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Convair

From Alfawiki
Convair
Company typeDivision of General Dynamics (from 1953)
IndustryAerospace, defense, aircraft manufacturing, missile and rocket systems
PredecessorConsolidated Aircraft, Vultee Aircraft
Founded1943
Defunct1996
FateDivested and dissolved; operations sold to McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed, Hughes Aircraft, Martin Marietta
SuccessorMcDonnell Douglas, Lockheed Corporation, Hughes Aircraft Company, Martin Marietta
Headquarters
San Diego County, California
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsMilitary aircraft (e.g., B-36 Peacemaker, B-58 Hustler, F-102 Delta Dagger), commercial airliners (CV-240 series, Convair 880/990), missiles (Terrier, Tartar), rockets (Atlas family, Centaur upper stage)
OwnerGeneral Dynamics (from 1953)
Number of employees
Approximately 18,000 at peak (circa early 1990s)
ParentGeneral Dynamics (1953–1996)

Convair, initially known as Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, was an American aerospace company created in 1943 through the consolidation of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee Aircraft. In 1953, it became part of General Dynamics, operating predominantly as the Convair Division throughout its existence.

Convair established a strong reputation for its military aircraft, including strategic bombers such as the Convair B-36 Peacemaker and Convair B-58 Hustler, along with interceptors from the Century Series like the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger and Convair F-106 Delta Dart. The firm also pioneered the development of the initial Atlas rockets, which played a crucial role in crewed orbital missions under Project Mercury. This success continued with the subsequent Atlas-Centaur design, whose variants remained operational as of 2025.

On the commercial front, Convair produced propeller-driven airliners, notably the CV-240 line, before venturing into jet airliners with the smaller yet faster models, the Convair 880 and Convair 990, introduced in 1959 and 1961 respectively. However, limited production numbers—65 units of the Convair 880 and 37 of the Convair 990—led to Convair's withdrawal from airliner design. Nonetheless, its manufacturing expertise positioned it as a significant subcontractor for aircraft fuselage fabrication.

By 1994, General Dynamics divested most of Convair’s operations to McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed, with remaining activities ceasing by 1996.

Origins

During early World War II, Consolidated Aircraft was a prominent manufacturer, producing key aircraft such as the B-24 Liberator heavy bomber and the PBY Catalina seaplane for the U.S. military and allied nations. The B-24 became the most-produced bomber globally and the most numerous American military aircraft, with roughly 18,500 units built. Production of over 4,000 Catalinas was completed by May 1945.

The name "Convair" originated in 1943 when Consolidated Aircraft merged with Vultee Aircraft Company, forming a major aerospace manufacturer that ranked fourth among U.S. companies in wartime production contract value—exceeding firms such as Douglas Aircraft, Boeing, and Lockheed. Convair’s principal research, design, and manufacturing operations were based in Southern California’s San Diego County, supported by contractors from neighboring counties.

Jet Age, Cold War, and Space Age

In March 1953, Convair was incorporated into the portfolio of General Dynamics, becoming its Convair Division. The company was at the forefront of delta-wing aircraft innovation alongside French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. Noteworthy military jets included the massive ten-engine Convair B-36 strategic bomber—the largest piston-powered bomber on land—and delta-wing interceptors like the F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart. The supersonic B-58 Hustler, an intercontinental nuclear bomber, further demonstrated Convair’s advanced design capabilities.

Although Convair briefly entered commercial jet production during the 1960s with the Convair 880 and Convair 990 Coronado, these models were not financially successful. Consequently, Convair redirected efforts toward subcontracting large airliner components for industry leaders including McDonnell Douglas, Boeing, and Lockheed, capitalizing on its manufacturing strengths.

In the missile and rocket sector during the 1950s, Convair developed systems such as the U.S. Navy’s Terrier missile and created the pioneering Atlas rocket as an intercontinental ballistic missile for the U.S. Air Force in response to Soviet advancements. While later missiles replaced Atlas as an ICBM, it transitioned into a dependable civilian launch vehicle for crewed space missions under Project Mercury and evolved further into the 21st century through its Atlas-Centaur variant.

The Centaur upper stage—also designed by Convair—was groundbreaking as the first space rocket stage to utilize cryogenic fuels: liquid hydrogen combined with liquid oxygen. This technology was essential for NASA’s Saturn V lunar missions during Apollo. Beginning in 1966, Centaur supported lunar Surveyor landers.

