The brainchild of A.V. Roe and chief designer John Frost, the Avrocar was a revolutionary aircraft - capable of vertical takeoffs and landings.
After demonstrating the project to the United States Air Force, Frost succeeded in obtaining funding from the US Military. Frost and his team then concentrated their efforts on developing a supersonic disc-shaped vehicle.
In 1959, a series of wind tunnel tests were completed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Centre in Moffett Field, California. Test flights were later conducted at the Avro plant in Malton, Ontario. The tests revealed serious design flaws and stability problems and the Avrocar never flew higher than one metre above the ground.
Funding for the project ran out before the necessary modifications could be made. The Avrocar project was shelved, but the lessons learned continued to influence aviation development.
The Avrocar was added to the Museum's collection on March 14, 2003.
Specifications
Diameter: 26' 10"
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 5,650 lbs
Engines: Three Continental YJ69-T-9 turbojets
Home | Aircraft Collection | Event Calendar | For Kids | For Teachers | Facilities Rental |
| Gift Shop | Memberships | Volunteers | About Us | Contact Us | Visit Us |
Copyright 2010 Western Canada Aviation Museum, Hangar T-2, 958 Ferry Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3H 0Y8
P: 204-786-5503, F: 204-775-4761
Tales from the sky
John Frost had come from the U.K. to work with A.V. Roe on the CF-100 project. The company was also embarking on another ambitious project - the CF-105 Arrow.
In this cold-war era, a flying saucer project seemed to be a natural progression for such an advanced high-technology aeronautical firm.
