CF-105 Avro Arrow

thingiverse

The Arrow, also known as the CF-105, was a supersonic fighter developed by Avro Canada in the 1950s. This impressive aircraft captivated me, and I felt compelled to create a model of it despite having no experience with complex shapes. Please continue reading to learn more about its history and my approach to modeling it using Fusion360 for the first time. Some background: The Avro Arrow was designed as a follow-on project to the CF-100 Canuck, a supersonic, all-weather interceptor developed by Avro Canada. The goal was to create an aircraft that could fly at Mach 2+ speeds at 50,000 feet in the Canadian north to intercept bombers flying over the North Pole. The RCAF would have operated the Arrow, but the project was canceled before it entered service. The rollout of the Arrow coincided with the USSR's launch of Sputnik into space in 1957, and the CF-105 first flew in March 1958. Due to political reasons, the entire program was canceled on February 20th, 1959, known as Black Friday, which put nearly 30,000 people out of work. This brain drain from the Canadian aviation industry bolstered American efforts in the Space Race. Unfortunately, only five Arrows ever flew. When the Arrow program was canceled by the government, all documentation, drawings, and hardware were ordered destroyed, including the five flying examples and partially completed airframes. (Please note: I paraphrased this text from Wikipedia) P.S. – I'm aware that the paint scheme in my renders is incorrect! Fusion360 limited me to selecting specific surfaces. P.P.S. – Since I don't have a multi-color/material printer, a multi-material model isn't an issue for me. However, if there's enough demand, I might consider creating a multi-material model! P.P.P.S - Please note that I rendered the images of the CF-105 model before adjusting the top of the engine inlet ducts where they blend into the boundary layer ramp near the cockpit. The final STLs provided have an accurate gusseting in this location.