It's natural for our visitors to "talk aircraft" with us when they come into our Museum. One of the "hot topics" of discussion involving some of our visitors is the Avro Arrow. Those with a sense of the history involving this aircraft often chat with us about it… If you'd like to read some background on the Avro Arrow, check out this earlier post.
Destruction of a Dream ~ The Tragedy of Avro Canada and the CF-105 Arrow: Written by Marc-Andre Valiquette, this first volume is a bilingual presentation. This book "recounts the rise of the company, from its birth as National Steel Car up to the manufacturing of the CF-105 Arrow. Second World War achievements, post-war adaptation, Jetliner, CF-100 and the start of the CF-105 project are some of the subjects covered.
The Arrow ~ Avro CF-105 MK.1, Pilot's Operating Instructions and RCAF Testing/Basing Plans is published by the Boston Mills Press. They comment, "In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force and the 40th anniversary of the demise of the Avro Arrow, Boston Mills Press is delighted to publish, in one volume, a copy of the original Avro Arrow Pilot Operating Instructions manual and the previously unpublished RCAF Testing/Basing Plans for Canada's most controversial aircraft. These documents were once classified 'Secret' and issued only to company test pilots and to RCAF test pilots assigned to the Arrow Mk.1 program.
The Avro Arrow Story ~ The Revolutionary Airplane and its Courageous Test Pilots was written by Bill Zuk. This volume is an easy read… in the Prologue, the author sets the tone, "Streaking along the corridor from its home base of Malton, Ontario, to Lake Superior, the CF-105 Arrow, with a burst of its afterburners, accelerated effortlessly past the sound barrier, then zoomed straight up. Avro Aircraft Test Pilot Janusz 'Zura" Zurakowski intended to fly RL-201, the first Mk.1 Arrow, faster and higher than ever before on this seventh test flight. The date was April 18, 1958.
The CF-105 clawed for altitude; Zura carefully set the dual throttles at just below maximum power as instructed by the Flight Engineering Department. After the first series of five test aircraft were evaluated, only then would the Arrow Mk.2 be used to set new world speed and altitude records.
Gerald Barbour had just finished his shift at the Avro plant, and, as was his habit, he parked his car alongside Dixon Road. A number of other cars eased to a stop behind him. Straining up into the sky, Barbour could make out the faint contrails of the Arrow and its chase planes.
High above, Zura stood the Arrow on its tail, pulling away from his chase planes as he passed 50,000 feet, still accelerating. Easing the throttles back, he noted while still climbing, the Machmeter had reached 1.52. Levelling out, he tested the handling characteristics of Canada's newest supersonic aircraft. Satisfied that the scheduled 40-minute flight was proceeding satisfactorily, he held station until the two chase planes finally came alongside.