Avro Canada

A. V. Roe Canada Limited

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Aerospace, manufacturing
Predecessor	Victory Aircraft
Founded	1945
Founder	Hawker Siddeley Group
Defunct	1962
Fate	Discontinued following CF-105 Arrow cancellation
Headquarters	Malton, Ontario , Canada
Area served	Canada, international
Key people	Frederick T. Smye (first employee), Crawford Gordon Jr. (president)
Products	Aircraft, aero-engines, industrial products
Owner	Hawker Siddeley Group (majority)
Number of employees	50,000+ (late 1950s)
Parent	Hawker Siddeley Group

A. V. Roe Canada Limited was a prominent Canadian aircraft manufacturing firm operating from 1945 until 1962. Established initially as an aircraft production facility, it expanded rapidly over 13 years to become Canada's third-largest enterprise, ranking among the top 100 global corporations and employing more than 50,000 people directly. Although Avro Canada is most famously associated with the CF-105 Arrow project, the company evolved into a substantial, integrated organization with a broad portfolio through strategic growth and acquisitions.

The company discontinued its activities in 1962 following the termination of the CF-105 Arrow program.

Origins

During the Second World War, Victory Aircraft based in Malton, Ontario, stood as Canada's leading aircraft producer. Before 1939, it operated as part of National Steel Car in Hamilton, functioning as one of several Canadian "shadow factories" designed to manufacture British aircraft models safely away from enemy reach. These included the production of Avro Anson trainers, Handley Page Hampden bombers, Hawker Hurricane fighters, and Westland Lysander army cooperation planes. Established in 1938 as National Steel Car Corporation in Malton, Ontario, the facility was renamed Victory Aircraft in 1942 when the Canadian government assumed control of its operations. During the war years, Victory Aircraft produced a range of Avro (UK) designs: 3,197 Anson trainers, 430 Lancaster bombers, six Lancastrian transports, one Lincoln bomber, and a single York transport aircraft.

File:Sir Roy Dobson and Crawford Gordon Jr.jpg

(L–R) Sir Roy Dobson and Crawford Gordon Jr., with the Avro Arrow visible in the background circa 1957

Avro Canada

In 1944, the Canadian government formed an Advisory Committee on Aircraft Manufacture. That same year, the Canadian Director of Aircraft Production communicated to Minister of Munitions and Supply C. D. Howe, emphasizing the critical importance for Canada to establish its own aircraft industry. Concurrently, UK-based Avro founded a company seeking opportunities in the post-war aviation market. Bob Leckie of the Royal Canadian Air Force persistently championed a fully domestic "end-to-end" aerospace industry capable of designing and producing both aircraft and engines within Canada. Despite this vision, according to Avro's Roy Dobson, the Department of National Defence was reluctant to support anything beyond licensed manufacturing and assembly of aircraft and engines.

Minister Howe, overseeing Reconstruction and Munitions and Supply (later Reconstruction and Supply), facilitated an agreement with Hawker Siddeley to acquire the Victory Aircraft plant in 1945. Frederick T. Smye was appointed by Hawker Siddeley's Roy Dobson as the first employee of this new venture. Smye, originally from Hamilton, Ontario, had advanced through government positions related to wartime aircraft production to become Assistant General Manager at Federal Aircraft Limited—the Crown Corporation responsible for managing Avro Anson production at National Steel Car/Victory Aircraft.

In 1945, Hawker Siddeley of the UK purchased Victory Aircraft from the Canadian government and established A.V. Roe Canada Ltd. as its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary under UK-based A.V. Roe and Company. Operations commenced at the former Victory facility. Avro Aircraft (Canada), initially their sole division, focused on maintenance and servicing for various World War II-era aircraft such as Hawker Sea Fury fighters, North American B-25 Mitchell, and Avro Lancaster bombers. From its inception, Avro Canada prioritized research and development efforts and launched an ambitious design program that included projects for a jet engine alongside jet-powered fighter and airliner concepts.

