In October of 1957, the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow finally made its debut. As expected, it was an occasion that attracted 13,000 spectators as it marked a significant moment in history for Canadian defenses. Marked the RL-201, the debut of the new plane was overshadowed by the Soviets.
Before the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow even had a chance to take off, the Soviet Union stole the show. They launched Sputnik, the world’s first artificial Earth satellite. Suddenly no one was interested in Canada’s new airplane.
The Prototypes
The delta wings were tested using the nine Avro Arrow prototypes. At just 10 feet long, each model had a wingspan of 6.5 feet. While they appeared the same as what would later become the Avro Arrow, they weren’t a replica as they ran on solid fuel.
Launched from Point Petre in Ontario, the prototypes needed an extra boost to get off the ground. They were mounted on rocket boosters to test better the stability and the drag of the new delta wings.
Testing Was a Success
The nine mini Avro Arrows used for testing could genuinely pack a punch. They reached Mach 1.7 speeds before landing in the lake, yet offered the engineers everything they needed to know to perfect the aircraft. Fortunately, only a few improvements needed to be done.
They drooped the wings, altered the camber, and added a dogtooth, all features that high-speed aircrafts still have today. Additionally, they applied information from a newly-published area rule principle that suggested things like a sharper nose and a tail cone would improve the design.
A Threat From Above
Even though the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow was well designed and truly innovative for the times, it was overshadowed by what the Soviets had come up with. Despite how useful the creation of the delta wings would become, Sputnik forced the Western World to change their priorities.
The artificial satellite not only acted as a threat from above, but it also created the illusion that the Soviet Union was more technologically advanced than they actually were. Ultimately, Canadians knew they couldn’t afford to defend themselves from threats coming from the land and space.
The Arrow Program Gets Canceled
When it came down to it, the Canadian government had to make a tough decision. They couldn’t afford to fund more than one defensive system, and ultimately the Arrow program was canceled in 1959.
In its place, the Bomarc system was created. The program funded the creation of a long-range supersonic missile that would be able to fight off the threats presented by the Soviet’s artificial satellite. The program ultimately led to the creation of the Boeing CIM-10 Bomarc.