Convair XFY Pogo

The Convair XFY-1 Pogo was an experimental vertical and short takeoff and landing aircraft developed in the early Cold War. It was meant to be a high-performance fighter able to operate from small warships. Lockheed and Convair both received contracts for experimental VTOL fighters, and Convair produced the XFY-1. It had delta wings and three-bladed contra-rotating propellers driven by a turboprop engine. Test flights began in 1954. Landing was hard, because the pilot had to look over his shoulder while working the throttle, and it demanded very skilled pilots. Technical and operational problems and the superiority of jet fighters led to suspension in 1955. The XFY-1 is preserved in the National Air and Space Museum.