Pathway to the Stars
Episode Four
65 years ago on October 4, 1957, over 13,000 people gathered in Mississauga, Ontario for the public unveiling of the CF-105 Avro Arrow.
In development since 1952, the Arrow was designed to be a new type of aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force, an advanced all-weather fighter interceptor.
“This is an incredibly ambitious program for a country of our size.”
– Erin Gregory, Canada Aviation and Space Museum
The first Avro Arrow, RL-201, is officially rolled out on 4 October 1957.
Libraries and Archives Canada MIKAN 3596416
Only two years later, despite the technological advances of the aircraft and the immense amount of public support for the project, the Arrow project was cancelled by the Canadian government.
This image of Sputnik shows the inner components of the satellite.
National Air and Space Museum / NASA.
Arguably Canada’s most famous plane, the Arrow project and the decision-making around its cancellation still captures the enthusiasm of aircraft enthusiasts, historians, and the Canadian population like no other.
This episode of Pathway to the Stars on Now & Next, Dave Trafford and Erin Trafford tackle the Cold War story that continues to fascinate Canadians. What if the Avro Arrow program hadn’t been cancelled? What did Avro contribute to innovation and the economy? Will Canada ever see anything like this again?
This episode features special guests Erin Gregory, Curator at Canada Aviation and Space Museum and Frank Cohn, radio host.
