Warbird Information Exchange

Does anyone know anything about this model??

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Original-Avro-Arrow- ... ltDomain_0

I tried to research it, one person told me there were 20 of these made for the Executive at Avro, another said there were about 200 made - both said there were only a couple know to exist. They were made of titanium.

Is it that rare and what sort of value would be resonable?

Thanks

The photos look like it is made of brass to me, just like the brass plate mounted to the base. Titanium is more of a silver/gray color and shouldn't tarnish.

The people I spoke with said it was Titanium, I found this website that makes reference to this and shows a model with the same type of finish:

http://www.avro-arrow.org/Arrow/models.html

I also found an auction, the model looks exactly the same and was credited as being titanium:

http://toronto.empireauctions.com/newsItem.php?id=46

So perhaps a titanium with impurites was used?

Well, I have a few pieces of titanium at my desk, but they have all been sandblasted. Still silver/gray though. A presentation model like that probably would have been polished at some point, at which point it should look close to polished aluminum, just a little less bright.

There are many different alloys of titanium, and I haven't seen them all, especially not from 1956, but I've never seen an alloy to be anything but silver/gray.

What we can't tell from the photo is how correctly the colors were reproduced, or in fact how well the colors are adjusted on my monitor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium

Titanium nitride (TiN), having a hardness equivalent to sapphire and carborundum (9.0 on the Mohs Scale),[20] is often used to coat cutting tools, such as drill bits.[21] It also finds use as a gold-colored decorative finish, and as a barrier metal in semiconductor fabrication.[22]

And:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_nitride

Maybe that explains it?

Thanks.

I really have more of an interest as to the rarity of the model and what value it perhaps represents. I spoke with an self described 'Arrow nut', who said potentially well over $10,000.00 - but I don't see that as being realistic. I suppose in a few days when the auction ends, we all will know, just tempted to buy as in investment if it is as rare as some seem to indicate.

the rcaf & other entities have mounted hunts for actual flying models of the arrow in lake ontario that were launched to test aerodynamics of the prototype. at least 4 were launched. launched by rocket or other methods. the models have never been recovered, & are lying their in lake ontario to this day. there have been a few search attempts for them by private citizens, & at least 1 by the rc navy with sonar & side scan technology cooperating with civil canadian aviation history groups. the models were much larger than the pic on ebay, & obviously much lighter in weight. they are out their & probably in decent shape w/ the early composite material they were made of. no frikken zebra mussels to destroy the artifacts. i can't remember the base or town the test launchs were done, but it has to be a small area. canada's side of the lake is much deeper than the yank side.