Arrow through the Heart.

That was the hard copy title of this article. The Arrow is a part of history that Canadians are very fond of. This piece will mean something to many:

At long last, a physical reminder of missing Avro Arrow has been found.

Turns out a replica of the defunct supersonic CF-105 Canadian fighter jet — built to target Soviet spy planes during the Cold War — is not with the remains of the real models at the bottom of Lake Ontario.

She’s hidden off of Derry Rd., tucked away at Pearson International Airport, near an Air Transat Hangar.

Sitting there abandoned, wings removed and exposed to the elements.

You can’t see the iconic markings on this Canadian legend, but there is no mistaking that shape and design.

“It’s a darn shame,” said Brian Munro, a volunteer at the now closed Toronto Air and Space Museum. “I can’t imagine treating a piece of Canadian history like this.”

All of the Avro planes were destroyed when the program was cancelled in the late 1950s. There is a terrific effort underway to raise some of the unmanned Arrow models that were test fired into Lake Ontario.

A lot of nostalgia for Canucks, even those not alive at the time. A time when Canadian innovation was a REAL thing. And for some a story of the underdog that lost. Many feel this project was cancelled because the American aviation companies didn't want the competition and the government acquiesced. Well that's Canada for you.

It did have a home at the Canadian Air and Space Museum but that was closed 5 years ago and was then moved to Pearson airport for storage. What now? Well...

Another irony is Oct. 20 is the Avro Arrow’s designer Jim Floyd’s 103rd birthday. He has already been awarded the Wright Brother’s medal so what could we give him as a gift?

Why not put the wings back on his jet and display it for the whole world to marvel at?

“If I had my way, they would open up a new Toronto air museum at Downsview as was promised,” said Munro. “That would be the best place for the Arrow and so many other planes and memorabilia which are also hidden somewhere that we don’t even know — 47 tractor trailers of stuff including a Lancaster Bomber and some of the Snowbird planes.”

The money is available for such a project but the will seems lacking. Not a priority. Until a politician with the will makes it a priority, I can see little opposition to this, it will continue to be parked at the airport under a tarp. Shame.

www.torontosun.com...

a reply to: intrepid

That's always the problem. Unless it's an area that makes sense, like Ohio, or part of another museum, people don't see the point of aviation museums. It's sad, because so much history has been lost, and so much more, like this, is in danger of being lost, but it's just aviation, so most people don't care.

WPAFBM would probably love to have it.

I really need to get a lot of 8mm and VHS stuff converted, as I have some great pictures of a flying museum my wife and I found when we went to Cocoa Beach to see a space shuttle launch. Got to be late 80's.
Anyway, this place had flying Mustangs, P-38, Corsair, even a Spad. They even demonstrated a few, and let you also get in the cockpits of the planes on the ground. I cannot come up with the name, but it was near the Space museam. Perhaps, some know what that place was called.

Addl: There was also a working Spitfire, and a 'being worked on' Hurricane.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: intrepid

That's always the problem. Unless it's an area that makes sense, like Ohio, or part of another museum, people don't see the point of aviation museums. It's sad, because so much history has been lost, and so much more, like this, is in danger of being lost, but it's just aviation, so most people don't care.

Most people would rather watch a bunch of grown men chase balls around, meanwhile at the Reno air races they're sitting on them.

I helped build part of the Arrow replica at Downsview. Sad to see the condition today. Hopefully the Lancaster we had is faring better... But I think it's still in deep storage. A real shame.

Museums today are more about business than about preserving history Im afraid.

Found the Arrow on google earth under the tarp but could not see the wings..stored elsewhere..??