Once the prototype was removed from the water and dried out, it was carefully restored. Conservation expert Nancy Binnie described how they first removed the mussels from the aircraft’s exterior. It was done gently, eliminating them one-by-one using a scalpel.
Afterward, the surface of the prototype was sanded down with finely shaved dry ice. It was done carefully and precisely to preserve as much of the original color and details as possible.
Preparing The Prototype For Excavation
The discovered prototype was identified using a similar process. After the divers identified the target as an Avro Arrow model, they brought in archaeologist Scarlett Janusas. To ensure the aircraft wasn’t damaged during excavation, it was prepared underwater by putting plastic tubing and a layer of coroplast sheets beneath it.
Under Janusas’ supervision, the model was slowly and carefully moved inch by inch until it was fully loaded into a specially designed crib. It was preserved in the cradle by a cover, and then further protected with a special foam designed to keep it stable. “The preloading of the artifact and the lift to the surface could not have been more textbook,” admitted Janusas.
Drying It Off
The prototype model couldn’t just be taken out of the water and aired out. It would first have to be thoroughly assessed and go through rigorous testing. Senior conservation scientist from the CCI Nancy Binnie explains, “We need to keep the artifact wet until we can do a controlled ‘dry’ and have full condition assessment.”
Many tests and water samples were taken from the vicinity of the aircraft to test them for salinity. If salt had been found in the water, the artifact would have had to be desalinated before it could adequately dry.
Preserving History
After the Avro Arrow was pulled from Lake Ontario, the next step was to find it a permanent home. The commanding officer of the Flying Personnel Medical Establishment, Wing Commander Roy Stubbs, recalls a conversation that led to the perfect solution.
“One day after a change of government, the new RCAF Chief of the Air Staff came to inspect our facilities and programs, and after lunch, I asked if he would like to see something special. I showed him a piece of the Arrow, cockpit section, and engine nacelles and a few other bits. I asked him what we should do with it, and he said to keep it hidden until the climate in Ottawa was right, and then he would arrange to have it placed in the National Aeronautical Museum in Ottawa.”
Landing A Spot In A Museum
After it was restored, the Avro Arrow model found a home at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa. Here, the Canadian Conservation Institute will oversee the conservation and restoration of all models that are discovered.
Since the first prototype was discovered, five more have been found at the bottom of the lake. Some can be seen on display around Canada, as they’re often lent out to museums. Others were lent to Canadian, United States, and British aeronautical agencies for research purposes.