Editing VTOL (section)

====Tail-sitters====

In 1947, the [[Ryan X-13 Vertijet]], a [[tailsitter]] design, was ordered by the US Navy, who then further issued a proposal in 1948 for an aircraft capable of VTOL aboard platforms mounted on the afterdecks of conventional ships. Both [[Convair]] and [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]] competed for the contract but in 1950, the requirement was revised, with a call for a research aircraft capable of eventually evolving into a VTOL ship-based convoy escort fighter.

At the end of 1958, the French [[SNECMA Coléoptère]], a tailsitter [[Closed wing|annular wing]] design, performed its maiden flight. However the sole prototype was destroyed on its ninth flight in 1959, and financing was never sourced for a second prototype.