A prototype starfighter was being developed in the first few months of the Galactic Empire.
The design of this prototype consisted of a spherical command pod, equipped with horizontal wings covered with solar panels. The cockpit's access hatch was located at the top of the sphere. While the prototype fighter featured an ejection system consisting of a catapult unit under the pilot's seat, this technology was unpredictable. Sometimes, the catapult device would explode and vaporize the pilot. Other times, the access hatch failed to open, slamming the seated man against the pod's roof.
In 19 BBY, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine founded the Galactic Empire. In support of the emerging government's warlike policies, a new starfighter model was being developed since the very first months of the Empire's establishment. Shortly before Headmaster Gentis' coup, recently promoted Lieutenant Laurita Tohm was sealed inside one of the prototype starfighters by his friends. Tohm initially believed they did it as a prank, although they were actually doing it to get him out of harm's way of the coup that would ensue. Tohm eventually escaped from the fighter via the ejection seat, although not before carefully assessing the possibilities of being incinerated or smashed into the roof due to glitches within the ejection system.
Alex Jaeger's design for a "clone pod fighter"
The unidentified starfighter prototype that appeared in Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison 1 strongly resembles an unused piece of concept art for a "clone pod fighter" originally designed by Alex Jaeger for Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.