In 1944, to increase Canadian-owned aircraft industry, Canadian government bought Canadian Vickers and awarded giant plant at Cartierville (Montreal) contracts for DC-4M conversions of DC-4 with Merlin engines (70 aircraft, military North Star and pressurized civil Argonaut). Crown company called Canadair Ltd, then sold to USA [!], becoming division of General Dynamics. Built 1,815 Sabres, 656 T-33AN Silver Stars and 33 CL-28 Argus derived from Britannia, but major programme for developed Britannias and Eland-engined Convairs killed by British cancellation of engines, leaving just Tyne-engined CL-44. In 1960s Canadair made 213 CL-41 Tutor jet trainers, 340 F-104G versions plus hundreds of F-104G parts, and major share of NF-5 Freedom Fighter programme with Fokker. Subsequent work included CL-84 tilt-wing V/STOL, CL-215, 215T and 415 fire-bombers, CL-600/601 Challenger business jets (8 November 1978) and derived RJ Regional Jet (10 May 1991) and Global Express (1996). In 1976 company was bought back from GD by Canadian government, coming under control of Canada Development Investment Corporation 1982. In 1986 sale agreed to Bombardier Inc. of Montreal, and on 5 August 1988 merged with parent to become Bombardier-Canadair, now part of Bombardier-Aerospace. Subcontract work includes parts of F-15, F/A-18 Hornet, 767, P-3C and A330/340.

Canadair aircraft

CL-28 ‘Argus’; 1957; Number built: 33; Versions: 1
CL-41 ‘Tutor’; 1960; Number built: 213; Versions: 3
CL-44D-4; 1960; Number built: 27; Versions: 3
CL-84 ‘Dynavert’; 1965; Number built: 4; Versions: 1
CL-215; 1967; Number built: 179; Versions: 2
CL-600 ‘Challenger’; 1978; Number built: 507; Versions: 4