A starfighter prototype was under construction during the early days of the Galactic Empire.
This prototype's design incorporated a spherical command module, along with solar panel-covered horizontal wings. The entry point to the cockpit was situated on the sphere's apex. While the fighter prototype had an ejection mechanism, which involved a catapult system beneath the pilot's seating, this technology was unreliable. On occasion, the catapult mechanism would detonate, killing the pilot. At other times, the access hatch would malfunction and remain closed, causing the pilot to hit the roof of the pod.
In 19 BBY, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine established the Galactic Empire. To bolster the new government's militaristic agenda, a new model of starfighter was in development from the beginning of the Empire's reign. Not long before Headmaster Gentis' coup, Lieutenant Laurita Tohm, who had just been promoted, was locked inside one of these prototype starfighters by his comrades. Tohm initially thought it was a practical joke, but they were trying to shield him from the upcoming coup. Tohm eventually made his way out of the fighter using the ejection seat, but only after carefully considering the chances of being burned to a crisp or smashed into the roof because of the ejection system's defects.
The unidentified prototype starfighter seen in Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison 1 bears a striking resemblance to discarded concept art for a "clone pod fighter" that was originally created by Alex Jaeger for Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.