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Voodoo and Starfighter interceptors. Both American aircraft eventually entered service with the RCAF to defend the north against the Soviet bomber threat. USAF Board (CDRB) decided to approach Avro Canada Ltd at Malton, Toronto (a subsidiary of AV Roe & Co Ltd, Manchester, England and part of the Hawker-Siddeley Group), with their requirements for a supersonic intercep- tor capable of meeting the Soviet challenge. They realised that a new interceptor would need to remain effective well into the next decade and this RCAF air defence require- ment finally led to a concept called Project Y, which was fully supported by the British par- ent company and secretly backed by White- hall and the Pentagon. Unannounced British involvement and US missile were eventually resolved, but the pro- But back in 1951, the Canadian Government _ interest in Project Y was hardly remarkable in ject finally met with abrupt cancellation on aspired to its own next-generation supersonic _ light of the close ties and shared defence inter- 21st August 1957. interceptor that was able to operate from low- __ ests of the three countries. Sir Roy Dobson, who This was the year when Western govern- grade scattered sites in northern parts of the — controlled Avro UK, was in regular contact with ments declared that the manned fighter was country. This requirement for aircraft dispersal _CDRB Chairman Dr Ormond. M Solandt, who obsolete and a number of cutting-edge pro- had already influenced the design of the had been Superintendent of the British Army’s jects fell by the wayside before common RCAF’s Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck, which Operational Research Group during World sense prevailed. However, by this time sev- could take off froma rough airstrip that was no — War Two. A personal link also existed between eral advanced but slightly less ambitious US —_ more than 4,000ft (1.21km) inlength.Canada’s _ Dr Solandt and the Pentagon’s weapons tech- supersonic fighter programmes had become aerospace industry had great potential for nology expert Dr Vannevar Bush who headed established: these included the USAF’s Con- expansion and the Government believed that the Joint Research and Development Board vair F-102A, the twin-engined McDonnell Canadian companies would eventually lead and it has been said that members of Dr Bush’s F-101 Voodoo and the single-engined Lock- the world in terms of advanced technology team would regularly attend closed CDRB heed F-104 Starfighter. The two latter fighters and innovation. meetings on an informal basis. Once the deci- would enter RCAF service in the early 1960s Confident that sufficient expertise was — sion to proceed with Project Y had been taken, as the CF-101B and CF-104. available, the Canadian Defence Research _ the CDRB allocated $410,000 for start-up stud- ies and additional funds were provided by Avro Canada, who appointed the quietly spoken Englishman John Carver Meadows Frost as Project Y’s director. missile were eventually resolved, but the pro- ject finally met with abrupt cancellation on 21st August 1957. This was the year when Western govern- ments declared that the manned fighter was obsolete and a number of cutting-edge pro- jects fell by the wayside before common sense prevailed. However, by this time sev- eral advanced but slightly less ambitious US supersonic fighter programmes had become established: these included the USAF’s Con- vair F-102A, the twin-engined McDonnell F-101 Voodoo and the single-engined Lock- heed F-104 Starfighter. The two latter fighters would enter RCAF service in the early 1960s as the CF-101B and CF-104. But back in 1951, the Canadian Government aspired to its own next-generation supersonic interceptor that was able to operate from low- grade scattered sites in northern parts of the country. This requirement for aircraft dispersal had already influenced the design of the RCAF’s Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck, which could take off from a rough airstrip that was no more than 4,000ft (1.21km) in length. Canada’s aerospace industry had great potential for expansion and the Government believed that Canadian companies would eventually lead the world in terms of advanced technology and innovation. Confident that sufficient expertise was available, the Canadian Defence Research les and addluonal funds were provided by Avro Canada, who appointed the quietly spoken Englishman John Carver Meadows Frost as Project Y’s director. Project Y John Frost CEng FCASI, MRAes (1915-1979) was a talented British aircraft designer who was born on 30th November 1915 at Walton- on-Thames. He received his education at St Edwards School, Oxford and shared an inter- est in aviation with the school’s Latin teacher, who took him on his first flight in 1930. Frost’s teacher (a qualified pilot) flew the Bristol air- craft in weather conditions that are said to have been rather poor. Apparently, the 15- year-old Frost couldn’t stop vomiting, although it did little to dampen his enthusi- asm for aviation. Nevertheless, he would be troubled by airsickness throughout his life. Frost began his aeronautical career as an apprentice with Airspeed Ltd, then joined John Frost at a meeting with US General Trudeau. via Bill Rose 56 Secret Projects: Flying Saucer Aircraft