Dornier Do 31
Dornier · Germany · first flew 1967 · transport aircraft
The Dornier Do 31 was a West German experimental VTOL jet transport, the world's only jet-powered vertical takeoff and landing transport aircraft ever to fly. It used vectored-thrust Pegasus engines supplemented by lift jets in wingtip pods.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 20.53 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- World's only jet-powered VTOL transport aircraft to fly
- Eight Rolls-Royce Pegasus lift/cruise engines plus Rolls-Royce RB162 lift jets in wingtip pods (capped at 4 in count)
- T-tail high-wing transport with large cylindrical wingtip jet pods
Distinctive high-wing T-tail transport with large cylindrical jet pods at each wingtip housing four RB162 lift jets, and four Pegasus engines under the wing — the bulbous wingtip pods are unique and unmistakable.
Specifications
- The Dornier Do 31 has a length of 20.53 m (67 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18 m (59 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 730 km/h (454 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 + 36 troops.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in the mid-1960s under a NATO requirement for a VTOL battlefield transport, the Do 31 first flew in February 1967 and achieved its first full VTOL cycle in 1970. Three prototypes were built; the programme was cancelled the same year due to cost and complexity, leaving the Do 31 as an impressive but unproduced milestone.
Variants
Three prototypes were built — E1, E2, and E3 — with minor differences in engine fit and instrumentation.
Where you'll see it
Never entered production or operational service; the surviving E3 prototype is preserved at the Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim.
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