Expansion and diversification

In 1954, A.V. Roe Canada underwent a reorganization, emerging as a holding company overseeing two aviation subsidiaries: Avro Aircraft and Orenda Engines, which officially adopted these names starting 1 January 1955. The facilities of both firms were situated opposite each other within a complex on the edge of Malton Airport. By 1958, the combined workforce of these aviation entities had grown to 15,000 employees.

During this era, under the leadership of Crawford Gordon as president, A.V. Roe Canada expanded by acquiring several companies, such as Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation, Canadian Car and Foundry (in 1957), and Canadian Steel Improvement. By 1958, A.V. Roe Canada Ltd. had evolved into a major industrial powerhouse employing over 50,000 people across a network of 44 companies. These subsidiaries operated in diverse sectors including coal mining, steel production, railway rolling stock manufacturing, aircraft and aero-engine construction, as well as computing and electronics. In 1956, these businesses contributed to nearly 45% of the Hawker Siddeley Group's total revenue. That same year, annual sales approached $450 million, positioning A.V. Roe Canada as the third largest Canadian corporation by market capitalization. Prior to the cancellation of the Arrow and Iroquois projects, aviation-related manufacturing accounted for roughly 40% of company operations, with the remaining 60% devoted to industrial and commercial activities.

In 1956, the company issued 500,000 shares to the public valued at $8 million in total. By 1958, nearly 48% of A.V. Roe Canada’s shares were publicly traded on the stock market. Although majority ownership and control rested with the UK-based Hawker Siddeley Group, all profits generated by A.V. Roe Canada were reinvested internally to support ongoing development and expansion efforts. Importantly, management responsibilities within the Canadian operations remained in Canadian hands.

Management team

• Fred Smye was director of Canadian Aircraft Production during World War II and joined Federal Aircraft in Montreal (later known as Victory Aircraft) in 1944. Following Hawker Siddeley’s acquisition of Victory Aircraft in 1945, Smye became A.V. Roe Canada's inaugural employee and was appointed assistant general manager of Avro Aircraft later that year. He subsequently held presidential roles at Canadian Applied Research and Canadian Steel Improvement.
• Crawford Gordon transitioned from the Department of Defence Production in 1951 to become President and General Manager of A.V. Roe Canada, tasked with addressing challenges in developing and producing the Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck. Gordon directed Avro Canada's restructuring and growth during the 1950s, elevating it to one of Canada's top three corporations.

CF-100 Canuck

File:CF.100 Mk.1.JPG

A CF-100 Mk 3 painted as the CF-100 prototype, on display at The Hangar Flight Museum, Calgary

Main article: Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck

In 1946, A.V. Roe Canada embarked on designing its next aircraft—the Avro XC-100—marking Canada’s entry into jet fighter development at the close of the propeller-driven era and dawn of jet propulsion. Although much of the design for this large all-weather jet interceptor (later renamed the CF-100 Canuck) was finalized by the following year, production tooling was delayed until late 1948 due to ongoing commitments involving repair and maintenance contracts. The CF-100 experienced a prolonged development phase before entering Royal Canadian Air Force service in 1952 with initial Mk 2 and Mk 3 models.

The CF-100 Canuck operated under NORAD’s air defense mandate to safeguard North American airspace against Soviet threats such as nuclear-capable bombers under all weather conditions and during both day and night operations. While not originally engineered for supersonic speeds beyond Mach 0.85, test pilot Janusz Żurakowski successfully pushed it past Mach 1 during a dive in December 1952.

A limited fleet of CF-100s remained active with the RCAF until 1981, fulfilling reconnaissance, training, and electronic warfare (ECM) duties. Throughout its production run, a total of 692 CF-100 aircraft across various variants were built, including 53 units delivered to the Belgian Air Force.

C102 Jetliner

File:Avro Canada C102 Jetliner model.jpg

Model of the C102 Jetliner.

