Vertical Take-Off Fighter Aircraft

Vertical Take-Off Fighter Aircraft is an illustrated history of concepts, experimental, and operational military VTO & VTOL aircraft. The book starts with wartime German projects such as the Focke Wulf Treibflugel, Heinkel Wespe, and VTO rocket fighters. Postwar projects include US Navy carrier-based VTOL fighters, the French annular wing experiments undertaken by SNECMA, and various other proposals for fighters. In addition to "tail sitters," the author discusses conventionally shaped VTOL designs such as the Harrier, Russian carrier-based Yaks, and the new LockMart F-35 Lightning. This title will be of interest to aviation enthusiasts and modelers.

Bill Rose was born in 1948 and grew up in the North London suburbs. He was educated at Buckingham College and the University of Westminster. He began his working life as a laboratory technician, became a Fleet Street press photographer, and eventually a photojournalist. As a writer, he has worked for science journals, technical publications, and various national and provincial newspapers. His principal areas of interest are photography, astronomy, space exploration, and aviation. He has worked as a researcher for several UK-based TV production companies and currently runs a small photographic business located in Norfolk, which specializes in PR work, graphic design, and image restoration.