Dornier Do-31: World's First and Only VTOL Jet Transport Ever Built

The Do-31 utilized the same main engines as the Harrier, complete with their own rotatable nozzles to control direction during vertical flight.

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 08:07 AM ET

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The Dornier Do-31 remains the world’s only VTOL jet transport. [Courtesy: Jason McDowell]

Key Takeaways:

The Dornier Do-31 was developed in the 1960s for West Germany as the world's first and only VTOL jet transport, designed to carry troops and operate independently of runways.
Its innovative design used Rolls-Royce Pegasus main engines with rotatable nozzles, supplemented by eight powerful Rolls-Royce RB.162 lift engines in wingtip pods for control and critical redundancy against engine failure.
Although successfully flown and record-setting, the Do-31 project was abandoned in 1970 due to its insurmountable technical and financial demands, though both prototypes are preserved as unique aviation milestones.

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In the early 1960s, the West German government presented aircraft manufacturer Dornier with a daunting challenge. Concerned that a conflict might destroy existing runways and render its airfields unusable, authorities asked Dornier to develop a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) transport aircraft. With significant experience developing unconventional aircraft, Dornier rose to the challenge and began designing what would become the Do-31, a transport jet capable of carrying 36 troops at speed up to 351 knots at 35,000 feet.

At the time, jet-powered VTOL aircraft had successfully flown, but all were smaller tactical and experimental types. Hawker had successfully built and flown the P.1127, which evolved into the Harrier attack aircraft. Other manufacturers had built similarly small VTOL jets, such as the Dassault Balzac V, the Short SC.1, and the EWR VJ 101. But no manufacturer had successfully integrated VTOL capability with a cargo platform.