THE ARROW. by Dow, James - 1979

Toronto: James Lorimer, 1979. 160 pp, 9 1/4" H. B&w photographs. "The Arrow (supersonic fighter) appeared on Avro's drawing boards in 1952 and was in the air by 1958. Test flights were a great success, and five aircraft had flown by 1959. Then came the dramatic decision whose rationale was not made public at the time, and which even now seems obscure. The Arrow was cancelled, and everything to do with it, including the planes that had already flown, was broken into scrap. Nothing was to remain. To tell the story of the Arrow, James Dow explores the impressive experience of Canada's aircraft industry, created from virtually nothing during the Second World War by C.D. Howe and recruits from the business world. Avro was put together when the government aircraft companies were sold off at the war's end. Avro's first postwar project was the Jetliner, conceived in 1945 for Air Canada (then TCA). It was very nearly the world's first passenger jet, and was first in the air in August 1949 only days behind Britain's Comet. Avro's military experience came with the CF-100 Canuck fighter, which flew first in 1951. There was even an experimental flying saucer, built for the U.S. armed forces. The Arrow was to be the culmination of this experience and this success." Previous owner's place, date and signature in ink on front free endpaper; some light toning to endpapers and to edges of text block, very tiny bump at top/bottom of spine. Dust jacket has light to moderate rubbing, several small tears with creases at top edge, light edge wear, one small edge chip, protectedin a mylar sleeve.. Hard Cover. Very Good/Good+.