CF-105 Test Pilot honoured!

Jan Zurakowski was honoured by having a park named after him by the
community he now resides in. Zurakowski Park see:
http://zurakowskipark.madawaskavalley.on.ca/
Jan was the chief test pilot on the CF-105 Arrow project. He also
tested the CF-100 and is given credit for being the first to break the sound
barrier in a Canadian built aircraft. This was done in a dive with the
straight winged CF-100 proto-type. Later versions like the Mk-5 had wing
tip extensions added so the service ceiling was higher, so this sound
barrier demonstration was no longer possible without serious consequences
like the wing extensions being ripped off. It did however extend the
service ceiling intercept capability of the CF-100 for a time. The advanced
supersonic CF-105 Arrow was to be the CF-100 replacement but the project was
sadly terminated for a number of reasons, mostly political. The "right
aircraft" at the wrong time! Sad indeed!

"Ed Majden" wrote in message
news
Jan Zurakowski was honoured by having a park named after him by the
community he now resides in. Zurakowski Park see:
http://zurakowskipark.madawaskavalley.on.ca/
Jan was the chief test pilot on the CF-105 Arrow project. He also
tested the CF-100 and is given credit for being the first to break the
sound
barrier in a Canadian built aircraft. This was done in a dive with the
straight winged CF-100 proto-type. Later versions like the Mk-5 had wing
tip extensions added so the service ceiling was higher, so this sound
barrier demonstration was no longer possible without serious consequences
like the wing extensions being ripped off. It did however extend the
service ceiling intercept capability of the CF-100 for a time. The
advanced
supersonic CF-105 Arrow was to be the CF-100 replacement but the project
was
sadly terminated for a number of reasons, mostly political. The "right
aircraft" at the wrong time! Sad indeed!

A well deserved recognition, I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was
living in Ontario.....An incredible pilot !!
Thanks for the info,
BMC

"Brian Colwell"
A well deserved recognition, I had the pleasure of meeting him when I
was
living in Ontario.....An incredible pilot !!
Thanks for the info,
BMC

A long overdue recognition! Governments tried to sweep the whole affair
under the rug. I was a young fellow, just starting my career in the RCAF,
(1958), on course in Camp Borden. Saw the CF-105 do a couple of passes over
the base. Also saw the modified B47 with the Iroquois engine strapped on
the rear section do a fly over. To bad Jan never got a chance to test the
full capabilities of the Arrow with this engine installed. He would have
set many records.
EM