Gerard Post Herrick (1873 – 1955) America’s Unforgettable “Forgotten” Convertiplane Pioneer

Gerard Post Herrick (1873 – 1955) was one of the earliest to advocate combining fixed-wing flight with rotary-wing flight, a concept he initially called the Vertoplane and which has subsequently become universally denoted as the “convertiplane.” He has been given little notice by vertical flight historians, quite unjustifiably becoming one of the “forgotten rotary-wing” pioneers, the champion of a concept that even today in various forms seeks legitimacy. William F. Trimble sums Herrick’s life in 38 words, Charles Gablehouse expends a mere 11 and 1/2 lines, Peter Brooks about 30 lines of text, John Fay a photo caption while Jay Spenser, George Townson and Frank Kingston Smith virtually ignore him! An examination of the life and accomplishments of this “unforgettable” pioneer reveals eccentricity (of which he was well aware), persistence, and ultimately a vision that has outlasted, for the most part, the memory of its champion. And as paladin and advocate for the “convertaplane”, the initial and eventually successful attempt to combine both fixed-wing and rotary-wing flight, Gerard Post Herrick occupies a unique place in aviation history, yet his advocacy and achievements have been relegated to an undeserved obscurity.