Introduction:
This project is dedicated to the prototype MkII version of the Avro Arrow number '206', which actually never had the opportunity to take to the skies, as the Canadian Conservative government under John Diefenbaker decided to cancel the Arrow Project on "Black Friday" (February 20, 1959), due to financial and political reasons (still misunderstood to this day)...
With the new Iroquois engines (designed and built by Orenda Canada) installed on the Mk2 series, this Canadian-built interceptor fighter was expected to exceed Mach 2 at a ceiling of over 50 000 feet, which was quite an accomplishment for the aviation of the 1950's. Even at the time of its cancellation, a Mach 3 version was in the planning stages...
Armed with either Sparrow II or Falcon air-to-air missiles, it was intended to protect North American airspace by intercepting Russian bombers over the high arctic. It was designed to use state-of-the-art computers, that would enable it to takeoff, fly, fire its missiles and then return to its base entirely under remote control from a ground station - the pilot was there only for emergency manual landings and taxiing the aircraft on the ground.
Cancellation:
After its cancellation, all photographs, technical drawings and manuals were ordered to be destroyed. The five MkI test aircraft (numbers 201-205) and all the MkII aircraft still on the production line were ordered to be cut up and sold for scrap. The first of the MkII aircraft (206) was scheduled to perform its first test flight (with the Orenda Iroquois engines installed) later that month, but never had the opportunity to take to the skies.
As a direct cause of the Arrow cancellation, Avro laid off over 14 000 of its employees and caused many to leave the country in search of new work - many later played an integral part in the Apollo space program in the United States, as well as the Concorde project in Europe in the early 1960's.
Aftermath:
All that remains of the Avro Arrow is the nose section of Arrow MkII 206, part of the main landing gear, and wing sections of Arrow MkI 203 that are all on display at the National Aviation Museum in Ottawa, Canada. However, after many books, videos, a dedicated web ring, and even a television mini-series, the fascination and legend of the Avro Arrow will continue to live on for many generations to come...
References:
Web links for further information on the Avro Arrow:
The Legend of the Arrow by George Shaw
National Aviation Museum - The Collection
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The Avro Canada SiteRing This site owned by GL Smith Interactive 3D Arrow Web Site |
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