Born at Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA in 1886, Verne Clifton “Bob” Babcock’s first design was a copy of the Wright Flyer built in 1905, it was wrecked on takeoff at Bangor,
1905: Verne Clifton Babcock Benton Harbor WA. USA
1907: Babcock-Breininger Aeroplane Supply Co, Seattle WA. USA
Michigan in 1907. Babcock moved to Seattle, Washington, and built a second Wright copy in 1909, the same year he and a partner formed Babcock-Breininger Aeroplane Supply Co., building several more derivative aircraft. Babcock moved on to several other aviation training and engineering activities throughout the USA before forming Babcock Aircraft Co. in Akron, Ohio, in 1924.
1924: Babcock Aircraft Co, Stow Field, Akron OH. USA
The company experienced several reorganizations and in 1930 it was acquired by the S. Taubman Aircraft Co., and became known also as Babcock-Vlcek Co.
1930: Acquired by S Taubman Aircraft Co, aka Babcock-Vlchek Co, Akron. USA
1938: Babcock Aircraft Corp, Deland FL. USA
In 1938, Babcock formed the Babcock Airplane Corp. at De Land, Florida and during WW II built Waco CG-4 assault gliders. Babcock left the aviation industry in 1945, and sold the rights to produce his LC-13 to Bartlett Aircraft Corp. at Rosemead, California. Bob Babcock passed away on February 13, 1972.
The design goal for the Gurí was for a versatile ultralight and also an airplane kit that is easy to build. The Gurí design uses metalic and composites where it made the most sense from an engineering and a construction standpoint. The Gurí constant-chord wings are aluminum and fabric, with slotted ailerons and flaps. For the compound curves of the cockpit, fiberglass composites are used. Fiberglass fabrics and epoxy-vinylester resin factory molding cockpit, landing gear and several parts insures a smooth finish and a simple assembly project. Rear fuselage is a 6 inch diameter aluminum tail boom with aluminum tube and fabric tail surfaces. The main goal of the kit is the assembly of parts supplied, covering the flight surfaces, install system and engine, ulphostery and painting. It does not include a engine, prop, paint and instruments. Optional equipment includes wheel pants, instruments, floats, and ballistic chute. This aircraft can have 50 HP to 80 HP engine. Price 2009: 18000 USD
The 1996 LM200 Loadmaster was designed for Federal Express, featuring two turboshafts driving one five-bladed propeller through a combining gearbox. It was design-driven for need to carry four “demi” containers.
Engine: 2 x Allied Signal / Allison TWINPAC CTP 800-4T, 2367 shp Length: 68.996 ft / 21.03 m Height: 22.474 ft / 6.85 m Wingspan: 63.976 ft / 19.5 m Wing area: 453.487 sq.ft / 42.13 sq.m Max take off weight: 19002.7 lb / 8618.0 kg Weight empty: 9000.8 lb / 4082.0 kg Max. speed: 196 kts / 363 km/h Cruising speed: 165 kts / 306 km/h Initial climb rate: 1870.08 ft/min / 9.5 m/s Wing load: 42.03 lb/sq.ft / 205.0 kg/sq.m Maximum range: 1120 nm / 2075 km Range (max. weight): 651 nm / 1205 km Crew: 2 Payload: 19-34pax / max. 3400kg
The S2R Series is a fixed undercarriage low-wing single-engine tailwheel configuration agricultural aircraft of all-metal construction with welded steel-tube fuselage. The hopper is located forward of the cockpit, and the aircraft is available in single or dual (tandem) cockpit configurations. The S-2R model was developed by Rockwell from the S-2D by widening the fuselage from 38” to 46” to accept a larger 400 US gallon hopper, to be able to carry a greater volume of low density materials used by Rice growers, and adding flaps.
Type Acceptance Certificate FAA Type Certificates A3SW and A4SW.