Over a hundred satellites and major space probes were launched using Convair’s Atlas-Centaur rockets, including Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11—the first spacecraft to leave our Solar System.

Beyond aerospace endeavors, Convair developed sophisticated technologies such as Charactron vacuum tubes—a specialized cathode-ray tube designed for computer displays—and contributed to computing advancements through innovations like CORDIC algorithms, which remain widely applied in calculators and electronic devices today.

Dissolution

In May 1992, General Dynamics divested Convair's Missile Systems Division to Hughes Aircraft Company, followed by the sale of its Space Systems Division to Martin Marietta in 1994. That same July, General Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas agreed to terminate Convair's contract for manufacturing fuselages of the 300-seat MD-11 airliner, with production responsibilities shifting entirely to McDonnell Douglas, which did not maintain facilities in San Diego. Attempts by General Dynamics to sell off Convair's Aircraft Structures division over a two-year period were ultimately unsuccessful.

The cancellation of this contract effectively ended the Convair Division and General Dynamics’ footprint in San Diego, closing a significant chapter in aircraft manufacturing history. At its peak, the company employed approximately 18,000 workers locally but exited the region entirely following the divestiture of its divisions. The Kearny Mesa facility was shuttered and demolished between 1994 and 1996; similarly, the former Lindbergh Field plant was razed and replaced by a rental car center.

The Fort Worth manufacturing plant—originally constructed for B-24 Liberator production—and its associated engineering units, which had produced aircraft such as the B-24, General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark, and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, were sold to Lockheed Corporation, along with related intellectual property and product rights. By 1996, General Dynamics had fully dissolved all remaining Convair legal entities, finalizing the division’s closure.

Timeline

  • 1923 Consolidated Aircraft Corporation established by Major Reuben H. Fleet
  • 1934 AVCO acquired the Airplane Development Corporation from Cord, leading to the formation of Aviation Manufacturing Corporation (AMC)
  • 1936 AMC was dissolved to create the independent Vultee Aircraft Division under AVCO
  • 1939 Vultee Aircraft Division became the standalone entity Vultee Aircraft, Inc.
  • 1941 Consolidated Aircraft was acquired by AVCO
  • 1943 The merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee Aircraft formed Consolidated-Vultee, still under AVCO control
  • 1947 Atlas Corporation took ownership of Convair
  • 1953–1954 Convair was purchased by General Dynamics
  • 1985 General Dynamics launched its "Space Systems Division" derived from Convair’s space initiatives
  • 1992 Missile Systems Division sold to Hughes Aircraft Company
  • 1993 Fort Worth facility sold to Lockheed Corporation (now Lockheed Martin)
  • 1994 Space Systems Division sold to Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin)
  • 1994 Convair Aircraft Structures division transferred to McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing)

Aircraft

Model name First flight Number built Type
Vultee XA-41 1944 1 Prototype single-engine ground attack aircraft
Consolidated Vultee XP-81 1945 2 Prototype turboprop/turbojet escort fighter
Stinson 108 1944 5,135 Single-engine general aviation aircraft
Convair B-36 1946 384 Strategic bomber combining piston and jet engines
Convair CV-240 1947

Twin-engine radial airliner

Convair XB-46 1947 1 Prototype four-engine jet medium bomber
Convair XF-92 1948 1 Experimental jet interceptor aircraft
Convair C-131 Samaritan 1949 512 Twin-engine cargo transport aircraft
Convair CV-340 1951

Twin-engine radial airliner

Convair F-102 Delta Dagger 1953 1,000 Single-engine jet interceptor
Convair B-58 Hustler 1956 116 Strategic bomber powered by four jet engines
Convair F-106 Delta Dart 1956 342 Single-engine jet interceptor
Convair 880 1959 65 Four-engine jet airliner
Convair 990 Coronado 1961 37 Four-engine jet airliner
Convair CV-600 (CV-240 family) 1965

Twin turboprop airliner

Convair CV-640 (CV-240 family) 1965

Twin turboprop airliner

Convair Model 48 Charger 1964 1 Prototype twin turboprop light attack aircraft

Several conceptual and experimental projects remained unbuilt, such as the nuclear-powered Convair NB-36H, vertical takeoff designs like the Convair XFY Pogo, along with various proposed bombers and airliners that never reached production. These initiatives underscore the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation despite commercial challenges.

This extensive range of aircraft demonstrates Convair's strategic emphasis on both military and commercial aviation markets, significantly shaping its industry position during its operational zenith.

Missiles and Rockets

Bibliography


External links

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