The first of the ill-fated Vogt/ Shauer aircraft, the V/S 101 "Gargoyle" featured the odd two-fuselage design, one containing the cockpit and most of the guns, the other consisting of the engine and oddly shaped tail assembly. Stability was provided by careful balance of the components, and by mismatched wings; the starboard one is a few feet longer than the port. The overall effect was striking, but not quite aesthetically pleasing. Its never been made entirely clear what Richard Vogt thought the advantages of such an odd construction would be, because maintaining the balance was an ongoing endeavor. 
     Despite its appearance, the "Gargoyle" was still a decent fighter-bomber. It averaged 250 mph, and had substantial armor protection. Perhaps not surprisingly, the strange configuration led to a sluggish turning rate, something all the V/S designs suffered from. 
     Most notable on the "Gargoyle" was that it was equipped to handle three crew members: the pilot, a bombardier in back, and another to man the pintle mounted gun. Because it had to accommodate most of the ammo, as well as three people, the cockpit ended up being rather cramped. Much of the cockpit was constructed of glass, leaving the crew feeling very vulnerable, though it was very hard to sneak up on a "Gargoyle". This was also one of the most expensive cockpits ever built.
     Jeffrey Shauer had insisted that all the V/S planes carry high quality weapons, and the "Gargoyle" was no exception. The primary armaments were five Sperry-Browning "Gatekeeper" .40-caliber machine guns, three under the cockpit and one on each wing. If enemy planes got too close, the single Sperry-Browning "Templar" .70-caliber cannon made short work of them. The guns were backed up by nine hardpoints, though these were meant to carry the bomb payload, which the "Gargoyle" could deliver with deadly accuracy.
     Due almost entirely to its odd construction (the peculiar appearance, the high maintenance needs), and partly because of the cramped cockpit, very few "Gargoyles" were ever sold, and now the company is out of business. Of those that were sold, most ended up in the hands of wealthy airplane collectors, just to be put on display. However, two have been reported in the ranks of a Coloradan pirate band, being put to good use against a cargo zeppelin.