Avro CF-105 Arrow
Canada built one of the fastest interceptors of its era — then destroyed every prototype.
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Executive Summary
The Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow was a Mach-2 delta-wing interceptor developed for the Royal Canadian Air Force between 1953 and 1959. On 20 February 1959 — 'Black Friday' — the Diefenbaker government abruptly cancelled the programme, laid off 14,528 Avro employees, and ordered every prototype, jig, and blueprint destroyed. The decision remains one of the most debated moments in Canadian industrial history.
The Hidden Truth
What the headlines won't tell you
The order to destroy the prototypes was carried out with such thoroughness that no complete Arrow survives. Photographs of the physical destruction were suppressed. Some engineering documents were saved by employees against orders and later donated to museums, but the completeness of the archive is disputed.
Case Timeline
- 1953-04-01GOVERNMENT RECORDCF-105 design beginsThe design phase was initiated by the RCAF's Air Staff Requirement 7-3-519 calling for a twin-engine supersonic all-weather interceptor to defend Canadian airspace against Soviet bomber threats.
- 1957-10-04CORROBORATEDFirst Arrow rolled outRL-201, the first prototype, was unveiled in a major ceremony attended by approximately 13,000 invited guests at Avro's Malton facility, generating significant national publicity before any test flights.
The first Avro Arrow, RL-201, is officially rolled out on 4 October 1957. Libraries and Archives Canada MIKAN 3596416, PA-210520 - 1958-03-25CORROBORATEDFirst flightChief test pilot Jan Zurakowski flew RL-201 for 35 minutes with landing gear down as a precautionary measure during this maiden flight from Malton.
- 1959-02-20GOVERNMENT RECORDProgramme cancelled — 'Black Friday'Prime Minister John Diefenbaker announced immediate termination in the House of Commons, citing costs exceeding $400 million and the perceived obsolescence of manned interceptors in the missile age.
- 1959-04-16DISPUTEDDestruction order issuedThe Cabinet Defence Committee directed that all aircraft, engines, tooling, and technical data be disposed of, though the exact wording and rationale of the destruction directive remains subject to historical debate.
- 1959-07-15CORROBORATEDAircraft destroyed at MaltonAll five flying prototypes were cut apart with blowtorches by scrapyard workers, with photographic documentation of the process reportedly restricted by government order.
- 1968-01-01CREDIBLE REPORTINGCockpit section resurfacesA nose section believed to be from RL-206 was discovered at the Institute of Aviation Medicine in Toronto, later becoming part of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum collection as one of few surviving airframe components.
Key People
Organizations
Evidence Library
- physicalRL-206 Nose Section
Only surviving major structural element of any Arrow. Recovered from scrap in the 1960s; held at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.
- documentpartial redactionDiefenbaker Cabinet minutes (Feb 1959)
Public via Library and Archives Canada. Debate the cost and strategic value of the programme.
- physicalpartial redactionEmployee-preserved engineering drawings
Multiple technical drawings retained privately and later donated to museums, despite the destruction order.
Evidence Gallery
Sources
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