The S2R Series is a fixed undercarriage low-wing single-engine tailwheel configuration agricultural aircraft of all-metal construction with welded steel-tube fuselage. The hopper is located forward of the cockpit, and the aircraft is available in single or dual (tandem) cockpit configurations. The S-2R model was developed by Rockwell from the S-2D by widening the fuselage from 38” to 46” to accept a larger 400 US gallon hopper, to be able to carry a greater volume of low density materials used by Rice growers, and adding flaps.
Type Acceptance Certificate FAA Type Certificates A3SW and A4SW.
In 1977, the Ayres Corporation, of Albany, Georgia, purchased the Thrush Commander line and continued to build the S2R, with the same constructors serial sequence, finally ending at 2582R. Previously the type certificate had been held by Snow Aeronautical Company (up to February 18, 1970), North American Rockwell Corporation (up to April 3, 1973), and Rockwell International (up to November 28, 1977) .
A new sequence was started by Ayres with the 750 hp P & W PT6A-34AG with constructors numbers beginning with 6001, and incorporating one major change, the fitting of a 500 US gallon hopper. The 5000 sequence was used for the 100 or so 800 hp Wrights built by Rockwell. The Turbo Thrush S2R-T34 was then developed for Ayres by installation of a PT6A engine under STC, the first such turbine application for an agricultural aircraft. This was type certificated under A3SW in the Normal Category, but the manufacturer advises virtually none have been delivered in that category. All subsequent S2R derivatives (basically different turbine engine options) were only certificated in the Restricted Category under A4SW, including several using the TPE331 family (these were popular because overhauled engines were much less expensive than a new PT6A). Some engine and propeller options for the S2R-T34, and the Dual Cockpit trainer option originally approved by STC, are only approved in the Restricted Category.
Once Ayres had taken over, one of the new versions was named the Bull Thrush, powered with a 1200 hp Wright R-1820-97 and fitted with a 500 US gallon hopper. One of the new features was a Dual Cockpit variant, being denoted by a DC at the end of the constructor’s number. From this time Ayres were to start a whole new series of constructors num¬bers, prefixed by S2R, followed by engine model fitted and then a number, in most cases, starting at -001. As example, S2R-1340-… (600 hp), S2R-1820-… (1200 hp), S2R-RS3-… (PZL R83, 595 hp) and S2R-T34-… (750 hp).
The new turbine models incorporated a wing extension from a span of 44 feet, 5 inches to 47 feet, 6 inches with a wing area of 350 square feet. The wing extensions can also be fitted to the smaller round engined versions, as well as adding an all metal tailplane. The Ayres tail version being the same outline as the tube and fabric original, and another is being offered by Weatherley.
A further development by Ayres was the Model S2R-T65, which was fitted with a larger 500 US gallon hopper and 1300 shp PT6A-65 engine. This had an increased span wing but was initially approved at the original 6000 lb. gross weight. Later an improved wing with steel spar webs was tested and the S2RHG-T65 (High Gross) version was certificated with a MCTOW of 10,500 lb. Thrush also certificated a similar high gross S2RHG-T34 version with a 550 US gallon hopper and a MCTOW of 9500 lb. However Report ER-568 stated that performance was marginal and only a few were produced. Report ER-538 states that all aircraft manufactured by Thrush since 2003 have been produced to a common fuselage and wing configuration.
Since 1991, some of the T34 aircraft have had a PT6A-41AG of 850 hp fitted and, likewise, the T15 line has had one PT6A-27 of 680hp installed. Another version available is the T45, with its own c/n sequence fitted with a PT6A-45 of 1173hp
The Type Certificate went to Ayres Corporation up to November 26, 2001, then Quality Aerospace (up to July 9, 2003), and the Thrush Aircraft Inc.
