The first of six Arrows produced on the near production ready Avro Canada assembly line in Malton, Ontario in the late 1950s. (image: Avro Canada)

The Arrow

The path not taken 60 years ago has a nation still wondering what might have been.

On February 19th, 1959 Wladyslaw “Spud” Potocki was test flying the sparkling white Avro Arrow RL-201 in the fair but chilly skies near Malton, Ontario. On that particular flight the World War II veteran fighter pilot was testing the Arrow’s roll rates at Mach 1.7. While fast, it was still well below the…