Main article: Avro Canada C102 Jetliner

Development was also in progress on a jet-powered civilian transport designed for short to medium distances, known as the C102 Jetliner. It nearly achieved the milestone of being the world’s first jet airliner when it took to the skies in August 1949, just 13 days after the maiden flight of the de Havilland Comet. The Jetliner introduced a new category of regional jet airliners, a concept that would not be widely developed until the late 1950s. Its marketing efforts were aggressively targeted at U.S. commercial airlines and the United States Air Force.

Following the British government's decision to restrict export of the Rolls-Royce Avon AJ-65 engine, the design was altered to incorporate four heavier, less efficient Derwent engines. This modification resulted in an inability to satisfy the range requirements set by Trans-Canada Airlines. Consequently, sales opportunities diminished after TCA withdrew interest in the four-engine variant. Notably, American entrepreneur Howard Hughes expressed interest in producing the aircraft under license.

At that time, Avro was concentrating efforts on bringing the CF-100 into production. As a result, the Canadian government halted further development of the C102 due to priorities linked to the Korean War; C. D. Howe insisted on stopping the project to boost CF-100 manufacturing. The second prototype of the C-102 was dismantled at the factory in 1951, while the first prototype was reassigned for photographic use within the Flight Test Department. After serving extensively as a camera platform and utility aircraft under registration CF-EJD-X, it was ultimately scrapped in 1956. The aircraft's nose section is preserved at the Canada Aviation Museum located in Ottawa.

CF-103

Main article: Avro Canada CF-103

In 1951, during ongoing production of the CF-100 Canuck, a variant featuring swept wings and modified tail surfaces was investigated. This design, designated as the CF-103, aimed to achieve transonic speeds with supersonic capability during dives. Despite this, continuous enhancements to the original CF-100 diminished the appeal of this new design. Positioned as a transitional model between the CF-100 and a more advanced C-104 project, development did not advance beyond constructing a full-scale wooden mock-up and a separate cockpit section.

C104 Advanced Fighter

By 1950, a variety of concepts for a supersonic interceptor had been investigated, encompassing designs with swept wings, tailless delta wings resembling the Dassault Mirage IV, engine intakes positioned on the sides of the fuselage, in-nose intakes similar to those on the MiG-21, as well as propulsion systems including turbine engines, rocket engines, and combinations thereof.

In 1952, two delta-wing fighter variants under the designation C104 were proposed to the Royal Canadian Air Force: a single-engine model labeled C104/4 and a twin-engine version called C104/2. Both shared a low-mounted delta wing configuration; however, the C104/2’s larger size provided an expanded internal weapons bay and the added benefit of twin-engine redundancy. Further negotiations between Avro and the RCAF explored numerous options for a supersonic interceptor, ultimately leading to the issuance of RCAF "Specification AIR 7-3" in April 1953. Avro’s design submission in response evolved into what became known as the CF-105.

File:Cf-105 Arrow002.jpg

CF-105 Mk 1 interceptor

CF-105 Arrow Mk.1 and Mk.2

Main article: Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow

Even before the CF-100 entered service, it was evident that a newer, more capable interceptor was necessary. The CF-105 Arrow was unveiled on 4 October 1957—the very day the USSR launched Sputnik 1 into orbit—marking both the beginning of the space age and signaling potential obsolescence for the Arrow’s primary adversary, the long-range bomber. This aircraft was an evolution of the C104 design but featured the delta wing mounted at the top of the fuselage. This configuration simplified structural design and facilitated easier access to both engines and an exceptionally large weapons bay located in the belly—larger than those found on either the B-24 Liberator or Lancaster bombers. The CF-105 was technologically advanced and powerful, setting multiple records and pioneering several innovations such as fly-by-wire controls alongside concurrent development of a new weapons fire control system and the cutting-edge Orenda Iroquois engine. Weaponry was housed within an interchangeable pod inside the internal bay, allowing quick rearming and flexibility to switch between missile types or other armaments. Only the Mark 1 variant—equipped with less powerful American engines—was flown, with one example achieving speeds up to Mach 1.98. Its maiden flight occurred on 25 March 1958. Five Mark 1 aircraft were completed, while production of twenty-nine Mark 2 models—featuring more powerful Iroquois engines—was underway but not finished when the Canadian government abruptly terminated the Arrow program on 20 February 1959. This cancellation triggered extensive downsizing at Avro and spurred efforts to diversify into marine, trucking, and automotive sectors. A significant number of Avro’s engineering personnel departed primarily for opportunities in the United Kingdom and United States during a rapid "brain drain".

