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to an abrupt and final halt and may have sig- nalled the end of supersonic development. Perhaps Frost’s designs were a technologi- cal step too far and most engineers agree that the proposals were frighteningly over-com- plex and contained many features that were untested and might have been prone to failure under operational conditions. However, all the major US contractors were briefed on Avro Canada’s flying disc programme and many departments within these companies were working on circular aircraft designs that often progressed to wind tunnel models. Under the direction of Nathan Price, designers based at Lockheed’s Skunk Works studied saucer-shaped aircraft throughout the 1950s and the Skunk Works would have been the ideal facility to continue development of Avro Canada’s flying discs within a deep black pro- Left: The 6-Viper test rig at Avro Canada, Malton, Toronto. USAF Below: A schematic of the Avro Canada 6-Viper test rig. USAF LE, NICS Ye gas NI SO Zi SECRET Es | Za : Lo f ZA ROS JS es ||| lies ST SSS 2444 | = 2 RSS 2 |, Ss } 5 | WA yy, A 80 Left: The 6-Viper test rig at Avro Canada, Malton, Toronto. USAF Below: A schematic of the Avro Canada 6-Viper test rig. USAF FIG 2 TEST HOUSE AND SIX VIPER TEST RIG Secret Projects: Flying Saucer Aircraft