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Simulation of Project Y aircraft in hover mode during untethered test flight. Bill Rose Evidently, the British were not unhappy with this American move because they had already considered the possibility of taking over Project Y but had finally decided that government R&D money could be better used elsewhere. Satisfied that Avro Canada could retain all its rights and that technical information would be made available to the RAE and Ministry of Supply, the US adoption of Project Y received HMG’s official blessing on the recommendation of Sir Roy Dobson and Sir William Farren. Now the Americans were directly controlling Avro Canada’s SPG, the USAF opened a new project office at the Air Development Center within Wright-Pat- terson AFB, Ohio. The USAF could see great potential in Frost’s work, so a number of US scientists were assigned to the programme and several impressive research facilities were made available to his team. From the very beginning of Project Y, Cana- dian newspapers carried unconfirmed reports that Avro were developing a revolu- tionary type of flying saucer for the RCAF. In February 1953 The Toronto Star published a reasonably accurate description of the Pro- ject Y design, which soon found its way into an RAF Flying Review article entitled ‘Man- Made Flying Saucer’. From this point onwards, media interest in Canada’s flying saucer project intensified and during April 1953 The Toronto Star (who seemed to have useful contacts within Avro) announced that Britain’s Field Marshal Montgomery had become the first visiting VIP to be shown a full sized mock-up of the company’s VTOL com- bat saucer. The mock-up was undoubtedly the Project Y tail sitter shown in recently discovered pho- downward visibility that would have been would be much simpler in terms of compo- _ tographs. Evidence now suggests that this essential during landing. However, it was nent fabrication and assembly. was much more than a simple mock-up and obvious to everyone that the undercarriage When Frost abandoned the Ace and sug- __ it was used for full engine integration trials. arrangement was far from satisfactory anda gested a new approach, the CDRB simply _ British Minister Duncan Sandys also visited series of alterations were subsequently made decided to scrap the entire project. They Malton in 1953 and he was shown the Project to the layout. were already preoccupied with finding a suit- Y mock-up. Former Avro Canada employees In its revised form, the aircraft was raised able aircraft to fulfil the new RCAF Specifica- interviewed during 1999 and 2000 have all fully upright to a 90° position. Support was _ tion 7-3, which eventually led to the superb _ insisted that tight security measures were in provided by a retractable wheel on a long _ but ultimately ill-fated Avro Canada CF-105 _ place, but details of the flying disc project still strut that was housed in the dorsal spine, Arrow supersonic interceptor. So at this point trickled out of the company. Newspapers while two retractable legs extended from the __ in time the USAF, represented by Lt General _ continued to refer to the aircraft as Project underside. This formed a tripod configura- Donald Putt, came forward with $200,000 to Omega, which they correctly reported to be tion, but it proved no better than the previous __ continue with Frost’s work and a promise to powered by a unique ring-shaped gas tur- design and, as a result, the entire project was | maintain adequate financial support for the _ bine. abandoned. However, Project Yhad provided _ programme. (Interestingly, Putt was heavily In the late 1980s a woman with the initials valuable data on RFGT engine integrationand _ involved in analysing and back-engineering LP, who was living in Switzerland, claimed to Avro’s engineers realised that the initial idea exotic German wartime aeronautical pro- have seen an unusual disc-shaped aircraft at of building a completely circular aircraft jects at Wright-Patterson AFB.) Avro’s Malton plant. Apparently, L P worked downward visibility that would have been essential during landing. However, it was obvious to everyone that the undercarriage arrangement was far from satisfactory and a series of alterations were subsequently made to the layout. In its revised form, the aircraft was raised fully upright to a 90° position. Support was provided by a retractable wheel on a long strut that was housed in the dorsal spine, while two retractable legs extended from the underside. This formed a tripod configura- tion, but it proved no better than the previous design and, as a result, the entire project was abandoned. However, Project Y had provided valuable data on RFGT engine integration and Avro’s engineers realised that the initial idea of building a completely circular aircraft would be much simpler in terms of compo- nent fabrication and assembly. When Frost abandoned the Ace and sug- gested a new approach, the CDRB simply decided to scrap the entire project. They were already preoccupied with finding a suit- able aircraft to fulfil the new RCAF Specifica- tion 7-3, which eventually led to the superb but ultimately ill-fated Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow supersonic interceptor. So at this point in time the USAF, represented by Lt General Donald Putt, came forward with $200,000 to continue with Frost’s work and a promise to maintain adequate financial support for the programme. (Interestingly, Putt was heavily involved in analysing and back-engineering exotic German wartime aeronautical pro- jects at Wright-Patterson AFB.) 62 Simulation of Project Y aircraft in hover mode during untethered test flight. Bill Rose Secret Projects: Flying Saucer Aircraft