Free Republic

The Dambusters Raid on the night of May 17, 1943, carried out by 19 Lancasters from Gibson’s squadron, has gone down in history as one of the most audacious exploits of World War II. Not only was the colossal Mohne dam breached, but a second, the Eder, was also smashed, while a third, the Sorpe, was damaged, though not broken. Although the attack cost the lives of 53 RAF airmen, it caused devastation to the German economy and gave a tremendous boost to public morale. The tale of the assault on the vast structures almost seemed a national metaphor for...

The world's last flying Avro Vulcan is preparing for its final ever flights after the decision was made to permanently ground the Cold War veteran jet. The four-engined bomber, which saw action in the Falklands, is undertaking two final missions on October 10 and 11, flying long loops of the country from north to south. Chief pilot Martin Withers, who broke the record for the world's longest bombing mission in April 1982, is currently preparing a route for the final flights, which are being designed so as many people as possible will be able to see the jet.

Avro Arrow test pilot Rogers passes away in T.O.Canadian Press July 27, 2006 TORONTO -- The man who oversaw flight operations for the revolutionary but ill-fated Avro Arrow has died. A memorial service will be held Thursday in Toronto for Don Rogers, who died of cancer last week at the age of 89. After the death last year of Arrow test pilot Peter Cope, Rogers became the last surviving test pilot for the company. Formerly Avro's chief test pilot, he went on to become director of flight operations, overseeing Cope and three other pilots involved in the day-to-day testing of...

Canada's other Avro tragedyNational Post February 22, 2005 Re: Howard And Me: Don Rogers Remembers Howard Hughes As The Man Who Could Have Sent Canada's Aircraft Industry Soaring, Feb. 18. The Avro C-102 Jetliner first flew on Aug. 10, 1949, two weeks after the first jet transport, the flawed deHavilland Comet, briefly flew in England. The major difference was that the Jetliner was essentially perfect right from the start, and could have gone into production in a very short time. This was eight years ahead of Boeing's first passenger jet, the 707. When the Jetliner flew from Toronto to New...

The CF-105 Arrow (by François Morin, cf105@sympatico.ca) In the 1950s, A.V.Roe Canada from Malton Ontario developed a twin-engined, delta winged supersonic interceptor for the RCAF. It was designed to cope with the threat of Soviet nuclear bombers coming over the arctic. From 1953 to 1959, the Avro team designed and built one of the most sophisticated aircraft of the world. It was called the Avro CF-105 Arrow. This aircraft was ahead of its time and could still be a front line fighter in today's high tech warfare world. But unfortunately, the Conservative government of the time, led by John Diefenbaker,...