The AVRO ARROW
October 4th, 1957 – October 4th, 2007
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the birth of a Mississauga legend!

AVRO Arrow: A Short History

The Avro CF-105 “Arrow” was a delta-wing jet interceptor aircraft, designed and built by Avro Aircraft Limited (Canada) in Malton (now within the City of Mississauga), Ontario, Canada, as the culmination of a design study that began in 1953. Go-ahead on the production of the CF-105 was given in 1955. The AVRO Arrow was rolled-out for the public on October 4th, 1957. The first test flight took place on March 25th, 1958. The Arrow, and its accompanying Orenda Iroquois jet engine program were abruptly cancelled on February 20th, 1959, sparking a long and bitter social and political debate. The Arrow is still the subject of controversy. At the time of its cancellation the Arrow was considered to be one of the most advanced aircraft in the world.

AVRO Arrow Firsts
From “Avro Aircraft and Coldwar Aviation” by Randall Whitcombs

• First aircraft designed with digital computers being used for both aerodynamic analysis and designing the structural matrix;
• First aircraft design to have major components machined by CNC;
• First aircraft to be developed using an early form of “computational fluid dynamics” with an integrated “lifting body” theory;
• First aircraft to have marginal stability designed into the pitch axis for better maneuverability, speed and altitude performance;
• First aircraft to have negative stability designed into the yaw axis to save weight and cut drag, also boosting performance;
• First aircraft to fly-by-wire (electronic signal);
• First aircraft designed to be data-link flyable from the ground;
• First aircraft designed with computer controlled integrated navigation, weapons release, automatic search and track radar, data-link inputs, home-on-jamming, infrared detection, electronic countermeasures and counter-countermeasures;
• First high wing jet fighter that made the entire upper surface a lifting body;
• First sophisticated bleed-bypass system for both intake and engine/exhaust;
• Use of Titanium for significant portions of the aircraft structure and engine;
• Use of a drooped leading edge and aerodynamic “twist” on the wing;
• Use of engines at the rear to allow both a lighter structure and significant payload at the centre of gravity;
• Use of a long internal weapons bay to allow carriage of specialized, long-range standoff and cruise missiles;
• Integration of ground-mapping radar and the radar altimeter plus flight control system to allow a serious strike and reconnaissance role. The first to propose an aircraft be equally adept at those roles while being the air-superiority fighter at the same time;
• First missile armed aircraft to have a combat weight thrust to weight ratio approaching 1 to 1;
• First flying 4,000 psi hydraulic system to allow lighter and smaller components;
• First oxygen-injection re-light system;
• First engine to have only two main bearing assemblies on a two-shaft design;
• First to use a variable stator on a two-shaft engine;
• First use of a trans-sonic first compressor stage on a turbojet engine;
• First "hot-streak" type of afterburner ignition;

AVRO Arrow Performance Specs

Specification	Arrow 1	Arrow 2
Wingspan	50’-0" (15.24 m)	50’-0" (15.24 m)
Overall Length	77’-9.65" (23.715 m)	76’-9.65" (23.41 m)
Height	21’-3" (6.477 m)	21’-3" (6.477 m)
Engine	P&W J75-P-3 (RL201) and J75-P-5	Orenda PS-13 Iroquois
Dry Thrust	12 500lb (55.6 kN) static (J75)	19 250lb (85.6 kN) static (Iroquois)
Wet Thrust	18 500lb (82.3 kN) static (J75)	26 000lb (115.7 kN) static (Iroquois)
Total Fuel	2897 Imp. Gal. (13170 L)	2897 Imp. Gal. (13170 L)
Usable Fuel	2508 Imp. Gal. (11401.6 L)	2509 Imp. Gal. (11406.1 L)
External Fuel	None	500 Imp. Gal. (2273 L) available (external)
Crew	2 (pilot/radar operator)	2 (pilot/radar operator)
Armament	None	Multiple configurations available

AVRO Arrow Facts

Only five Arrows were ever flown, with each of the Mark I Arrows being powered by the J75 engine. The first Mark II Arrow, RL-206, were nearing completion when the program was abruptly cancelled by the Federal Government. RL-206 was to have been powered by the Orenda Iroquois engine, and was expected to have set new flight records.