Goodyear GA-28A/B
Convoy Fighter
The Naval VTOL Turboprop
Tailsitter Project of 1950

by Jared A. Zichek

Retromechanix

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

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This new publication from Jared A Zichek is in A4 size format and contains 33 pages of excellent detail.  The quality of paper and printing is excellent.  In the late 1940s the USN Bureau of Aeronautics began to seriously examine the feasibility of developing a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tail sitter aircraft to protect convoys, task forces and other vessels. Submissions were proposed by Convair, Goodyear, Lockheed, Martin and Northrop.  Contracts were awarded to Convair (XFV-1 Pogo) and Lockheed (XFV-1 Salmon) but neither aircraft made it beyond the prototype stage due to handling and landing difficulties. 

This publication from Jared focusses on the paper stillborne Goodyear GA-28A/B called the Convoy Fighter.  As the aircraft did not get off the drawing board there are no photographs of the aircraft or mockup.   

A brief history of the development of the project is included in the first few pages before entering into a detail description of the proposed features and innovations. 

The aircraft was to be a contra rotating propeller aircraft fitted with a double Mamba engine.  The aircraft was capable of single engine flight in the cruise but I believe it would have needed to land conventionally rather than vertically.  The fighter was to be fitted with an ejection seat and advanced flight control system.  The publication has many concept sectionalized drawings detailing the overall layout and the design of the concept.  The overall design is a delta wing configuration with three vertical stabilizers and the conventional undercarriage is installed in underwing pods that are an underwing extension of the outboard vertical stabilizers. 

In summary, this is an interesting publication of a concept that may have possibly have been a successful aircraft if it had ever got off the drawing board.

Highly Recommended

Thanks to Retromechanix for the sample.

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2016 by Mick Evans
This Page Created on 24 February, 2016
Last updated 24 February, 2016

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