The Arrow ebook

Absolutely superb, Dow eloquently details how Liberal and Conservative politicians of limited acumen and maximum hypocrisy destroyed one of Canada's boldest ventures into advanced technology.

True enough, at a reported $12.5 million per plane, the Arrow was expensive for its time; but, such spending represented significant research and industrial development. Dow briefly outlines the roots of this disaster, beginning with the Ogdensburg declaration of August 1940 to the snap shutdown of Avro on Feb. 20, 1959 - - which the Liberals exploited to achieve a sweeping election upset in 1962.

Dow also touches on the fate of the Avro Jetliner, killed in 1952 by the Liberals; the success of the CF-100; and even the 'Avrocar' developed for the U.S. Army and Air Force. Avro wasn't an isolated success. In the same era, DeHavilland in Downsview was designing and building the world's finest STOL aircraft - - pilots at antique aicraft air shows still sing the praises of the Beaver and Otter, DeHavilland's Twin Otters became the prototype of some of today's most successful commuter aircraft.

Yet, by the 1960s, Canada's industrial policy had degenerated into just one answer for engineers who proposed anything innovative, "Do they do it in the U.S.?"

With foresight, Canada could have been a world leader in aircraft, nuclear power, Arctic research and development and who knows what else? The recent worldwide latterday success of Bombardier and Research in Motion shows what is possible; yet it was squabbled away in partisan bickering and the feel-good fun of playboy politics.

Dow has written a superb analysis of the destruction of one of the world's finest and most advanced aviation companies. He stays clear of the politics, but quotes extensively from politicians, players, pundits and pettifroggers*. It's a superb obituary of a beautiful dream, still highly relevant in Canada.

This book is still relevant for anyone interested in the fate of excellence in Canada when confronted by smug complacency, partisan politics and undue deference to the U.S. Perhaps someone can write about the fate of the Caribou and Buffalo? What happened to Turbo Beavers?

Doesn't anyone in Canada get mad (and impolite) enough to ask, "What the hell have you political pettifroggers done to my country?"

Surely Canada can rise above being sawyers of wood, pumpers of oil sands pollution, clubbers of little baby seals and very polite manners - - which is increasingly how it is portrayed outside its borders. Arrow "refugees" helped make the aerospace industries and prosperity of today's California. How much have the politicians contributed to Canada?

Sorry. But at $12.5 million each, the Avro Arrow was one of Canada's greatest bargains of the past century. Dow has written a fine obituary of this wonderful venture. Let's hope Canadians learn from this experience.

* pettifrogger - - a pettifogging politician who hops about to avoid being tagged with any unpleasant issue.

it managed to lay to rest (for those paying attention), the pernicious and false claims made about the Arrow's cost of production. The mythic (and pathetic) claims that the unit cost for the Arrow would have been in the $12 million range, still rears its ugly and false head, but this book, even in it's first edition demonstrated the, shall we say 'peculiar' way of coming to that false figure.

Paying little attention to emotion, this is an excellent reference for social and political background into the spectacular success that the Arrow was proven to be, through it's test flight program. Minimal photos, maximum quotes from those who were there, it is good enough (and sells well enough decades later) to be re-released, with no updates save new introductions.

A worthwhile addition to any Canadian (or aviation oriented) bookshelf.