled it, but it appears DND scrapped it! Hate to say it, but the US had nothing that could touch it in 1957...wonder how many years it would have served, and what AVRO would hav edone next...what if? We'll never know....
I beleive they are still looking for the models. There is agreat display of photos at CWH showing the models that were fired out to the lake.

[Michel C-GNCJ]

Interresting indeed.

Talking about the CBC film, I have watched it again last month and still fully enjoyed it. Very well made film...

[Enemy Ace]

The Arrow was cancelled enabling Bob Diemert to be the sole producer of fighter aircraft in Canada.
Those expensive Arrows were unnecessary since the Reds were to be overwhelmed with swarms of DEFENDERS....!!!!

( cut to shot of nut driving bren gun carrier across cornfield....)

[m charters]

OK, every country has to have one...however he did save some historic aircraft over the years! Not perfect but they survived!

[Simcoe Warrior]

Was sent this today...short info on the Avro Arrow

http://www.innovationcanada.ca/en/artic ... o-campagna

Very interesting.

Just a couple of weeks back I was in Barry's Bay, Ontario (if you're ever camping in Algonquin park as we were, its only a short drive from there) and stopped by the park that the town erected in honour of Arrow test Pilot Jan Zurakowski who moved there after retirement.

We spent some time taking in the splendid replica of the Arrow that the locals created as a tribute to Zura and reading a bit about his exceptional career as a pilot. As I was a snapping a pick of my two boys in front of the Arrow a man approached me and asked me their ages.

He introduced himself to me as Walt and was quite passionate that I make
certain that my kids knew the story of the Arrow so that this tragic chapter in Canadian history would not repeat itself. As it turns out, Walt grew up in Malton when the Arrow program was going full tilt, he was a paper boy and most of his customers were A.V Roe employees.

Routinely he saw the Arrow in flight and noted that his most memorable image of the Arrow was when he happened to look up as it kicked in its afterburner, I can only imagine the scene. He recalled Black Friday and the effect that it had on the town and him personally. The town itself was ruined and in the end even he lost his job delivering papers which was used by his family to help make ends meet.


After a great discussion on the subject, Walt indicated that the most important lesson that we can learn from the Arrow fiasco is to educate our future generations of Canadians that there is no reason that we cannot accomplish great feats here at home. We just have to see through the political prophets of doom who want to throw in the towel on manufacturing, R&D etc and keep us a nation of drawers of water and hewers of wood.