Canadair Aircraft Projects
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Not really. This is an early incarnation of the CL-28 which becomes the CP-107 Argus patrol plane. The CL-28 (and related CL-31 project) predate the CL-44 by about two years.
BTW, the original CL-28 concept was in competition with a rival Bristol proposal for a maritime Britannia derivative. Canadair may have introduced some of the funkier changes to distinguish their variant. Alternatively, that raised cockpit and heavy defensive armament may simply presage Canadair's 1954 linkup with Convair.
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There is a book on the type, The Canadair Argus: The Untold Story of Canada's Cold War Maritime Hunter by Cary Baker and Bert L. Campbell. I haven't seen this book but, alas, descriptions give no indication that the authors were interested in unbuilt projects.
On the CL-44, I've listed 55 variants ... but included the Conroy CL-44O 'Guppy' conversion:
The following info re. the Beech T-36 might be of interest.
In 1950, the USAF invited a number of firms to submit proposals for a new twin-engine advanced trainer intended for the training of navigators. Beech Aircraft won the competition in July 1951 but Canadair ranked among the best bids. Its efforts did not go unnoticed. Indeed, the USAF invited Canadair to participate in the Beech T-36 production program. In addition to supplying parts and sub-assemblies, the Montreal aircraft manufacturer obtained a contract for 225 or so aircraft. This was the largest order granted so far to a foreign aircraft manufacturer by the USAF. By way of comparison, Beech Aircraft only had to build 195 or so T-36s, for a total of 420 aircraft. Such a division of the production pie was nothing exceptional. At that time, in fact, the Truman administration had a policy of sharing as much as possible the production of an aircraft between two companies.
Discussions within the USAF regarding the use of turboprops instead of piston engines caused delays to the T-36 project. Unable to meet the new schedule, Beech Aircraft had to call on a few subcontractors. The costs of the program soon mounted rapidly. In early 1953, shortly after coming to power, the Eisenhower administration launched a vast economy oriented strategic program. Its guidelines were clear: military spending had to be reduced. Massive cuts forced the USAF to re-evaluate the importance of ongoing programs. Combat aircraft understandably had priority, and the T-36 seemed a tad too luxurious. In June 1953, not too long before the first flight of the prototype, the Department of Defense put an end to the program. In the Beech and Canadair factories, there was consternation. Overnight, many workers at Canadair found themselves unemployed, for example.
It so happened that, back in 1952, the RCAF had set out to find a new maritime reconnaissance aircraft. It had to replace the old Avro Lancasters which were still in use for that work, for lack of anything better. Canadair was very interested in that project. The cancellation of the T-36 production program had, after all, cost it dearly. The company submitted two preliminary designs to the RCAF: one, entirely original, and another, derived from the Bristol Britannia, a British turboprop airliner which had first flown in August 1952. Regardless of which aircraft the RCAF chose to go with, everyone agrees that this program was going to be expensive. Given the situation, the Department of National Defence wondered if it would not be more economical to buy an American or British aircraft. Four (?) aircraft manufacturers, including three American ones, thus submitted proposals. The RCAF nevertheless chose the modified version of the Britannia offered by Canadair, the future CP-107 Argus, in February 1954 – a decision which may have been taken, if only in part, to compensate for the cancellation of the T-36 production program.
In 1950, the USAF invited a number of firms to submit proposals for a new twin-engine advanced trainer intended for the training of navigators. Beech Aircraft won the competition in July 1951 but Canadair ranked among the best bids. Its efforts did not go unnoticed. Indeed, the USAF invited Canadair to participate in the Beech T-36 production program. In addition to supplying parts and sub-assemblies, the Montreal aircraft manufacturer obtained a contract for 225 or so aircraft. This was the largest order granted so far to a foreign aircraft manufacturer by the USAF. By way of comparison, Beech Aircraft only had to build 195 or so T-36s, for a total of 420 aircraft. Such a division of the production pie was nothing exceptional. At that time, in fact, the Truman administration had a policy of sharing as much as possible the production of an aircraft between two companies.
Discussions within the USAF regarding the use of turboprops instead of piston engines caused delays to the T-36 project. Unable to meet the new schedule, Beech Aircraft had to call on a few subcontractors. The costs of the program soon mounted rapidly. In early 1953, shortly after coming to power, the Eisenhower administration launched a vast economy oriented strategic program. Its guidelines were clear: military spending had to be reduced. Massive cuts forced the USAF to re-evaluate the importance of ongoing programs. Combat aircraft understandably had priority, and the T-36 seemed a tad too luxurious. In June 1953, not too long before the first flight of the prototype, the Department of Defense put an end to the program. In the Beech and Canadair factories, there was consternation. Overnight, many workers at Canadair found themselves unemployed, for example.
It so happened that, back in 1952, the RCAF had set out to find a new maritime reconnaissance aircraft. It had to replace the old Avro Lancasters which were still in use for that work, for lack of anything better. Canadair was very interested in that project. The cancellation of the T-36 production program had, after all, cost it dearly. The company submitted two preliminary designs to the RCAF: one, entirely original, and another, derived from the Bristol Britannia, a British turboprop airliner which had first flown in August 1952. Regardless of which aircraft the RCAF chose to go with, everyone agrees that this program was going to be expensive. Given the situation, the Department of National Defence wondered if it would not be more economical to buy an American or British aircraft. Four (?) aircraft manufacturers, including three American ones, thus submitted proposals. The RCAF nevertheless chose the modified version of the Britannia offered by Canadair, the future CP-107 Argus, in February 1954 – a decision which may have been taken, if only in part, to compensate for the cancellation of the T-36 production program.
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Interesting.
On the Argus programme, the 'official' UK offering was a 'Canadianized' Avro Shackleton MR Mk.4. And I have a vague memory of an old Flight article mentioning that Bristol itself put forward a second Britannia-based maritime patrol proposal (whether that was accepted by DND is another matter).
We know that the interim Lancaster 10MR replacements were the 25 x Lockheed Neptunes authorized in December 1953 (which the RCAF regarded as 'medium-range' aircraft). So, any idea of what the three US candidates (or offerings?) for direct Lanc 10MR replacement were?
Edit: I forgot that Canadair also proposed a maritime recce aircraft based on other airframes. There was the North Star-based CL-29 of 1952 (stretched and re-engined with R-3350-85s). And the CL-33 'Fat Lancaster of the following year (R-3350-32W/'34FSs).
And the memory of a Lockheed Constellation-based MR proposal for the RCAF has also emerged out of the brain fog ;p
On the Argus programme, the 'official' UK offering was a 'Canadianized' Avro Shackleton MR Mk.4. And I have a vague memory of an old Flight article mentioning that Bristol itself put forward a second Britannia-based maritime patrol proposal (whether that was accepted by DND is another matter).
We know that the interim Lancaster 10MR replacements were the 25 x Lockheed Neptunes authorized in December 1953 (which the RCAF regarded as 'medium-range' aircraft). So, any idea of what the three US candidates (or offerings?) for direct Lanc 10MR replacement were?
Edit: I forgot that Canadair also proposed a maritime recce aircraft based on other airframes. There was the North Star-based CL-29 of 1952 (stretched and re-engined with R-3350-85s). And the CL-33 'Fat Lancaster of the following year (R-3350-32W/'34FSs).
And the memory of a Lockheed Constellation-based MR proposal for the RCAF has also emerged out of the brain fog ;p
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