Avro CF-105 Arrow
What could have happened had it been built-
Concepts
by Alvis
Petrie and Neil Medcalf
Article
by Neil Medcalf
Photos
by Alvis
Petrie and
Neil Medcalf
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The
Canadian designed Avro Arrow was to be the worlds greatest interceptor at the
time it was to enter service with the Canadian Air Force. However the government
of the day had other ideas about what to do with her.
After
a couple of brain storming sessions these are just a few of the ideas that we
came up with as to what could have happened instead. We only had three weeks to
put most of these models together for our first display of Arrows at the local
mall in February of 2000.
We
ran out of models and money before our ideas!
Some are just too funny and too politically sensitive to do!
All 8 models on this page were built by Neil Medcalf
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Target Drone: 1960- After the cancellation of the Arrow the previous
year, the six completed Arrows were converted for use as target drones. RL203
was the longest to survive having had 12 Bomarcs launched against it before the
13th finally blew it out of the sky!
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CIA
Arrow: 1961-
After the cancellation, the CIA posing as scrap
dealers bought the Arrows and rebuilt them as reconnaissance aircraft. They flew
them out of the US DEW bases in Canada over Russian Airspace. After the Gary
Powers incident they added the false Canadian Markings.
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RCN SeaF-105: 1960’s-
With the Arrow being such an export success the Canadian government was
able to afford to refit the Navy with two new aircraft carriers- The HMCS
Longbow and the HMCS Crossbow, and filled their decks with naval Arrows.
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RAAF
: 1966-
After the delays in the F-111 program, Australia
decided to buy the Canadian Avro Arrow. Only some of the plans arrived printed
‘upside down’. This error went unnoticed and created a different look for
these “down under” aircraft.
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RAF
QRA: 1968- Avro UK licensed built 200 Arrows for the RAF in the
sixties. Many served along side the Lightning interceptor on Quick Reaction
Alert duties.
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CAF
Tiger Arrow: 1969- Specially
painted for the annual Tiger meet. This Arrow became one of the most famous. Its
paint scheme is a favorite among modelers.
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RAF
Red Arrows:
1970’s-
1980’s- Of the 200 Arrows used by the RAF those used by the
RAF’s Red Arrows Aerobatic team were the most popular at any airshow. With
nine Arrows flying in close formation, it was a sight many loved to see.
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RAF
WWII : 1994-
Special paint scheme for Remembrance Day. This
restored Arrow carried the markings of Johnnie Johnson, CO of the Canadian 144
and 127 wings during WWII. As the only flying Arrow at the time it was
spectacular site. Several more are now undergoing restoration.
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Photos and text © 2001 by Alvis
Petrie and Neil Medcalf
