Would you like the CF-100 Mk.5 to be added to the BeNeLux air sub-tree?
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Avro Canada CF-100 Mk.5: Belgium's First All-Weather Interceptor
History:
As the only Canadian-designed fighter to ever enter mass production, the Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck (Or "Clunk", as their crews called them), the CF-100 holds a special place in aviation history. These large, twin engine, straight-wing heavy interceptors served in the Canadian Air Force from 1952-1981, with a number of variants and experimental offshoots being developed. But it wasn't just Canada who made use of these planes. On July 28th, 1957, the Belgian Air Force accepted the CF-100 Mk.5 as its first all-weather fighter aircraft, beating out the Gloster Javelin, Sud Aviation Vautour IIN, North American F-86K Sabre, and Northrop F-89D Scorpion. In total, 54 were ordered, though one was damaged prior to shipping, making the total only 53. These massive two-seat interceptors served in the 11th, 349th, and 350th Squadrons of the 1st All-Weather Wing of the Belgian Air Force from 1957 to 1964 when they were replaced by the Lockheed F-104G Starfighter. Unfortunately, none of the Belgian CF-100 Mk.5s survive today, as any aircraft not destroyed in a crash was sold to Van Heyghen Recycling and broken up at Ghent.For a More in-depth history of the CF-100 and its development, I suggest taking a look at @RC_1140_'s post linked below.
Description:
The specific variant of the CF-100 Canuck ordered and used by the Belgian Air Force was the Mk.5. In a similar fashion to its American counterpart, the F-89D Scorpion, the Mk.5 used wingtip-mounted pods containing 29x 2.75-inch (70mm) FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets instead of guns. This method of using many small rockets to attack bomber formations goes all the way back to the R4M rockets developed by Nazi Germany during WWII, and though it eventually was overtaken by guided missiles, this tactic was used by many aircraft of the early Cold War era. Equipped with proximity-fuse HE warheads, the rockets would overwhelm an enemy bomber, in theory dealing much more damage than machine guns would. This also gave the aircraft a modicum of ground support capability, as the rockets could deal significant damage to armored vehicles when equipped with a HEAT warhead.As for the aircraft itself, it was a large, twin engine, two-seat, straight-wing heavy interceptor with all-weather capabilities. It used two Avro Canada Orenda 11 turbojet engines, each developing 7,300 lb-ft of thrust. With a T/W ratio of 0.44, the CF-100 could manage a top speed of 888 km/h (552 mph), though one did manage to break the sound barrier in a dive during a special test. However, the CF-100 is not known for agility, hence the "Clunk" nickname. It was, however, well-known for its impressive rate of climb, making it well-suited to the interceptor role. To assist in the interceptor/all-weather fighter roles, the CF-100 was fitted with the AN/APG-40 radar, also found on the F-89D Scorpion and F-94C Starfire. Lastly, the Mk.5 specifically had a 1.06 m (3 ft 6 in)-longer wing and a larger tailplane, making operations at higher altitudes easier. All in all, the CF-100 Mk.5 was a solid, strong, sluggish brick of an interceptor with an interesting armament, making for a unique addition to the BeNeLux air sub-tree.
Specifications:
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General Characteristics:
Length: 16.51 m (54 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 17.42 m (57 ft 2 in)
Height: 4.42 m (14 ft 6 in)
Wing Area: 54.9 m² (591 sq ft)
Empty Weight: 10,478kg (23,100 lb)
Gross Weight: 15,173 kg (33,450 lb)
Max Takeoff Weight: 16,329 kg (36,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2x Avro Canada Orenda 11 non-afterburning turbojet engines, 32 kN (7,300 lbf) thrust each
Crew: 2 (Pilot, Navigator)
Performance:
Max Speed: 888 km/h (552 mph)
Rate of Climb: 44.5 m/s (8,750 ft/min)
Service Ceiling: 14,000 m (45,000 ft)
Range: 3,200 km (2,000 mi)
Wing Limit: +6.2/-3G
Armament:
2 wingtip-mounted pods of 29x 2.75" (70mm) FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets - HEAT and HE-VT warheads available.
Avionics:
MG-2 Fire control computer
AN/APG-40 Track radar
AN/APX-25 IFF
AN/ARN-6 Radio compass
AN/AIC-10 Intercom
AN/ARC-552 UHF radio
Gallery:
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