Three German jets built to rise straight up

Germany ran three military projects for jets that take off vertically, and the museum shows an aircraft from each: the VJ 101 C, the Dornier Do 31 E and the VAK 191 B. None entered production. A sister aircraft of the VJ 101 on display became the first vertical take-off jet to fly faster than sound, in 1964.

The Dornier Do 31 E3 in the photo is the only vertical take-off jet transport ever built. It carries ten engines: two main engines under the wings and eight lift engines in pods at the wingtips. The Do 31 first flew in February 1967 and set several world records on the flight to the Paris Air Show in 1969. The project ended in April 1970.