Up Up and Away! the Convair XFY-1 Pogo

Hi Woodsy,

The Convair XFY-1 Pogo was a US Navy experimental Vertical Take-Off and Landing fighter of the 1950s. It was powered by a single Allison YT40-A-6 turbo-prop engine, driving a six-bladed contra-prop (two three-bladed units rotating in opposite directions to cancel out torque).

The first vertical flight was made on 1st August 1954. The idea was that it could operate from escort ships, to protect convoys, without tying up aircraft carriers on such duties. The planned armament was four 20mm cannon, or unguided rockets.

The aircraft proved difficult to fly, and landing was a problem with the unconventional design. The programme was eventually cancelled, but the prototype still survives.

There have been several kits of the Pogo, including kits by Aurora and Lindberg from the 1950s. Both were 1/48th scale.

This is the 1/72nd scale KP kit from the Czech Republic. No.33 in the KP series. According to Scalemates it was released in 1993, and has been re-boxed several times.

I recently found this example in a model shop, on a shelf of older, second-hand kits, and snapped it up. It is moulded in light grey plastic, with a two-part canopy in clear plastic, and decals for the prototype.

There was also a 2021 version of the kit "In Services", which included fictional markings for operational aircraft in service with the US Marine Corps, Royal Navy, and Japan Air Self Defence Force. A Japanese aircraft adorning the box top

I look forward to building this model once I get a few other projects finished off. It certainly fits in to the Wow Plane category.

I look forward to building this model once I get a few other projects finished off. It certainly fits in to the Wow Plane category.

Five photographs - three of my kit; and two of the "In Services" version from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand