CF-105 Arrow - Fast Facts 1
The Arrow supersonic interceptor was Canada’s response to the Cold War threat of Russia attacking the North American continent over the Canadian arctic.
In April 1953, the RCAF issued Specification AIR 7-3 for an all-weather military aircraft capable of Mach 1.5 at 50.000 ft. – it was the most demanding specification in the world and international aircraft manufacturers said it simply couldn’t be done – Avro Canada accepted the challenge.
The specification required an aircraft that could operate in 100 degrees Fahrenheit above or below zero.
The Arrow could go from an idle on the runway to an in-flight cruise speed of Mach 0.92 in just 90 seconds.
Operating from it’s own hangar, the Arrow could be completely refueled and re-armed for take off in less than six minutes.
The weapons bay on an Arrow was larger than the bomb bay on a World War Two B-17 bomber.
The Arrow’s computerized flight control and weapons systems made it the world’s first fly-by-wire aircraft.
The Arrow, flying at a subsonic cruise of Mach 0.92 had a projected range of some 750 miles compared to the 350 miles of the Bomarc missiles that were to replace it.
Avro publicly unveiled its CF 105 Avro Arrow in a rollout ceremony at Malton Plant on Oct 4, 1957 – the same day Russia successfully launched its very first Sputnik satellite into space greatly increasing Cold War tensions.
