Long Awaited Avro Arrow Replica Finally Unveiled

It has become the stuff of legend,  a touchstone in which Canada led the world – then had the proverbial rug pulled out from under it.

But on Thursday, the infamous Canadian Avro Arrow ‘flew’ again. Or at least it did in the minds of those who spent eight long years trying to rebuild a replica of the plane that landed Canada on the aviation map.

Some of those who toiled on the pet project say they’re overcome with emotion seeing the finished product.

“Every time I see this bird sitting there, it gives me heart pain,” emotes project leader Claude Sherwood. “It really does look great.”

Many of those who worked on the original were part of the effort to rebuild the past glory.

“It should give young people an appreciation of the accomplishments that were achieved by Canadians,” notes former Avro draftsman Bill Tee proudly.

Chris Imber came to the project wearing a picture of his grandfather on his name tag. His granddad was part of the original Arrow team. “I felt it was sort of carrying on, and to have a remnant,” he explains.

The model is not quite ready for public viewing as volunteers still have to put on the markings and decals that will make it appear just like the original. But those who’ve seen the replica are already soaring with joy on the completion of a job almost a decade in the making.

You’ll be able to see for yourself how well they did when the plane goes on display Thanksgiving weekend at Downsview Park. But to see an early photo gallery of the life size model, click the thumbnails below.

Here’s a condensed history of the most famous plane ever built – and ultimately destroyed – in this country.

The Avro CF-105 Arrow used newly designed aeronautic methods to create something never seen before in the aviation industry – a sophisticated interceptor that used innovations that set the world on its ear.

It quickly became a legend amongst those in the know and became famous around the world. Five of the jets were produced right here in Toronto and it appeared the aircraft of the future would be both profitable and prestigious for Canada and those who worked on them.

Test flights exceeded expectations and the reviews were all terrific. 

So what happened and why haven’t you ever seen one close up?

As the legend of these new fangled birds grew, so did their cost.  And in the end it wasn’t the plane itself that led to its extinction, it was those old classic culprits – government interference and money. 

As the price tag for its development kept escalating, the federal Liberals began getting nervous. When the project cost  finally reached $216 million – a number that seems almost cheap by today’s standards – it was clear the end was near.

But with all the publicity and an election looming, the ruling Grits knew they couldn’t cancel it or they’d face public outrage.

Then came the all-important vote. When all the ballots were counted, the Liberals lost their hold on power to the Tories and John Diefenbaker. And that spelled the beginning of the end for the celebrated plane.

With expensive commitments in place for NORAD – which brought with it a promise that the U.S. would defend Canada in the case of an attack –  and a campaign based on cutting the fat of government, attempts were made to sell the plane to the U.S. and Britain. But they failed.

Which brings us to February 20, 1959, a date that would come to be known by some as Black Friday.

That’s when the Conservatives made the fateful choice to cancel the project immediately, forcing the layoffs of some 14,000 people in a single day, the largest one day job loss in Canadian history. And 30,000 overall were out of work by the time the ripple effects were felt across the country.

Within two months, all the planes were destroyed and despite rumours that die-hards managed to save one of them, there’s no official evidence that any physical trace of an Arrow currently exists.

That’s where a group of aircraft buffs came in, spending years raising funds and rebuilding a replica of the most famous plane in Canadian history that couldn’t fly in the face of too much money and too much red tape.

Replica Reconstruction

Time spent building it: 8 years

Number of volunteers involved: 140, including a large number of the original workers

Local companies involved: More than 50 Toronto and Southern Ontario area aerospace firms

Total cost to rebuild: $1.5 million

When can the public see it?: Sunday, Oct. 8th at 2pm at the Toronto Aerospace Museum at Downsview Park