This book presents the original proposal for the Convair Class VF Convoy Fighter of 1950, which led to the XFY-1 Pogo turboprop tailsitter naval aircraft. It was one of five submissions to the US Navy’s Convoy Fighter competition, which called for a single-seat high performance fighter designed to protect convoy vessels from attack by enemy aircraft, and for vertical unassisted takeoff from, and landings on, small platform areas afloat or ashore. Every detail of the proposal is covered, including armament variations, landing gear alternatives, and an unbuilt small scale technology demonstrator. While the XFY-1 retained the original configuration of the proposal, nearly every contour was subtly changed during the type’s evolution. As a bonus, a pair of Convair design studies for a vertical takeoff observation and reconnaissance tailsitter aircraft submitted to the US Army in 1955 are also included. Finally, there is the little-known Gamby Vertigo Plane, an early VTOL tailsitter design evaluated by NACA in 1933.
This 40 page softcover book features 45 images, including rare photos, detailed blueprints, contemporary illustrations, and beautiful color profiles. Convair Class VF Convoy Fighter can be purchased on Amazon.com and its international branches for $14.99, along with other major booksellers worldwide. A Kindle edition is available on Amazon and its subsidiaries for just $7.99, while an EPUB version is available at my shop on Gumroad.com for just $6.99. Some sample spreads are shown below; thanks for your interest and support!
-Jared