In the eighties, the US Government required a long range sprayer for anti-narcotics work. Ayres developed the T34 model and fitted it with the PT6A-65A of 1376 hp, self-sealing fuel tanks, and armour plate around the pilots seat. Up until December 1990, eight had been built with the unusual T65-1X sequence. From October 1987, Dual Cockpit versions entered the production line, beginning with T65-001DC and all going to the US Government. The first to a civil operator was 011DC, going to Gwydir Air as VH-NFH in 1990. This was re-powered by a PT6A-65AG of 1230 hp turning a five blade prop. Not only is it quieter, the length has been increased to 34 feet and the hopper has been increased to hold 625 US gallons. In 1994, the T65s were back in production, with several being delivered to South Africa. In 1991 Ayres installed a Garrett TPE 331-6 (starting with c/ n G6-101) and up until 1994, twenty of these 750 hp versions have been delivered. Two more variants are offered, the G5 and G10, first appearing in 1993. Like the T15/34 range, they can be fitted with 400 or 500 gallon hoppers. The real advantage is the much cheaper Garrett engine. On 14 March 2000 Ayres received the type certificate for the all new Ayres 660 Turbo Thrush. The first three aircraft are fitted with the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-60AG turbine of 1050 hp, the fourth with the 1230 hp PT6A-65AG engine, which will be available as an option. With a work force of 62 in 2004, Thrush Aircraft principals Payne Hughes and Larry Bays have already built six new Thrush aircraft three model 660s and three model 550s, all sold to individual owners since acquiring the company in mid 2003. The new owners have made a substantial investment, not only in purchasing the Thrush line, but also in building renovations and new machine equipment. Thrush Aircraft has exclusively teamed with General Electric to produce the Thrush 510G powered by the GE H80 turbine engine. The H80 provides increased temperature margins to enhance hot-day takeoff performance and high-altitude cruise speeds. GE chose Thrush to launch this new engine. The top of the range model is the Thrush 660. This aircraft was developed by the Ayres Corporation as the S2R T660 at the end of last century and went into production in 2000. Only eight aircraft were built before Ayres closed it doors at its Albany, Georgia, plant. The aircraft was designed around a 660 US gallon hop¬per and this was the first time that the airframe had been completely reworked since the inception of the Rockwell S2R 600 in 1968. The standard main undercarriage was replaced with steel spring legs, the wings were modified and an unusual dorsal fin added to the tailplane with the idea of keeping the overall in¬flight height the same as other Thrush ag planes.
Thrush S2R-T
With the new aircraft, the name Thrush 660 remains the same, but with a new hopper design and a new gate box for spraying, 680 US Gallons is now standard capacity. In firebombing mode, this can be increased to 750 US gallons. The vacuum bag technology in the fibreglass construction allows for a more even wall thickness, saving about 100 Ibs of weight while creating a larger interior with the same external dimensions. The new hopper has also allowed changes in the hopper gates. The new 660 will have a longer, straight cowling, similar to the TPE331 G series, with a new, more streamlined nose bowl. The squat tailplane has been replaced with a completely new fin, which is six inches higher and thus has more surface area. Thrush Aircraft has addressed its wing spar problems head on. The 660 centre wing beam and spar configuration has been redesigned to make the outer wing panels lighter and incorporates stronger heat treated 4340 steel spar caps, as well as a 4340 cen¬tre beam. The extra strength of the heat treated 4340 steel spar caps allow for a reduction in the number of steel doublers and inboard steel webbing, which saves weight. The 660 wing has been static tested to 14,150 lbs. The Thrush 660 will be fitted with the PT6A 65 or the PT6A¬67. More performance enhancing features include the closing in of the rear portion of the fuselage, thus reducing air turbulence around the tail section. The medium size version is the Thrush 550. Once marketed as the Ayres 510, the 550 has inherited the new vacuum bag technology fibreglass hopper as with the 660. The aircraft’s capacity has been increased by 49 US gallons and the top of the hopper is wider and has been redesigned to give a straight line between the propeller and the cockpit windscreen. Along with the redesign of the hopper, better fairings have been installed on the lower fuselage. The Thrush 550 now incorporates a new 29,000 hour lower spar caps (made from 4340 heat treated steel and giving the same weight advantages as the 660), which can be retrofitted to exist¬ing Thrush aircraft eliminating all requisite ADs on existing S2Rs. For operators requiring extra fuel, new tanks can be provided outboard of the present fuel cells. The PT6A 34AG engine will be the main provider of power but the G 10 engine can also be fitted. However, the most notable change to the Thrush 550 is the fitting of steel spring undercarriage legs.
