Convair

Becoming the fourth largest aircraft manufacturer in the U.S. when Consolidated merged with Vultee in 1943, Convair quickly built a reputation for designing and building some of the largest and most powerful aircraft in the world. From the XA-41 ground-attack aircraft in 1944 through to the Cv660 airliner in 1967, Convair pushed the boundaries with every project they undertook. Successes included the enormous intercontinental B-36 Peacemaker, the world’s largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft, and the Cv240 family of small airliners that continued to evolve up to the turn of the 21st century. The novelty of the turboprop-powered Tradewind flying-boat, the glamour of the F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart and the brutish power and futuristic appearance of the B-58 Hustler are all trademark Convair machines.