Canadair CL-199/CB-140 'Canarder'
It was hoped that the 1959 Canadair CL-83 (CARDE's Snow Goose/Black Brant I test vehicle) could form the basis for a ground-launch booster system for an unmanned CF-104 derivative. However, the Snow Goose/Black Brant booster would not be adequate to launch a fully-ladened CF-104 derivative. Take-off weight would need to be reduced. Canadair concluded that, with the Starfighter's retractable undercarriage now surplus, the overall airframe could be slimmed-down. The result was the Black Brant-boosted Canadair CL-190A.
Canadair CL-199A/CB-140A 'StarDart III' Concept
As revealed to RCAF brass at Montreal, the CL-199A mockup showed an underslung non-afterburning turbojet - either the CF-104's Orenda-built GE J79 or Orenda's own Iroquois engine. The fuselage was much slimmer than that of the CF-104. Standard CL-90/CF-104 wings and tailplane were retained. It was hoped that the now-oversized CL-90 tail would finally overcome the control difficulties which remained in the CL-191/CB-104K.
The 'zero-length' launch concept involved blasting the CL-199A into the air from a short rail using to power of twin solid-fuel booster rockets. These boosters straddled the turbojet pod and were to be jettisoned after flying speed was achieved. The concept was assigned a military designation - CB-140A - despite the reservations of RCAF planners and National Research Council advisers about the layout of the CL-199A.
[Top] Mockup of CL-199A/CB-140A 'StarDart III' concept as presented to RCAF brass. Inset, Canadair logo signature (above) and 'Canada Map' logo (below)
At issue were concerns over possible assymetrical ignition or rocket motor thrust and the difficulty of ensuring a 'clean' jettisoning of the spent booster package. Wind tunnel testing also revealed more drag than expected from the underslung nacelle. Worse, the large CL-90 tailplane seemed to be no better at correcting AIO than it had been on the beefier CB-104. A major redesign of this missile concept had to be undertaken.
Canadair CL-199B/CB-140M 'Canarder'
To address these concerns, Canadair turned to a related CL-87A study - what became the CL-199B. In place of the single large turbojet, paired Bristol-Siddeley Orpheus engines were adopted. [1] The twin booster rockets were replaced by a single Black Brant motor. The pylon separating the turbojets from the fuselage was also made more compact. With drag issues addressed, Stability and control in autopilot became paramount.
For the CL-199B, the Starfighter's T-tail was finally abandoned. The new vertical tail was a swept surface of much reduced area. The horizontal tail was replaced by a new canard surface. The latter was mounted on pivots in the lower portion of the same forward fuselage section as the F28 Mod.10 fuse equipment. Immediately aft of that fuselage bay was installed the W28 warhead.
Canadair now seemed to have a winner on its hands. DND issued a production order and the first CB-140M - as the military designated the CL-199B - was delivered in the summer of 1964. [2] It had been recognized that CB-140M operations would be quite different from those of Canadian strike fighter squadrons with 1 AD in Europe. In consequence, RCAF HQ decided to stand-up a dedicated squadron for the CB-140Ms.
As it happens, an Auxiliary squadron which had just been stood-down [3] had been a unit of note with No.6 Bomber Group in WW2. It was decided to reform this unit as No.424 (ST/N) Squadron to operate the CB-140M missiles. By then, the RCAF had named the CB-140M 'Canarder'. [4] No.424 also received an unofficial name - reviving its wartime 'Tiger Squadron' appellation. In January 1965, No.424 became part of No.3 Wing, deploying with its CB-140Ms to RCAF Station Zweibrucken on the French-German border. [5]
[Bottom] Operational CB-140M of No.424 Squadron, RCAF based "near Zweibrucken" Germany, Jan 1966. Note the new Canadian flag displayed on the vertical tail. Above that is 424's heraldic tiger badge. Inset, No.424 (ST/N) Sqn badge (as displayed on vertical fin).
(To be continued)
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[1] The CL-199B's paired Bristol-Siddeley Orpheus turbojets produced 10,000 lbf (dry) compared to the 11,905 lbf of the CL-199A's single Orenda J79. On the downside, each Orpheus (at 32.4 inches diameter) had almost as much frontal area as the J79's 38.4 inches diameter. This was offset by a great weight reduction - two Orpheus engines weighed 1,670 lb versus 3,850 lb for one J79.
[2] It is unclear why a CB-140B designation was not applied. One theory is that it was politically motivated. The CB-140A was a Canadair-funded study which DND chose not to reveal to Cabinet. It has also been suggested that the 'M' suffix refers to an attempt to introduce a new RCAF 'Missile' role designator. When that the failed to pass, the proposed 'CM-140' became the CB-140M.
[3] A utility transport unit, No.424 'City of Hamilton' (Auxiliary) Squadron was disbanded on 01 April 1964. The original 'Tiger Squadron' had been disbanded on 15 Oct 1945.
[4] In French, a canarder is a marksman shooting from a covered position. This seemed accurate for mobile missiles launched from hides. Besides, in the aftermath of the CB-104K fiasco, the name 'StarDart' had negative connotations for RCAF HQ.
[5] No.424 was technically a 'lodger' unit at Zweibrucken alongside No.430 Squadron Starfighters. In reality, No.424 was dispersed with individual launchers based further forward than the 'manned missiles' of No.430 (and No.421 at nearby RCAF Station Baden-Soellingen).