Thrush Aircraft has exclusively teamed with General Electric to produce the Thrush 510G powered by the GE H80 turbine engine. The H80 provides increased temperature margins to enhance hot-day takeoff performance and high-altitude cruise speeds. GE chose Thrush to launch this new engine.
The Thrush 550P has wide-stance spring landing gear capable of absorbing 8800 pounds on short, rough strips and optional spring steel landing gear can be added to increase weight for take off and landings. And it brings you a 29,000 hour Wing Spar Life and a 550 gallon clear-view hopper.
The Thrush 550P has wide-stance spring landing gear capable of absorbing 8800 pounds on short, rough strips and optional spring steel landing gear can be added to increase weight for take off and landings. It has a 29,000 hour Wing Spar Life and a 550 gallon clear-view hopper.
In 1965 Rockwell-Standard acquired Snow Aeronautical, continuing to produce agricultural aircraft at Olney as Snow Commanders (as division of Aero Commander), and acquired Intermountain Manufacturing Company (IMCO) 1966. Thrush Commander was very notable specially-designed agricultural aircraft. Working with Rockwell, Ayres commenced converting Thrush Commander 600 and 800 airframes to PT6 power before purchasing the entire production rights from Rockwell. The entire Thrush Commander range was sold to Ayres Corp of Albany, Georgia, in November 1977 and then became known by the Ayres name. Production continued in 1999 of various developed models as Turbo Thrush agricultural aircraft with piston and turboprop engines. The new owners will continue to manufacture the Models 600 and 800 Thrush Commanders. Fred Ayres, who developed the Turbo Thrush PT6 retrofit, was able to produce new aircraft rather than conversions. Has also developed the Loadmaster, a uniquely configured multipurpose transport with two turboprop engines driving a single propeller, intended mainly for carrying bulk and containerised freight but with passenger/troop and reconnaissance variants planned. On 27 November 2000, the Ayres Corp filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, necessitated by the larger than expected development costs of the new Loadmaster aircraft.
Donald E Aydlett began construction of the sole A-1 in 1963, flying it on 6 July 1965. It was a low wing monoplane of mixed wood and steel construction. The wing was a fabric covered wood structure, with streamlined lift struts from the upper fuselage longerons. The fuselage and tail unit were steel, again fabric covered, and the tail unit was wire braced. The tailplane was on top of the fuselage; the rounded fin carried a generous, unbalanced rudder. The cockpit, over the wing, was enclosed by a canopy which merged at the rear with the raised fuselage decking. Power came from a 125 hp (93 kW) flat four Lycoming O-290-G, mounted with cylinder heads and exhaust pipes exposed. The A-1 had a fixed, conventional undercarriage, with mainwheels mounted on faired V-struts and a tailwheel.
Only one [N4672S, C/N 1001] was ever built.
Engine: 1 × Lycoming O-290-G, 125 hp (93 kW) Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch Wingspan: 22 ft 3 in (6.78 m) Length: 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m) Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Empty weight: 690 lb (313 kg) Max takeoff weight: 1,200 lb (544 kg) Maximum speed: 185 mph (298 km/h; 161 kn) Cruise speed: 115 mph (100 kn; 185 km/h) Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,572 m) Rate of climb at sea level: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s) Seats: 1
The Avtek 400 was the proof of concept aircraft of a six/nine-seat pusher turboprop-powered business aircraft, with a crew of one or two pilots. Designed by Leo J Windecker, it was the first US aircraft constructed throughout from DuPont ‘Kevlar’ advanced composite material, hence the ‘DUPONT’ logo on upper sides of the tailfin.
