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The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) – Canada is displaying the world’s only full-scale replica of the CF-105 Avro Arrow at its Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS), running from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at The International Centre in Mississauga, Ont., near Pearson International Airport.
The Arrow replica, which belongs to the Canadian Air and Space Museum (CASM), was successfully transported from Downsview Airport to The International Centre during the early morning hours of Monday, Sept. 23. Moving the 26.1 m (85 ft 6 in) long Arrow by road required extensive preparation and planning. For the past six months, a small team of museum volunteers has been preparing the aircraft for its move. They methodically designed and built special shipping cradles and supports, removed the wingtips and vertical stabilizer, and installed a shorter nose gear to lower the height.
The road journey utilized a special trailer similar to that used to transport NASA’S Space Shuttle Challenger through the streets of Los Angeles in 2012. The direct route between Downsview and The International Centre, in the Malton neighbourhood of Mississauga, is 18 kilometres. However, the Arrow travelled about 40 km on its journey to avoid low bridges and tight turns.
CASM is very excited to be symbolically returning the Avro Arrow to its birthplace in Malton for the CMTS show, after a gap of 54 years.
Immediately prior to the trade show, the SME – Canada will be sponsoring a free public display of the Avro Arrow replica at The International Centre as the launch venue for Doors Open Mississauga, an annual showcase of local heritage sites. This will take place on Sept. 28, 2013. CASM members, volunteers, and supporters are invited to attend. Special limited edition posters will be available for a donation of $10 or more.
The International Centre is located across the street from the former of A.V. Roe Canada Limited factory, and some of the buildings at the International Centre were once part of the factory. More than 2,100 aircraft were built at the airport between 1939 and 1959, including wartime Westland Lysanders, Avro Anson II trainers, Handley Page Hampdens and Avro Lancaster bombers; and post-war Avro Canada C-102 Jetliners, CF-100s and CF-105 Arrow jets. The factory at Airport Road and Derry Road later became famous for producing the wings for every McDonnell Douglas DC-9, MD-80, DC-10, MD-11 and Boeing 717 passenger jet.
