February 25, 2026

Point Petre and the AVRO Arrow Free Flight Model Tests

Macaulay Heritage Park

History & heritage, Education, Family friendly

The development of the AVRO Arrow bomber-interceptor in the 1950s is arguably one of Canada’s greatest technological achievements. Prince Edward County played a critical role in the development of this legendary aircraft, specifically in the launching of free-flight aerodynamic test models. This presentation, as part of South Shore Joint Initiative Flashback February, provides fascinating insights into the test program carried out by the Canadian Armament Research and Development Establishment at Point Petre.

About the presenter: Jeff Young is retired mechanical engineer living in Picton and a volunteer with the County Museums. He has particular interests in transportation history, Prince Edward County history and the construction of scale models. In the course of constructing a model of one of the free-flight AVRO Arrows for the County Museums, he undertook in-depth research on the Point Petre testing. This research has provided much of the material for this presentation.

This presentation is sponsored by South Shore Joint Initiative.

Point Petre and the AVRO Arrow Free Flight Model Tests