It featured over the wing pusher propellers, high mounted forward canard, bizarre wing shapes, all-Kevlar construction and lack of elevators.
First flown in the USA on 17 September 1984, the type never went into production, and the company went bankrupt in 1998.
The aircraft appeared in the ‘Airwolf’ TV series as the X-400, the plane used by the villain Lou Stappleford in the episode ‘Eagles’.”
400A Engines: 2 x 680hp P&W Canada PT6A-3L/R Wingspan: 35’0″ Length: 39’4″ Useful load: 2781 lb Max speed: 294 mph Stall: 96 mph Range: 2600 mi Ceiling: 41,000 Seats: 6-10
Established in 1982, flew proof-of-concept prototype for the intended Avtek 400A pressurised, composites-built, six/nine-seat business jetfan in September 1984. Avtek has rear-mounted main wings, canards, and twin turboprops with pusher propellers. Avtek 400A was expected to be certificated in 2000.
The first stages of development of a new two-seat all-weather long-range interceptor for the RCAF began in early 1953, at the time when the RCAF was busy forming its first CF-100 squadron. By April 1954 Avro’s design team was involved in the manufacture of the first five Arrow 1 prototypes.
The CF-105 featured a true delta-wing design fitted with twin turbojet engines. The aircraft would be piloted by a crew of two, made up of a pilot and his radar operator. Avro made the decision to design the CF-105 as a pure delta wing platform. The aircraft’s single-minded interceptor purpose was to travel in straight lines, finding the fastest way to get to its target in the shortest amount of time. The increase in drag was offset by the added fuel that could be stored in the wings as the CF-105 system would be expected to feed two thirsty turbojet engines, each with afterburner capability. The Orenda Iroquois – a highly advanced engine for its time – was selected as the powerplant that would propel the CF-105 Arrow for decades to come. This had a needle-nose, widening just aft of the cockpit, where intakes on each side of the fuselage fed air to two turbojet engines mounted side by side within the fuselage. The Arrow 1s were powered by two Pratt & Whitney J75s, but it was intended that the following Arrow 2s would have engines of indigenous design and manufacture, in the form of PS-13 Iroquois turbojets, developed by Avro’s Orenda engine division, each of which promised a thrust of 12700kg with maximum reheat.
The two-man cockpit was held well-forward in the design, protruding between the two rectangular intakes to either side. The intakes ran the length of the fuselage and the delta wings extended from the installations as high shoulder-mounted assemblies. The aircraft’s layout ended with the twin engine outtakes at rear capped by a single vertical tail fin set between the two engine compartments. The main landing gear extended from the wings (another benefit of the delta wing concept) as opposed to the fuselage body with two wheels to a gear (in single file arrangement). The nose landing gear leg retracted into the fuselage just behind and below the cockpit.
The Arrow appeared in its first form as the Mark 1 with production approved by 1955. The first Arrow completed October 1957, became model RL-201 and this aircraft was fitted with lower-powered Pratt & Whitney J75 series engines while the Orenda brand series were completing development. The unveiling was intended to be a huge affair but the successful launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik destroyed any hope of that and in many ways forecasted the future of the CF-105 program itself. Several other delays of the internal systems added to the already bumpy curtain-raising event.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were monitoring an illegal agent working for the Russians on the Avro Arrow project.
The first was first flown by Jan Zurakowski on 25 March 1958, this Mach 2 all weather fighter had a continental radius of action and could operate up to 70,000ft. It achieved 1,000 mph on its seventh flight. The two underfuselage speed brakes could be held open during Mach 1 flights. Four more Mark 1 soon followed. Over the months of testing, a major issue arose with the complex main landing gear arrangement. The design relied upon the two main single-file landing gear wheels to fit into the wing. This necessitated that the gear rotate before settling fully into the thin delta wing design. After addressing several of these key issues, the five CF-105’s were moved out of the A.V. Roe internal company test program and forwarded to official military trials beginning 1959.