Avro aircraft experimental designs

Further advancements of the Arrow were investigated by Avro's Project Research Group, led by Mario Pesando.

Arrow Mk.3

Design work on a subsequent version, the Mark 3, commenced even before the Arrow's initial flight. Initially planned to reach Mach 2.5, this model was later updated to target approximately Mach 3, with an operational ceiling of 70,500 feet. It featured increased fuel capacity, weighed over a quarter more than the Mk.2, and incorporated enhanced CNC machining alongside high-temperature aluminium alloys. A proposed thermal protection system involved an ablative heat shield composed of carbon fibre or fibreglass arranged in a honeycomb structure—a technology later adopted in NASA’s Mercury and Gemini missions. The powerplant intended was the Iroquois Mk.3 engine, which Orenda projected to deliver 40,000 lbs of thrust with afterburner engaged. Design schematics reveal updated engine intakes protruding from the fuselage, designed to capture supersonic shock waves to minimize drag and boost thrust. Additionally, aerial refuelling capability using the "probe and drogue" method was envisaged, facilitated by the Arrow’s innovative flight stability systems.

Long Range Arrow

Template:Unreferenced section In early 1957, investigations began into adapting the Arrow Mk.2 into a "Long Range Arrow" variant aimed at fulfilling the USAF's Long Range Interceptor Experimental (LRIX) program criteria. This concept appeared viable given agreements and commitments with Allied nations—particularly within the Commonwealth—that stipulated procurement of superior weapons from allied sources when available, with the Arrow fitting this requirement. Prior to a USAF delegation's visit to Avro in 1955 for an Arrow development review, North American Aviation received a contract for LRIX design studies resulting in the North American XF-108 Rapier. The performance targets included a 1,000-mile range, Mach 3 speed, and operational altitude of 60,000 feet. By September 1957, Avro released Project Studies PS-1 and PS-2. PS-1 proposed wingtip-mounted ramjets to augment main engines along with a canard positioned above and behind the cockpit. PS-2 featured wing extensions, an elongated nose with retractable canard surfaces, two extra vertical stabilizers on the wings, and four substantial ramjets. Estimated capabilities included sustained Mach 3 flight at 95,000 feet altitude and a vertical climb rate exceeding Mach 2.5 above 40,000 feet. The design’s thrust-to-weight ratio was projected to be twice that of the F-108 and more than double that of the SR-71.

Arrow Mk.4

Following a request from the USAF Chief Scientist for a less extreme alteration than PS-2, development proceeded on what became the Mark 4. This version retained the Mark 3’s updated engine intakes but employed smaller Curtiss-Wright ramjets, omitted canards and nose extensions, and utilized titanium skin instead of an ablative heat shield. Its performance parameters were scaled back to Mach 3 speed and a maximum combat altitude of 80,000 feet.

Supersonic Avrodynes

In 1952, Avro's Chief Designer John Frost assembled a team of eight engineers and draftsmen to form the Avro Special Projects Group (SPG). This unit engaged in pioneering aeronautical designs and advanced technological developments while maintaining strict confidentiality, drawing parallels to Lockheed's renowned "Skunk Works". Early undertakings involved investigating a range of disc-shaped, "flying saucer"-inspired aircraft concepts. Among these, the VZ-9-AV Avrocar was the sole design to progress beyond the mock-up phase, receiving full financial backing from the U.S. military starting in 1956.

• Project Y1: "the Spade"

File:Project Y mockup colour.jpg

Project Y mock-up displayed in the Experimental Flight Hangar circa 1954.

