This video was made possible by CuriosityStream. Watch thousands of high-quality documentaries
and get access to Nebula using the link in the description. By the 1960’s, the idea that a jet could
take off and land vertically was no longer the stuff of science fiction, and freeing
jets from needing runways was going to revolutionize their use. While the British led the way with the first
jump jet fighter, Germany set out to build something even more ambitious. The world’s first vertical jet lift transport,
combining the speed and range of a jet with more lifting power than just about any helicopter
in the world. This was a plane that would revolutionize
Germany’s air force. A truly versatile machine that could even
redefine air travel itself. But developing the world’s first VTOL transport
would be fraught with technical challenges. It’s called Vertical Take Off and Landing,
or VTOL. And getting a jet to do it would prove to
be one of the most difficult challenges in aviation history. Without forward motion, a plane’s wings
can’t generate any lift, and it means a VTOL jet must rely entirely on its engines
to get airborne, by directing thrust downwards. But making enough power to lift off vertically
is only part of the challenge. Jet thrust must also keep the aircraft stable
and oriented. Because while hovering, conventional control
surfaces aren’t able to control the aircraft. And a VTOL jet still needs to fly like a conventional
plane. And one approach is to use dedicated lift
jets to get airborne and a separate jet for conventional forward flight. Another approach is to develop an engine that
can do both. Vector thrust downwards for vertical lift
and rearwards for forward flight. A third way is to combine dedicated lift jets
and vectored thrust. These were enormous engineering challenges. But throughout the 1960s, several countries
launched VTOL jet development programs. Because freeing jets from needing runways
could make all the difference in the next major conflict. During the Second World War, a grass field
was just about all that military aircraft needed to get airborne. Grass fields are hard to destroy and easy
to replace. And a World War Two-era fighter needed only
a few hundred feet of it. But in little over a decade that all changed. Because jet aircraft needed thousands of feet
of concrete runway to get airborne, creating a strategic vulnerability. In the opening hours of a conflict, runways
were going to be the first targets and their destruction would render an entire air force
inoperable. During the Cold War, nowhere was this vulnerability
more apparent than in West Germany, where most air bases were just a few hundred kilometers
from Soviet Bloc countries. Within easy striking distance of aircraft
and cruise missiles. But VTOL jets could operate without runways. And for West Germany, the technology seemed
like the perfect solution. Because aircraft could be stationed throughout
the country, away from threats. Kept hidden under the cover of forests or
inside buildings Aircraft could even use the country’s Autobahn highway network to stage
operations. In 1960, West Germany set out to build an
air force around VTOL technology. Starting with the development of a supersonic
fighter with unique pivoting wing-tip jets engines. A year later, work also began on a VTOL strike
fighter, a ground attack aircraft to serve as the mainstay of West-
German air force. But critical for supporting these aircraft
out in the field would be a jet lift transport. A plane that could deliver supplies and personnel
to remote forward operating bases. And in 1962, West German aircraft builder
Dornier was assigned the enormous challenge of developing it. Getting a jet to lift off vertically was difficult
enough. A VTOL transport would also need to lift several
tons of cargo. And to do it, engineers would need to develop
everything from new flight control systems, engine layouts, to avionics. This is the Dornier Do-31. The world’s only vertical jet lift transport. Using the combined power of two vectored thrust
turbofans and eight lift jets in wing-tip pods, the Do 31 could generate an incredible
66,000 pounds of thrust. More vertical lifting power than just about
any helicopter in the world. To keep the aircraft stable, engineers developed
an advanced computerized flight control system. Working around the limits of 1960’s technology
with an innovative part-digital, part-analog hybrid computer. In forward flight, the lift jets would be
shut off and the Do 31 would fly like a conventional plane. And it could reach speeds of over 700km an
hour and carry 36 fully equipped troops or nearly six tons of cargo. An unprecedented combination of speed, range
and lifting capacity. But developing the world’s first VTOL jet
transport would be fraught with technical challenges. And it took Dornier almost five years to develop
the Do 31’s technologies. But by 1967, confidence in the aircraft was
growing and soon test flights were proving that Germany’s jet lift transport was more
than capable of fulfilling it’s design mission. And as Dornier moved closer to a production
version, some even saw the potential for vertical jet lift technology to revolutionize commercial
aviation. Because VTOL airliners would operate from
helipads, maybe even directly from building rooftops. But VTOL jet travel was going to have to wait. As the 1960s drew to a close, the Cold War
evolved into a new phase. An all out war with the Soviet Union now seemed
less likely. And it meant the development of VTOL capable
jets was now less of a strategic priority. And getting a jet to reliably take off and
land vertically proved to be far more challenging and dangerous than originally anticipated. By 1968 it was clear that Germany’s VTOL
fighter jet wasn't going to meet it’s design objectives. And with rising development costs the program
was cancelled. And that put the future of Do 31 in doubt More than anything, what west Germany needed
was a partner to help shoulder development costs. And while Dornier managed to get the attention
of the U.S military and aerospace industry, partnerships never materialized. Like other VTOL jets, the Do 31 had some serious
limitations. Sure, its ten jets could lift more than just
about any helicopter in the world. Much of what they were actually lifting was
the aircraft's own weight. Ten jet engines and the fuel needed to keep
them all running made the Do 31 incredibly complex and heavy. And the noise would've been a deal breaker
for any civil application. Dornier tried to impress crowds at the 1969
Paris air show, flying alongside Britain's harrier jump jet in a coordinated aerial display. But excitement over VTOL was starting to fade
and the plane garnered little in the way of serious interest. And without a development partner or buyers,
Dornier was forced to cancel the project in 1970. The attack aircraft it was intended to support
would eventually suffer a similar fate. Of the many VTOL projects launched in the
1950s and 60s, most would end in failure. Unable to overcome monumental engineering
challenges or the inherent limitations of jet lift technology The world’s only jet lift transport promised
to combine the speed and range of a jet, with the versatility of a helicopter. A machine designed to address a pressing strategic
challenge. Decades earlier Japanese engineers were also
trying to solve their own strategic problem. And their solution would be to combine the
stealth of a submarine with the strike capabilities of an aircraft carrier. Japan’s underwater aircraft carriers were
some of the most fascinating machines to come out of the Second World War. And you can learn their incredible story in
my latest video. Which you can watch right now on Nebula, a
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Hooray for fresh content from Mustard!
Always have enjoyed their videos.
This guy makes amazing content.
That's a pretty cool documentary.
Eyyyy Mustard
A what?
Trust the Germans