By this time, the future of the CF-105 was already highly in doubt. 1957 saw a political turn in Canada which the new conservative-leaning party began targeting the spending projects of the former liberal party. The CF-105 was not immune to the discourse and when the Americans came calling with their NORAD (NORth American Air Defense) initiative and its thousands of available aircraft for use across Canadian air defense. It was seen fit to cancel the CF-105 Arrow project altogether on 20 February 1959 by John Diefenbaker, a Prime Minister of Canada, after expenditure of about $400 million. It is estimated that an astounding 50,000 jobs were lost with the cancellation of the program – or about 80% of Avro Canada altogether – permanently damaging the Canadian aerospace industry.
The prototype and six more airframes were sliced up, crushed and burned. Three years later Canada had to buy McDonnell F-101 Voodoo fighters from the USA.
Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney J75-P-3, 47,000lbs thrust. Wingspan: 15.24 m / 50 ft 0 in Length: 23.72 m / 78 ft 10 in Height: 6.48 m / 21 ft 3 in Wing area: 113.8 sq.m / 1224.93 sq ft Empty Weight: 49,042lbs (22,245kg) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 68,608lbs (31,120kg) Maximum Speed: 1,307mph (2,104kmh; 1,136kts; M 2.3) Maximum Range: 410miles (660km) Service Ceiling: 58,563ft (17,850m) Crew: 2 Armament: 1 internal weapons bay Hardpoints: 8
The Royal Canadian Air Force, needed an all weather fighter to defend the vast dominion and after talking with the American and British air staffs decided to write its own specification, issued in October 1946. It called for a fighter having a crew of two, advanced radar, all weather and night equipment, heavy gun armament, the ability, to operate from advanced air¬bases with austere ground equipment and runways only 4,000ft long. Plus a combination of speed, rate of climb and range never before attained in any combat aircraft.
Design of the two-seat all-weather long-range fighter was initiated in October 1946, the Avro Canada team under E. H. Atkin, chief engineer, settled for a long slim fuselage, low unswept wing of quite high aspect ratio, and twin engines on the sides of the fuselage above the wing. The Avro scheme made the engines higher off the ground, but still easy to service and not difficult to change. The steerable nose gear and main legs all had twin wheels. The first of two prototype CF-100 Mk Is (No 18101, FB-D) was flown on 19 January 1950, both of these aircraft being powered by Rolls-Royce Avon RA 3 turbojets, each of 2948kg thrust. Although not designed for speeds over Mach 0.85, it was taken supersonic during a dive by test pilot Janus Żurakowski in December 1952.
It was a low-wing cantilever monoplane of all metal construction, the tail unit incorporating a tailplane and elevators mounted mid-way up the fin. The retractable tricycle landing gear had twin wheels on each unit, and accommodation for two, in tandem, was in a pressurised cockpit. All control surfaces were fully powered. Large airbrakes were fitted above and below the wing ahead of the flaps. Pilot and navigator sat in tandem Martin Baker seats.
CF-100 Mk.1
Successful testing of the prototypes led to an order for 10 unarmed pre-production CF-100 Mk 2s, these being the first examples to be powered by 2722kg / 6,000 lb thrust Orenda 2 turbojets, built by the engine division of Avro Canada. When the first of these CF-100 Mk 2s made its maiden flight, on 20 June 1951, it was the first aircraft that had been completely designed and built in Canada. One of this pre-production batch was equipped as a dual-control trainer, becoming designated CF-100 Mk 2T, and another example from this batch was the first to enter service with the RCAF, on 17 October 1951.