Initial design documents from early 1952 described a novel disc-shaped aircraft powered by a gas turbine engine featuring an inner disc with a central eye-shaped intake and an outer disc rotating in the opposite direction. Rear-facing thrust nozzles were incorporated and later enhanced to enable flight control via thrust vectoring, while stability was intended to be maintained by the engine rotor functioning as a gyroscope. The vehicle was engineered for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), a capability considered risky at the time due to the absence of an available electronic flight-stabilization system. Although Avro provided most of the funding, the Canadian government limited its investment to $400,000, citing excessive costs associated with overcoming these challenges. In December 1953, a delegation from the U.S. Air Force visited Avro to review their projects; however, Project Y1 did not secure further financial support.

• Project Y2

By mid-1954, Frost introduced "Project Y-2: Flat Vertical Take-Off Gyroplane" responding to requests from both the U.S. Air Force and Navy for vertical-lift point-defense fighter aircraft. Later that year, the USAF acquired development rights for this saucer-shaped VTOL craft, which utilized more conventional propulsion systems designed to circumvent many issues encountered in Project Y1. The USAF assigned it the designation Project MX-1794, while studies related to Avro’s saucer concepts were collectively known as Project Silver Bug. Between 1954 and 1958, Avro invested $2.5 million alongside $5.4 million from the USAF toward this endeavor. Multiple scale models were fabricated and subjected to wind tunnel evaluations at MIT and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the latter also linked with investigations into Roswell UFO phenomena.

The configuration featured eight Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet engines surrounding a large central rotor/impeller equipped with Lundstrom compressor turbines, with the cockpit positioned atop the center of the craft. Flight control was managed through eight small exhaust ports located around the perimeter, capable of directing thrust either upward or downward, supplemented by a main turbine exhaust situated beneath the center of the vehicle. A multi-engine test rig underwent trials in 1956, producing substantial thrust accompanied by significant noise and vibration levels. One member of the Special Projects Group later revealed that this prototype was clandestinely transported by the U.S. Navy for additional testing in California.

Concurrently, Avro self-financed development of an alternative vehicle powered by a radial-flow gas turbine engine named PV-704. This design omitted any central impeller or exhaust system in favor of a large spinning turbo-disc that channeled all thrust along its outer rim. Although funding supported ongoing development efforts, it was inadequate to produce a working prototype.

In 1957, further USAF funding extended support for this highly classified project, which had by then been designated Weapon System 606A. The evolving concept envisioned a circular-winged supersonic aircraft. Extensive wind tunnel experimentation exceeding 1,000 hours was conducted. Avro’s design schematics from this period depict an aircraft combining characteristics of flying saucers with more traditional fuselage elements—essentially a tailless model featuring circular wings when observed from above or below.

Avrocar

Main article: Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar

File:Avrocar.png

The Avro VZ-9-AV Avrocar.

Known also as the Avro 'flying saucer' or Avro disc, the Avrocar was pitched to the U.S. Army as a versatile "flying Jeep" and served as an experimental platform for future supersonic flying saucer projects, including the PV-704 and Weapon System 606A. Two units were constructed: one designated for wind tunnel experiments at NASA Ames, and the other intended for flight trials. The design suffered from insufficient power and functioned primarily by utilizing a ground-cushion effect similar to that of a hovercraft. Since the Avrocar prototypes failed to sustain flight beyond approximately three feet above ground level, both the U.S. Army and USAF terminated the project in 1961.

One Avrocar is exhibited in Building 22 at the Smithsonian Paul E. Garber facility, while its counterpart was displayed at the U.S. Army Transportation Museum in Fort Eustis, Virginia. Around 2002, the latter was disassembled and placed into storage due to accelerated deterioration caused by outdoor exposure and proximity to the ocean.

In 2008, the museum's curator estimated restoration costs between US$500,000 and US$600,000. Because the artifact resides on a federal military installation, restoration efforts must be performed by professional contractors rather than volunteers. An initial grant of US$80,000 was allocated to commence restoration; however, this funding covered only a single component measuring roughly five feet by five feet.

