Showing posts with label The Avro Arrow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Avro Arrow. Show all posts

Friday, March 25, 2011

New "AVRO ARROW" Book for 2011!

WELL TODAY, March 25, 2011 is the launch of iPad 2 in Canada.

More importantly though is what is happening TOMORROW in Canada.

Tomorrow on March 26, 2011 Marc-André Valiquette is releasing his 3rd book in his four book series…about Avro Canada and the illustrious Arrow, entitled Seeds of Suspicion.

Now, let me stop right here.

If you haven't purchased Volumes 1 and 2 of this series, you are missing out on quite a lot!

Marc-André has put together a great series here…about Avro and the Arrow. There are almost a THOUSAND RARE photographs included in the already released two volumes of this series!

MANY of these photos, I had never seen before!

And that is saying a lot!!!

Marc-André has even included National Steel Car and Victory Aircraft Ltd. photos. Both aircraft manufacturers were based out of Malton, and were the precursors to Avro Aircraft of Canada. In fact, when Avro Canada was formed in December of 1945, they acquired the million square feet of manufacturing facilities from Victory Aircraft Ltd, which had already replaced National Steel Car.

Four short years later, Avro Canada had produced the all-Canadian C-102 Jetliner, which, in my opinion was the first jet airliner to fly! The deHavilland Comet "hopped" down an English runway 13 days previous to Toronto's Jetliner, but the DH Comet wasn't taken into the air! Not when the press was there! After the hops, the DH Comet returned to the apron. The press was told no further "flights" were possible. That was Wednesday morning, July 27, 1949. Later, in the evening, the Comet came out for an additional flaps-down hop. Then, while the press was writing the first flight "hops" story, the Comet actually flew for 31 minutes—with no press in attendance!

Rumour has that De-Havilland performed this "hops stunt" because they knew that Malton's Jetliner was close to being ready for its maiden flight. No telling how soon. Being the first in the air, with the world's first jet-engined passenger airliner was a highly coveted honour, so the Comet hopped down the manufacturer's runway to secure that accolade.

On its first flight, the Avro Jetliner came out and deliberately flew around Toronto skies for over an hour…it flew folks…it didn't hop! Avro Canada didn't even think about hopping their aircraft. The Canadian C-102 Jetliner didn't accidentally fly as an afterthought…it roared right into the air without hesitation! With the press in attendance.

But, I digress, folks…you'll see lots of the Avro Canada Jetliner in Marc-André books! No need for me to tell any part of that story here.

Also in one of Marc-André volumes there is a pic of an ad from my dad's company, Garrett Manufacturing of Canada! Garrett had published an ad congratulating themselves on their participation in the CF-105 Avro Arrow program!

Mr Valiquette has included everything in his two 100 page book volumes. Lots of stuff, others haven't included in their Arrow books. And Marc-André related the Avro Canada story, both in English and in French! His books are BI-LINGUAL

Yup, the Jet Lancaster even appears in the first book! Doubt, no more. Several pictures of that bird…so I am vindicated. The C-102 Jetliner and CF-100 programmes are nicely covered. The PS-13 Orenda Iroquois engine program is there in all its glory. The laughable Bomarc Missile, Diefenbaker's replacement for the Arrow, is also covered by Marc-André.

And so MUCH MORE!

Far too much to list.

And NOW, the third volume, Seeds of Suspicion has been released!

Get it!

AVIATION WORLD in TO, near YYZ, will soon have it!

Marc-André Valiquette is perhaps the most famous AVRO CANADA collector worldwide and now he is sharing that fine collection of rare artifacts, advertisements, memorabilia, and photos with the Canadian public through this four volume series of books.

Each book will run you between $20 - 25 Canadian.

Here's the official blurb:

THE SERIES IS BI-LINGUAL (a first – English and French) and tells the story of the Malton plant, from its birth in 1938 to its demolition in 2003 (also a first). The series is entitled: "Destruction of a dream, the tragedy of Avro Canada and the CF-105 Arrow".

- The first volume A. V. Roe Canada’s “Per Ardua Ad Astra”, recounts the rise of the company, from its birth as National Steel Car up to the manufacturing of the CF-105 Arrow. The subjects covered include Second World War achievements, post-war adaptation, Jetliner, CF-100, CF-103 and the start of the CF-105 project (96 pages).