Orders followed for 124 production aircraft designated CF-100 Mk 3 in September 1950, named Canuck by the RCAF, and the first of these entered service soon after a first flight in early September 1952. They differed by having Orenda 8 turbojets of 6,000 lb thrust (of similar output to the Orenda 2s), carried eight 12.7mm Colt-Browning machine-guns in a ventral pack, which could be winched in or out of the fighter as a unit, and were equipped with nose-mounted AN/APC -33 radar. The Mk 3 entered service with No 445 Squadron at North Bay, Ontario, in 1953. A total of 70 of this version was built before production switched to the definitive CF-100 Mk 4, and once the Mk 4 became available in 1954, most of the remaining Mk 3’s were either used at the Operational Training Units or converted to dual control trainers. 50 were converted to CF-100 Mks 3CT and 3DT trainers.
CF-100 Mk.3A
In 1951, in partnership with Hughes Aircraft, Avro Canada completely replanned the CF 100 with the new armament. The tenth CF 100 Mk 2 was chosen as the aircraft to develop the new system, making its maiden flight as the prototype Mk 4 on October 11, 1952, the same day as the first production Mk 3. The nose was longer and fatter, and instead of the APG 33 gunsight radar of the Mk 3 there was a radome for the MG 2 (E4) fire-control radar. The standard Mk 4 retained the gun pack but added wing tip pods each housing either 29 or 30 Mighty Mouse rockets, the same FFAR (folding fin aircraft rocket) of 2.75in calibre as standard on the, USAF interceptors. The Mk 4 had collision course fire control, the new interception method in which the radar and autopilot interlinked to steer the aircraft automatically to launch the rockets in a salvo to pass through a “box” of sky at the same time as the hostile aircraft. It freed interceptors from the need to attack from behind, and in a side on interception gave a much better reflective target for the radar.
The last 54 aircraft were cut from the Mk 3 order, holding production of this model to 70, while orders for the Mk 4 were repeated until they reached the total of 510. It was the RCAFs standard all weather fighter in 1953 59 and continued to serve, into the 1960s after modification to Mk 5 standard. Early Mk 4s were styled Mk.4A and fitted with the Orenda 9 rated at 6,500 lb, and visually distinguished by the free spinning two-blade windmill on the inlet bullet from which alcohol anti icing fluid could be sprayed. The Mk 4B was fitted with the Orenda II of 7,275 lb thrust, and most 4Bs were also fitted with all-rocket armament, the gunpack being replaced by a retractable box containing a further 48 FFARs launched in salvo by hydraulically extending the box briefly into the airstream. A further modification in most 4As and all 4Bs was that the large canopy was blown from a single sheet of Plexiglas.
CF-100 Mk.4B No.445 Sqn RCAF, Marville, France 1957
The first production Mk 4 flew on October 24, 1953. The Mk.4 version was redesignated CF-100 Mk 4A after the introduction of a generally similar CF-100 Mk 4B that differed primarily by having more powerful Orenda 11 turbojets, each of 3300kg thrust.
Unofficially known as the Canuck, the CF-100 Mk 4A was the first CF-l00 to be fitted with AN/APC-40 radar and was powered by the 2948-kg (6,500-lb) thrust Orenda 9 turbojet engine, which was replaced by the slightly more powerful Orenda 11 on the CF-100 Mk 4B model. Armament in both cases took the form of eight 12.7-mm (0.5-in) machine-guns backed-up by 104 70-mm (2.75-in) rockets carried in the distinctive wing-tip pods. Production of CF-100 Mks 4A and 4B totalled 134 and 144 respectively, being followed by the CF-100 Mk 5 production version.
The CF-100 Mk 5, which featured an extended wing span and updated equipment, was lighter for it lack-ed the machine-guns of earlier variants, relying solely on rockets for interception. Aimed entirely at increasing high altitude manoeuvrability, the Mk 5, the first of which flew on October 12, 1955, had just over 3.5ft added on the end of each wing, the new sections having constant chord. Tailplane area was also slightly increased, and among less basic changes was the introduction of a larger wingtip pod housing 52 FFARs, making (with the centreline pack) a maximum of 152. No Mk 5s were built new, the 100 aircraft for inventory being converted while the final 4Bs were still on the assembly line, 53 of which were supplied to Belgium, based at Beauvechain, these being the only CF-100s to be exported.