Space Threshold Vehicle

Conceived by Avro’s Advanced Projects Group, a June 1958 report outlined a Space Threshold Vehicle designed to transport a human pilot to the edge of space and return safely by flying within a corridor where winged flight remains viable—between altitudes where aerodynamic lift is possible and where structural temperatures become critical. This operational altitude range was projected between 150,000 and 200,000 feet. The STV was planned to support aerial refueling during flight and achieve speeds up to 6,000 mph (exceeding Mach 8.5).

Leveraging advanced computing resources for aerodynamic analysis akin to modern three-dimensional fluid dynamics modeling, Avro proposed a delta-winged craft featuring downward-angled winglets reminiscent of those on the TSR-2, adjustable engine nacelle placements, titanium skin construction, and aimed for its initial test flight in 1962. Numerous engineers involved with this program later contributed significantly to NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions.

Avroskimmer

This category encompassed several vehicle concepts that evolved into what is now recognized as hovercraft technology.

• Avrocruisier
• Avrowagon
• Avroflivver
• Avro P470 Mobile Ground Effect Vehicle

Additional designs

• Avro Canada TS-140, a Mach-2 capable VTOL fighter proposed for use by the U.S. Navy.
• XA-20 and XA-92 Bobcat models resembling prototypes of subsequent armored tracked vehicles.
• Turbine-driven trucks and monorail transit systems.
• Orenda OT-4 turbine-powered White 7000 transport truck equipped with an Allison engine.
• Orenda OT-4 turbine-powered M-48 Patton tank; notably, the American M1 Abrams became the first production main battle tank powered by a turbine engine in 1980.
• Hydrofoil warships: Following cancellation of the Arrow project and related programs, twelve key engineers transitioned to De Havilland Aircraft of Canada to develop what became HMCS Bras d'Or, regarded as potentially the world’s fastest warship as of 2011.

Orenda Engines

Main article: Orenda Engines

File:Avro-jet.jpg

Orenda engine exhibited at Carleton University

Originally founded in 1944 as the crown corporation Turbo Research, the company was created to perform research and cold-weather testing of jet engines for the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. Early investigations focused on centrifugal-flow engine designs, but these were eventually surpassed by the axial-flow TR.4 engine, later named the Chinook, marking Canada’s first domestically developed jet engine. In 1948, Turbo Research was acquired by A.V. Roe Canada and integrated with its Gas Turbine Division. The Chinook evolved into the TR.5 Orenda, which powered the CF-100 Canuck and was also fitted into various versions of the Canadair Sabre.

Following a reorganization of Avro Canada in 1954, the Gas Turbine Division was renamed Orenda Engines. Between 1953 and 1954, Orenda engineered the PS.13 Iroquois engine intended for the CF-105 Arrow supersonic interceptor. However, both the Iroquois program and the Arrow project were terminated on 20 February 1959. During the 1960s, Orenda continued manufacturing jet engines under license from Avro and Canadair for the Royal Canadian Air Force. In 1962, ownership transferred to Hawker Siddeley Canada, where it operated as a significant repair and overhaul facility. The company was acquired in the 1980s by Magellan Aerospace, now operating as Magellan Repair, Overhaul & Industrial.

Canadian Steel Improvement

Established in 1951, Canadian Steel Improvement emerged following the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 when the Canadian Defense Production Ministry initiated a project to build a forging plant dedicated to producing turbine and compressor blades. The Steel Improvement and Forge Company won the contract to construct and operate this facility in Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto near Malton, Ontario. While the Canadian government financed the plant’s construction and leased it to Steel Improvement, the company supplied essential technical expertise and management. Within its first year, this facility manufactured over one million precision-forged turbine and compressor blades for Avro’s Orenda engines.

In 1954, the Canadian government opted to sell this plant, with Avro Canada agreeing to acquire it to sustain production of both Orenda and Iroquois engines. At that time, more than 400 employees worked at the site producing precision forgings, blades, jet engine components, close-tolerance forgings, along with managing aluminum and magnesium foundry operations.

