The Avro Arrow

[little_john]

I watched a film last night called 'The Arrow' - what an amazing story. In 1941-2 Avro produced the Lancaster bomber - the mainstay of RAF Bomber Command during the second half of WWII. Just 8 years after the war ended in 1945, Avro changed from such classic propellor-driven aircraft to a delta-wing jet capable of Mach 2 and which would be competitive with all but one or two fighter aircraft today, some 60 years later. At the time the aircraft flew (1957-9), there was nothing in the world to compare it with. A truly extraordinary feat of engineering, which was defeated not by technical limitations, but by political decision-making.

Well-worth watching:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PMnlnqRex4
with an in-depth write-up at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Canada_CF-105_Arrow

LJ

[Biermann]

Hello LJ,

I have followed this a lot and as Canadian was proud of this, but it was probably conceived by many nationalities and cooperation.

The story manifest the saying: if you want something to fail, just bring in the politicians!

Not more to say, just one hint, from faraway and 60 years later everything can look good, but if Avro had build a 100 or more Arrows, with service in Nato, it may have been an other Starfigher. WE will never know.

JK

[Flyer Jim]

so when was the SR-71 built?

[Biermann]

SR-71?

[Flyer Jim]

SR-71= blackbird Mach 3+

[liljake83]

Jim early 60's first flight was in 64

[JWPalmer]

Fantastic story. Such a shame that short sighted politicians decimated the program. I remember living outside of Chicago in the early 60s and hearing sonic booms as planes regularly hit mach 1 over the area.