The Avro Arrow - There Never Was

It was supposed to be the biggest, fastest, and most powerful plane that the world, and especially Canada, had ever laid its eyes upon. It was in a class of its own, at least twenty years ahead of any other country technology-wise. It was to be the most technologically advanced supersonic jet fighter in the world, a combination of sheer brain and willpower of 14 000 world-class engineers and technicians. And yet, the Avro Arrow, which gave …

…handle. The American pressure and potential threat was of too much importance to be ignored. And the government mishandling and the RCAF demands were too much for Canada to handle. So what, you might ask? Well, this was one of the most significant setbacks to Canadian aviation history and to the RCAF. Many Canadians still believe the cancellation of the famed Avro Arrow was a landmark in the loss of Canadian technical leadership and independence.