. Canadair CL 28 Argus Canada

Type: Patrol-Bomber; Antisubmarine

Dimensions: wingspan, 142 feet, 3 inches; length, 128 feet, 9 inches; height, 38 feet, 8 inches Weights: empty, 81,000 pounds; gross, 157,000 pounds

Power plant: 4 x 3,400-horsepower Wright R-3350-EA1 Cyclone radial engines Performance: maximum speed, 315 miles per hour; ceiling, 25,000 feet; range, 5,900 miles Armament: 8,000 pounds of internal ordnance; 3,800 pounds of wing-mounted ordnance Service dates: 1957-1981

t the time of its debut, the all-seeing Argus was the world’s most advanced antisubmarine pa­trol-bomber. Although partly based upon a commer­cial airliner, it flew for more than two decades with distinction.

By 1952 the Royal Canadian Air Force wished to replace its antiquated Avro Lancasters and Lock­heed P2V Neptunes with a new craft better suited for antisubmarine (ASW) warfare. Such a machine would have to conduct lengthy patrols over open ocean and carry with the latest radar and sonar equipment. The RCAF consulted closely with Canadair and agreed that the most cost-effective so­lution for a new patrol-bomber would be to utilize an existing commercial craft. For that reason, Canadair selected the Bristol Britannia as the basis for its work. The tail unit, wings, and undercarriage of the Britannia were kept intact, but the fuselage was entirely redesigned to North American stan­dards. It featured two capacious, 18-foot bomb bays, before and aft of the wings, that could house a vari­
ety of depth charges, sonobuoys, and homing torpe­does. Pressurization was also eliminated, as it was unnecessary for low-altitude maritime patrols. The first CL 28 rolled out in March 1957 and was suc­cessfully test-flown. That same year it entered pro­duction as the Argus, so named for the all-seeing, 100-eyed monster of Greek mythology. The first 12 units, designated Argus Is, utilized U. S.-built sonar and computers, but the subsequent version, the Argus II, operated more advanced British equip­ment. A total of 33 machines were constructed.

For many years the CL 28 functioned as the West’s most advanced antisubmarine aircraft. It car­ried a crew of 15, who operated in shifts to ease the burden of long flights. Successive modifications also enabled the Argus to carry a complex variety of new weapons and equipment, which further enhanced its utility. The last of these useful machines was retired in 1981 by the more advanced Lockheed P-2C Orion, itself based on a commercial airliner. The Argus was a vital but little appreciated Canadian machine.