Air Force Museum of Alberta

CF-100 Canuck

The Avro CF-100 “Canuck” was the largest and most successful aircraft project ever undertaken and completed by the Canadian aviation industry. 

CF-100 Canuck

The Avro CF-100 “Canuck” was the largest and most successful aircraft project ever undertaken and completed by the Canadian aviation industry. 

CF-100 Canuck

This aircraft was the only jet fighter conceived, designed, tested and manufactured for operational RCAF service entirely in Canada.

The need to locate and engage enemy aircraft at night and in cloud was one of the highest priorities of the early jet age. The CF-100 was one of the first aircraft to have this capability.

It was originally designed to defend Canada and the United States by intercepting Soviet long-range strategic bombers attacking over the Arctic.

The CF-100 combined massive firepower in the form of guns and rockets with an effective radar fire control system that linked the radar and ballistics to improve accuracy. It could also climb rapidly and had a very long range.

RCAF Service during the Cold War

All NORAD fighters in Canada were controlled by the Pinetree and Mid-Canada radar lines. Four squadrons of CF-100s were deployed to Europe to supplement the RCAF’s all day-fighter F-86 fleet. At each of the four RCAF Wings in France and Germany, one of the three F-86 squadrons was replaced with a CF-100 squadron.

After the CF-100 was phased out as an interceptor by the CF-101, it was used as an Electronic Warfare (EW) aircraft to provide electronic countermeasures training to NORAD units in Canada and the U.S. The CF-100 was retired from service in 1981, having served Canada and the RCAF for 31 years.

Legacy

Over 100,000 Canadians were involved with the CF-100 over the period of its service with the RCAF. This aircraft pioneered an all-weather day and night air defence capability at the beginning of the jet age.

CF-100 - Canuck 

Specifications

  • Crew - 2 (pilot, navigator)
  • Wingspan - 17.4 m
  • Maximum Takeoff Weight - 15,200 Kg
  • Powerplant -2 x Avro Orenda 11 turbojets
  • Maximum Thrust - 7,300 lbf each

Performance

  • Maximum Speed - 890 km/h 
  • Service Ceiling - 13,700 m, 45,000 ft
  • Range - 3,200 km, 2,000 miles
  • Rate of Climb - 45 m/s

Armament

CF-100 Mk3
  • Hughes APG-33 Radar and Fire Control System
  • 8 x 50 Calibre Machine Guns
CF-100 Mk4
  • APG-40 Radar
  • 58 x FFAR (Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets)
  • 8 x 50 Calibre Machine Guns
CF-100 Mk5
  • Hughes Mg-2 Fire Control System
  • APG-40 Radar
  • 2.75 Rockets

The Mk 5 version removed the 8 x 50 cal machine guns to reduce weight and improve service ceiling from 45,000 ft to 53,000 ft.

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