General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors

This volume traces the development of ten companies which eventually led to the production of aircraft under the General Dynamics title and over one hundred aircraft designs – including the Consolidated Commodore and Fleetster, the Catalina and Liberator are dealt with. Thus this work covers some of the best-known companies involved in United States aviation for more than 70 years.

General Dynamics Aircraft and their predecessors differs from its companion volumes because of the complicated histories of the companies which eventually led to the production of aircraft under the General Dynamics name. In writing this history, John Wegg has traced the development of ten companies and more than one hundred basic aircraft designs and an enormous variety of subtypes.

Because of the complexity of this history the author has arranged the book into four main sections: the Consolidated lineage taking in Thomas and Thomas-Morse, Dayton Wright, Consolidated and Hall Aluminium; the Vultee group comprising Stinson, Vultee and Barkley-Grow; The Consolidated Vultee or Convair era; and finally General Dynamics. Thus, this work covers some of the best – known companies involved in United States aviation for more than 70 years.

The products of these numerous companies are described in great detail and illustrated with photographs and general-arrangement drawings. Production lists are included for a wide range of aircraft types including the Consolidated Commodore and Fleetster, the Catalina and Liberator, the whole range of Convair-Liners and the Convair 880s and 990s.

Many of the aircraft described in this work were among the world’s best known but the author has not neglected little-known types such as the flying cars and flying bomb designed by Orville Wright during World War I. Cover Illustration: An original painting by Keith Woodcock showing a Consolidated Catalina I of 210 Squadron Royal Air Force on the northern patrol in early 1942.