Canadian Car & Foundry

Main article: Canadian Car and Foundry

In 1955, A.V. Roe Canada acquired Canadian Car and Foundry. Two years later, in 1957, its foundry division was separated as an independent entity named Canadian Steel Foundries. The company manufactured rail car rolling stock, streetcars servicing most major Canadian urban centers as well as Brazilian cities such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, alongside Canadian Car-Brill buses and trolleybuses. Additionally, it controlled Canadian General Transit, a provider specializing in railway tank cars used for transporting petroleum and chemical products.

DOSCO

DOSCO ranked among Canada's largest private sector employers when it became a subsidiary of A.V. Roe Canada. The corporation ceased operations in 1968 following the expropriation and nationalization of most of its coal mining and steel mill assets located in Industrial Cape Breton by both federal and provincial authorities (refer to Sydney Steel Corporation and DEVCO). Its portfolio of subsidiaries encompassed operations in mining, engineering, maritime shipping, railcar manufacturing, and shipbuilding, including:

• Halifax Shipyards
• Cumberland Railway and Coal Company
• Sydney & Louisburg Railway, a historically significant railway on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

Canadian Applied Research

In 1957, A.V. Roe Canada took over PSC Applied Research, a company specializing in flight navigation computer manufacturing, subsequently rebranding it as Canadian Applied Research. Later, Hawker Siddeley Canada sold this entity, which then merged with the Special Products division of de Havilland Canada to establish SPAR Aerospace (Special Products and Applied Research). SPAR Aerospace was responsible for developing the Canadarm robotic arm system for the Space Shuttle. Presently, it operates under MacDonald Dettwiler as MD Robotics within the MDA Space Missions segment.

Other subsidiaries

• Held a minority stake in Algoma Steel, acquired in 1957 and sold off by 1958.
• Canadian Steel Wheel (Associated Company), active between 1957 and 1975.
• Canadian Thermo Control Co, operational from 1957 until 1983.

Aircraft

Product list and details

Type	Aircraft	Description	Capacity	Launch date	1st flight	1st delivery	Production
C-100	Avro CF-100 Canuck	Interceptor fighter aircraft	Crew of 2	1946	1950	1952	Total of 692 units produced from Mk 1 through Mk 5 variants
C-101	-	Twin-engine navigation trainer aircraft	-	-	-	-	Project discontinued before completion
C-102	Avro C102 Jetliner	Prototype jet airliner for medium-range routes	36 passengers	1946	1949	Never entered mass production	One prototype flew; second dismantled
C-103	Avro CF-103	Fighter with transonic capabilities	Two crew members	Not applicable	Not applicable	Cancelled in 1951 before construction started	Only a wooden mock-up was built
C-104	-	All-weather interceptor design	Two crew members	1950s era concept	-	-	Not pursued after selection of C-105 design
C-105	Avro CF-105 Arrow	Supersonic delta-wing interceptor aircraft	Two crew members	Developed during the 1950s	First flight in 1958	Production halted mid-run	Five Mk 1 models flew; twenty-nine Mk 2 airframes were under construction at cancellation
	Avro Canada TS-140	Fighter aircraft model	Single pilot	Not available	Not available	Not available	Not applicable
Model 1	Avro VZ-9-AV Avrocar	Experimental vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle	Two crew members	Developed in the 1950s	First flown in 1959	Testing ceased in 1961 prior to production	Two prototypes built; second prototype completed test flights

Corporate dissolution

In 1962, Hawker Siddeley terminated A.V. Roe Canada and transferred all its assets to a newly established subsidiary, Hawker Siddeley Canada. The Avro Aircraft division was subsequently shut down.

At that time, Hawker Siddeley Canada’s portfolio included several significant manufacturing enterprises such as:

• Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F)
• Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation (DOSCO)
• Orenda Engines

The former Avro manufacturing facility in Malton was sold to de Havilland Canada during the same year. This plant, situated at the northern end of Toronto Pearson International Airport (with the village of Malton becoming part of the City of Mississauga in 1974), was later owned and operated by various companies, including:

• Douglas Aircraft of Canada (1963–1967), which produced wings and tail assemblies for the Douglas DC-9;
• McDonnell-Douglas Canada (1967–1997), responsible for manufacturing aircraft wings and related components for models such as the KC-10, MD-11, MD-80, as well as empennage, cabin floors, and side panels and pylons for the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet;
• Boeing Toronto (1997–2005), producing wings for the Boeing 717, parts for the Delta rocket, components for the Boeing C-17 transport, and sections of the Boeing 737 jetliner.

