Prairie Post (West Edition)

Avro Arrow II ready to fly in 2025

- BY NEEL ROBERTS

February 20th, 2022 is the 63rd anniversar­y of the cancellati­on of the original Avro Arrow. Many of the employees have passed on but James (Jim) C. Floyd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_C._Floyd Chief designer for the original project is still alive in Hamilton, Ontario. At almost 108 years old, he’s the oldest living employee and possibly in the country.

Built during the “golden age of aerospace” of Canadian aviation in the village of Malton, Ontario, it was unexpected­ly canceled Black Friday 1959 while the aircrafts, tools etc. were all cut up and scrapped.

The legendary plant opened in 1938 under “National Steel Car” https://www.steelcar.com on what was the Robert H. Peacock farm next to the Toronto Flying Club at the corner of Airport and Derry Road. That same land today is next to Canada’s largest airport better known as Lester B. Pearson (Toronto) Internatio­nal Airport has a fascinatin­g history. National Steel Car changed to Victory Aircraft https:// military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Victory_Aircraft for World War 2 making the famous Lancaster Bomber which has a few survivors housed in the Nanton museum https://www.bombercomm­andmuseum.ca. What followed with the new owners founded by the British Aviation brothers Alliott Verdon Roe and Humphrey Verdon Roe was Avro Aircraft which forever made Canadian history.

The Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow introduced in 1953 during Canada’s post World War 2 era was destined to be the “Top Gun” of intercepto­r fighter aircrafts and still considered high tech by today’s standards.

Surprising­ly, they’re building a similar version right here in Springbank called the “Arrow II”. Started in 1997 just West of Calgary, the A.V. Roe Canada Aviation Museum has spent over $1 million dollars, 20,000 manhours and much more to get the project in this year’s air show.

Totally built by volunteers, its small operation is most impressive including production personal, management and office staff with engineers. The Arrow II will fly at almost Mach I at 28,000 feet with a G load of +10/-8. After the Arrow shutdown 63 years ago, many engineers, etc. disappeare­d into the night some ending up at NASA and other aviation companies, so the ideas live on in Alberta. You can check out some on-line scrapbooks at https://www. worldhisto­ry.biz/download56­7/ArrowScrap­book_ worldhisto­ry.biz.pdf, https://artsandcul­ture. google.com/exhibit/5gKi1ZCGfw­g4IQ?fbclid=IwA R3DXeTkwxY­PanOy8uV2N­PmWGRnci9o­MkvySKWqnK­qrlG7sKquX­LMnwzWU.

Canada is experienci­ng another golden age with the recent trucker’s convoy and more freedom movements.

With an expected maiden flight of 2025, it’ll be front page news all over the world making our country great again. Meanwhile, I highly recommend visiting the museum (no charge) www.avromuseum.com located at the Springbank airport near Calgary, the second Sunday afternoon each month. There’s lots of memorabili­a including original blueprints, t-shirts (2 for $15 if you can believe that!) posters, flight simulator and even Avro Arrow beer! It’s time for Canada to “Make Aerospace Great Again”!

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