The first production example flew on 12 October 1955.
CF-100 Mk.5
In addition, a substantial number of CF-100 Mk 4s were up-dated to the later configuration for service with squadrons of the then Royal Canadian Air Force in both Canada and Europe. The CF-100’s operational career as an interceptor came to an end in the early 1960s, but a few aircraft were further modified to act as electronic aggressors in evaluating the performance of Canada’s defences. Known as CF-100 Mk 5C and CF-100 Mk 5D aircraft, these were finally retired by No. 414 Squadron in late 1981.
On November 4, 1956, No 445 Squadron brought its Mk 4Bs to Europe to add all¬-weather defence to AAME (Allied Air Forces Central Europe), and until 1962 four RCAF squadrons of 4Bs and 5s operated from the Gros Tenquin/ Marville, / Zweibrücken / Baden Söllin¬gen complex as the all weather com¬ponent of the 1st Air Division. So reliable were the Canadian fighters¬ ¬that the Belgian Air Force purchased 53 ex RCAF Mk 5s and took delivery from December 1957. By this time all CF 100s in front line service had green/grey camouflage, the Belgians merely changing the national markings. Though the added wing sections caused structural problems at high indicated airspeeds the Mk 5 remained an adequate all weather platform well into the 1960s.
The Avro CF-100 “Canuck” was the RCAF’s second operational jet fighter replacing the de Havilland Vampire. They patrolled the skies over North America and Western Europe from 1953-1981. The aircraft last served with No. 414 “Black Knight” squadron (electronic warfare unit) at North Bay, as a Mark 5D ECM (electronic counter measures aircraft).
A total of 692 aircraft were produced in the different variants, and the CF-100 was world’s first straight-wing combat aircraft to exceed Mach 1 (in a dive, 18 December 1952). Many innovations in radar and quick-change weapons were developed on the CF-100, and some of its design features were incorporated in the Avro Arrow.
A. V. Roe Canada CF-100 Mk.1 All-weather fighter Engines: 2 x 6,500 lb. thrust Avro Orenda 9 turbojets. Wingspan: 58 ft 5 in Length: 54 ft. 4 in Loaded weight: 34,000 lb. Max. speed: over 650 m.p.h. Max. range: 2,000 miles. Armament: 132x.2.75 in. rockets. In retractable pack under fuselage and wing-tip containers. Crew: 2
CF-100 Mk 3D dual trainer Engines: Two Orenda 8, 6000 lb thrust axial flow gas turbine Maximum speed: Mach .85 Empty weight: 23,000 lb (10 432 kg) Maximum weight: 34,000 lb (15,436 kg) Span: 57 ft 6 in (17.5 m) over tip tanks Length: 52 ft 3 in (15.9 m) Height: 14 ft 6 in (4.4 m)
CF-100 Mk 4 Engines: 2 x 2948kg thrust Orenda 9
CF-100 Mk 5 Engines: 2 x turbo-jet Orenda 11 or 14, 32.3kN, 3300-kg (7, 275-lb) Max take-off weight: 16330 kg (36,000 lb) Empty weight: 10478 kg / 23100 lb Wingspan: 18.54 m (60 ft 10 in) Length: 16.48 m / 54 ft 1 in Height: 4.74 m / 16 ft 7 in Wing area: 54.9 sq.m / 590.94 sq ft Wheel track: 10 ft 2 in Wheelbase: 18 ft 1 in Maximum speed 1046 km/h (650 mph) at 3050 m (10,000 ft) Initial climb rate 2591 m (8,500 ft) per minute Service ceiling: 16460 m / 54000 ft Range w/max.fuel: 3220 km / 2001 miles Range w/max.payload: 2072 km / 1288 miles Combat radius 1046 km (650 miles) Armament: 29 x 70mm missiles in each of wing containers Crew: 2