By the end of the 1990s, Hawker Siddeley Canada had been reduced to a holding entity after divesting most of its assets except its pension fund. One of its last aerospace-related businesses, Standard Aero—a Winnipeg-based company specializing in aircraft gas turbine maintenance and overhaul—was spun off to British Tire and Rubber; it is currently part of Dubai Aerospace Enterprises, a global firm involved in aircraft leasing, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and aviation IT services.

The nationalization of DOSCO’s assets led to the formation of DEVCO and SYSCO. CC&F ceased operations and its factories were demolished; however, its Thunder Bay facility changed hands multiple times and is now incorporated within Bombardier Aerospace.

Orenda Aerospace, now a division of Magellan Aerospace Corporation, remains as the sole surviving original entity from the A.V. Roe lineage, albeit significantly smaller in both scale and operational scope.

In mid-2005, following completion of the final Boeing 717 wing assembly, The Boeing Company ceased all activities at the former Avro site. The last unionized employees represented by CAW Local 1967 exited the plant on August 12, 2005.

The Malton complex—comprising several large industrial buildings and hangars—underwent phased demolition beginning in 2004. The approximately 113 acres (46 ha) parcel occupied by the plant at closure was sold to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which manages Toronto Pearson International Airport. Ownership transferred after thorough environmental soil remediation was completed.

Portions of brickwork from the historic main “C” assembly building—adjacent to the high-bay doors through which aircraft such as the Arrow, Jetliner, CF-100, and thousands more were assembled—were preserved by the former Canadian Air and Space Museum in Downsview, Toronto. These remnants are intended for future display alongside their Avro collection, which includes a full-scale CF-105 Arrow replica.

President

1. Sir Roy Hardy Dobson, 1 September 1945 – 15 October 1951
2. Crawford Gordon Jr., 15 October 1951 – 2 July 1959
3. Sir Roy Hardy Dobson (interim), 2 July 1959 – 23 August 1961
4. Theodore Jonathan Emmert, 23 August 1961 – 1 May 1962

Chairman of the Board

1. John Paris Bickell, 1 September 1945 – 22 August 1951 †
2. Sir Roy Hardy Dobson, 15 October 1951 – 1 May 1962

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• Whitcomb, Randall. Avro Aircraft and Cold War Aviation. St. Catharine's, Ontario: Vanwell, 2002. ISBN 1-55125-082-9.
• Whitcomb, Randall. Cold War Tech War: The Politics Of America's Air Defense. Burlington, Ontario: Apogee Books, 2008. ISBN 978-1894959-759.
• Zuk, Bill. The Avro Arrow Story: The Impossible Dream. Calgary: Altitude Publishing, 2006. ISBN 1-55439-703-0.
• Zuk, Bill. Avrocar: Canada's Flying Saucer: The Story of Avro Canada's Secret Projects. Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press, 2001. ISBN 1-55046-359-4.
• Zuuring, Peter. The Arrow Scrapbook. Kingston, Ontario: Arrow Alliance Press, 1999. ISBN 1-55056-690-3.
• Zuuring, Peter. Iroquois Rollout. Kingston, Ontario: Arrow Alliance Press, 2002. ISBN 1-55056-906-6.

External links

• Avro Canada — BAE Systems
• Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Canada Archived 23 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
• Arrow Digital Archives Archived 2 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine
• Avro Arrow Home Page – longest-standing site dedicated to the Avro Arrow
• AvroLand
• AvroArrow.net
• Canada Aviation Museum Archived 10 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine – custodian of remaining Avro Arrow components
• Canadian Air and Space Museum Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine – hosts a replica of the Avro Arrow
• Fred Smye website
• A.V. Roe Canada Ltd Corporate Reports – McGill University Library & Archives