Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow Interceptor - History, Specs and Pictures

Authored By Staff Writer | Last Updated: 12/31/2009

The anticipated debut of the Avro CF-105 Arrow was overshadowed by the world-wide coverage of the Soviet satellite Sputnik.

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The Avro CF-105 "Arrow" appeared at a time when the Soviet Union was consistently developing higher-flying and longer range bombers capable of nuclear strikes virtually anywhere within reach. As a result, the Arrow was developed to counteract these advancements and was envisioned as a true high-speed interceptor with a full complement of missiles ready to react to those incoming Soviet threats. As promising as the design was, the series was only limited to five full-working examples before the entire program (including the Orenda jet engine program) were cancelled in 1959.

Canada had already found success in the CF-100 Canuck series of jet-powered fighters but was already on the lookout for its successor with a more capable repertoire. This was realized by the Avro company (then part of Hawker Siddeley since the end of World War 2) in the CF-105 with development starting in 1953). The CF-105 featured a true delta-wing design fitted with twin turbojet engines. The aircraft sported technological advancements throughout and would be piloted by a crew of two, made up of a pilot and his radar operator. The early years of the jet age, that is the period following World War 2, saw engine designs full of potential but short on practicality. Engines proved to be thirsty beasts and somewhat unreliable for a time. Additionally, experts debated the merits of swept wing design over delta wing forms as to which was indeed the better route to go. Swept-back wings offered improved air flow and less drag but the larger surface of the delta wing provided a larger internal capacity for fuel and stores while still maintaining the qualities of swept-back performance at the cost of increased drag - noted moreso at lower speeds and altitudes. At any rate, Avro made the decision to design the CF-105 as a pure delta wing platform. The aircraft's single-minded interceptor purpose was to travel in straight lines anyhow, finding the fastest way to get to its target in the shortest amount of time. The increase in drag was offset by the added fuel that could be stored in the wings as the CF-105 system would be expected to feed two thirsty turbojet engines, each with afterburner capability. The Orenda Iroquois - a highly advanced engine for its time - was selected as the powerplant that would propel the CF-105 Arrow for decades to come.

Design of the Arrow followed suit with many of the delta forms of the time. The two-man cockpit was held well-forward in the design, protruding between the two rectangular intakes to either side. The intakes ran the length of the fuselage and the delta wings extended from the installations as high shoulder-mounted assemblies. The aircraft's layout ended with the twin engine outtakes at rear capped by a single vertical tail fin set between the two engine compartments. The main landing gear extended from the wings (another benefit of the delta wing concept) as opposed to the fuselage body with two wheels to a gear (in single file arrangement). The nose landing gear leg retracted into the fuselage just behind and below the cockpit. In many ways, the CF-105 shared design similarities to those existing American and Soviet interceptors, a family of aircraft showcasing sharp lines and an overall clean appearance. At its core, the CF-105 was becoming a very large interceptor with plenty of potential.

The Arrow appeared in its first form as the Mark 1 (or "Mk 1") with production approved by 1955. This proved quite a departure from the years of design, testing and development seen during the CF-100 Canuck program. The first Arrow to roll off the assembly lines became model RL-201 and this aircraft was fitted with lower-powered Pratt & Whitney J75 series engines while the Orenda brand series were completing development. The unveiling was intended to be a huge affair but the successful launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik destroyed any hope of that and in many ways forecasted the future of the CF-105 program itself. Several other delays of the internal systems added to the already bumpy curtain-raising event. First flight was achieved on March 25th, 1958 with good results and four more Mark 1 systems soon followed. Over the months of testing, a major issue arose with the complex main landing gear arrangement. The design relied upon the two main single-file landing gear wheels to fit into the wing. This necessitated that the gear rotate before settling fully into the thin delta wing design. After addressing several of these key issues, the five CF-105's were moved out of the A.V. Roe internal company test program and forwarded to official military trials beginning 1959.

By this time, the future of the CF-105 was already highly in doubt. 1957 saw a political turn in Canada which the new conservative-leaning party began targeting the spending projects of the former liberal party. The CF-105 was not immune to the discourse and when the Americans came calling with their NORAD (NORth American Air Defense) initiative and its thousands of available aircraft for use across Canadian air defense, it was seen fit to cancel the CF-105 Arrow project altogether. It is estimated that an astounding 50,000 jobs were lost with the cancelation of the program - or about 80% of Avro Canada altogether - permanently damaging the Canadian aerospace industry.

The only other variant in the CF-105 Arrow series was a proposed Mark 2 (Mk 2). This aircraft was to be fitted with the originally intended Orenda Iroquois powerplant and slated to be a top-flight interceptor with a higher overall speed. The cancellation of the Arrow program as a whole left just a single incomplete Mark 2 aircraft (in the form of the RL-206).

In any case, the CF-105 was another bold move and (in many ways) successful follow up to the CF-100 series. The education garnered from in-flight testing and design studies surely played a role in future delta projects all around the world. The CF-105 laid a solid foundation for the cream of the delta crop that would eventually appear in France and Swedish aircraft designs. To some extent, the CF-105 succeeded indirectly by helping produce aircraft designs appearing in the following decade. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow
Interceptor

Country of Origin: Canada
Manufacturer: Avro Aircraft Limited - Canada
Initial Year of Service: 1958
Production: 5

Focus Model: Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow Mk 1
Crew: 2

Length: 77.79ft (23.71m)
Width: 50.00ft (15.24m)
Height: 20.51ft (6.25m)
Weight (Empty): 49,042lbs (22,245kg)
Weight (MTOW): 68,608lbs (31,120kg)

Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney J75-P-3 afterburning turbojet engines developing 47,000lbs of thrust.

Maximum Speed: 1,307mph (2,104kmh; 1,136kts)
Maximum Range: 410miles (660km)
Service Ceiling: 58,563ft (17,850m; 11.1miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 0 feet per minute (0m/min)

Hardpoints: 8
Armament Suite:
Armament included any combination of the following munitions (1 internal weapons bay):

8 x AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles
8 x Velvet Glove semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles
2 x AIM-7 Sparrow II 2D active guidance air-to-air missiles
4 x AIR-2 Genie unguided nuclear rockets

Variants:
Mark 1 (Mk 1) - Initial Production Model Designation; fitted with Pratt & Whitney J75-3/5 series afterburning turbojet engines (47,000lbs); five examples completed for delivery.

Mark 2 (Mk 2) - Proposed Follow-up Production Model fitted with 2 x Orenda PS-13 Iroquois turbojet engines (56,000lbs); single example nearly completed before project's cancellation.

Operators:
Canada

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