Tom Swift Jr. and His Ultrasonic Cycloplane (1957) stands as one of the most imaginative entries in the iconic Tom Swift Jr. series, showcasing the teenage inventor’s revolutionary vertical-flight aircraft that predated real-world VTOL technology by decades. Published by Grosset & Dunlap under the Victor Applegate II pseudonym, this Cold War-era adventure follows Tom as he develops his ultrasonic-powered Cycloplane – a futuristic hybrid of helicopter and jet capable of hovering motionless or streaking at supersonic speeds. When rival scientists and foreign agents attempt to steal the technology during a humanitarian mission to the fictional Middle Eastern nation of Kabulistan, the story delivers classic series hallmarks: atomic-age optimism, classroom science made spectacular, and Graham Kaye’s vibrant dust jacket art depicting the ring-winged aircraft in action.
The 1957 first edition remains particularly notable among collectors for introducing recurring character Phyllis Newton, marking the series’ first romantic subplot, while its prescient vision of ultrasonic propulsion (however fanciful) foreshadowed later aerospace developments. Original red-cloth hardcovers with intact dust jackets command premium prices, especially those retaining the rare back-panel advertisement for the “Tom Swift Jr. Inventors’ Kit” promotion. A time capsule of postwar American technological ambition, this volume captures the essence of what made the Tom Swift Jr. series a defining influence on young readers during the space race era.