- The second volume Supersonic Dreams – At the dawn of a new era, is dedicated to the Arrow, from its rollout to the RCAF’s acquisition of the Bomarc missile (96 pages).

- The third volume Seeds of Suspicion, deals with the last weeks of the Arrow project until “Black Friday” (Launch March 26th 2011, 104 pages).

- The fourth and final volume, Master in our own House?, discusses the project cancellation, the destruction of aircraft, engines and materials, post-Arrow projects, “Avroites” reunions and work at the Malton plant, including Orenda, until its demolition in 2003 (Launch Fall 2011, 128 pages).

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

ORENDA IROQUOIS: Diefenbaker DIDN'T get it.


It was NEVER JUST ABOUT the Arrow… it was also about the Orenda Iroquois…

It was ALSO about NATIONAL PRIDE in superb AERONAUTICAL ACHIEVEMENT.

Funded by Canada, and produced by Canadians.

And when SOMEONE tells you that Canada couldn't have sold Arrows worldwide, there was no market, just think about all those "Made in France" Dassault Mirages THAT WERE sold to various countries worldwide.

Then ask yourself why Avro Canada couldn't have stolen that market?

Well… WE would' have—

But Canadian agriculture was all Diefenbaker understood.

TECHNOLOGY was beyond his simple boyhood experiences in Saskatchewan.

Combine and hay bales, for miles.

No jet fighters.

Anywhere.

Conclusion: jet fighters are unimportant.

And like the caveman that he was, Diefenbaker killed the Arrow, and the Iroquois.

But Canada, in the 50s, was big enough to be the breadbasket of the world, AND to market her aeronautical offerings of intercepter and jet engines.

But not with a dummy at the helm.

In the fifties, CANADA needed a visionary for a prime minister.

F***, we elected a farmer.



(from Wikipedia)

The ORENDA IROQUOIS

FOR THE CF-105 Arrow project, Avro Canada had originally intended to use one of three different engines, all UK designs: Rolls-Royce RB.106, the Bristol B.0L.4 Olympus, or a license-built version of the Olympus, the Curtiss-Wright J67.

The RB.106 and J67 were selected as the primary and backup engines for the new design. However, both the RB.106 and J67 were cancelled during the Arrow's design phase, too far into the program to select the Olympus.

Orenda Engines quickly responded with the PS.13 Iroquois design.
The Iroquois design was based on simplicity and lightness.

With this in mind, Orenda pioneered work in the use of titanium in engines, with 20% by weight of the Iroquois (mainly the compressor rotor blades) consisting of this metal. Titanium has light weight, high strength and good temperature and corrosion resistance. It was estimated that the engine would be 850 pounds (386 kg) lighter than if steel had been used. During the early 1950s, this material was in short supply, and the lack of knowledge of its physical properties and fabrication techniques created problems which had to be overcome. It was also very expensive relative to the more common materials such as steel and aluminum.

It was recognized that if the engine parts could be designed with titanium, then the supporting structure could also be lightened due to reduced forces within the engine, with an overall saving in weight. Other parts, such as gearbox casings were made with a magnesium alloy. Inconel was used to make the blades in the low pressure turbine assembly and the metal insulation blanket found at the rear of the engine. This heat resistant nickel-chrome alloy retains its strength at high temperatures and resists oxidation and corrosion. The primary reason for using these advanced metals was to save weight and improve performance, creating an engine with a 5:1 thrust to weight ratio that could produce a sea level dry thrust of 19,250 lb (26,000 lb with afterburner).

The design, development and manufacture of such an advanced jet engine was accomplished in an incredibly short time by the Orenda team.

The detailed design was completed in May 1954, and the first run was achieved in December 1954.

The earlier Orenda 9 had more parts but produced less power. For example, the Orenda 9 weighed 2,560 lb (1,160 kg) and produced 6,355 lb (2,883 kg) static thrust, while the Iroquois weighed 5,900 lb. (2,675 kg) but was reported to have produced 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) static thrust with afterburner for take off. (the Orenda did not have an afterburner.)

The Iroquois was one of the most powerful jet engines in the world at its time of introduction, rated at 19,250 lbf (85.6 kN) dry, 25,000 lbf (111 kN) afterburning. It was aerodynamically matched for peak performance at 50,000 feet (15,200 m) altitude and Mach 2 speed.