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Dornier Do.31: transport VTOL

Dornier Do.31: transport VTOL

Dornier Do.31, which was developed in the 1960s in the German company Dornier engineers, It is a truly unique aircraft. It is the only transport VTOL. It was developed by order of the German military establishment as a tactical jet transport aircraft. Project, Unfortunately, I never went beyond the stage of experimental aircraft, all produced three prototype Dornier Do.31. One of the prototypes built today is an important exhibit of the Aviation Museum in Munich.

AT 1960 the German company "Dornier" in strict secrecy by order of the Ministry of Defense of Germany began designing a new tactical military transport aircraft vertical takeoff and landing. The plane was supposed to receive the designation Do.31, its aspect was combined propulsion of hoisting and lifting and propulsion engines.

Designing new aircraft were not only engineers "Dornier", but also representatives of other German aviation firms: "Weser", "Focke-Wulf" and "Hamburger Flyugtsoygbau", which 1963 year have been merged into a single aviation company, received the designation WFV. In this case, the project itself a military transport plane Do.31 was part of the German program to create a vertically soaring transport aircraft. In this program have been considered and processed tactical and technical requirements to the NATO military transport VTOL.

AT 1963 , with support from the Ministries of Defense of Germany and the United Kingdom signed an agreement for a period of two years of participation in the project of the British company "Hawker Siddeley", who had extensive experience in the design of the aircraft, "Harrier" vertical takeoff and landing. Notably, that he was not after the expiration of the contract extended, therefore 1965 the company "Hawker Siddeley" returned to develop their own projects. At the same time the Germans were trying to get to work on the design and production of aircraft Do.31 US companies. In this area the Germans had some success, they were able to sign an agreement on joint research with NASA Agency.

In order to determine the optimal scheme developed transporter, by "Dornier" was carried out taking off vertically comparison of three types of aircraft: helicopter, aircraft with a tilt-rotor aircraft, and with lifting and sustainer turbofan. As initial reference designers used the following parameters: transportation to a distance 500 km three tons of cargo and then return to base. Studies have shown, that vertically soaring tactical military transport aircraft, equipped with lifting and sustainer turbofan has several important advantages over the other two types of aircraft under consideration. Therefore, in the Dornier company focused on the work on the selected project and do calculations, aimed at the selection of the optimal allocation scheme of the power plant.

Do.31 designing the first prototype was preceded by quite a serious test models, which were conducted not only in the Federal Republic of Germany in Göttingen and Stuttgart, but in the US, where they engaged experts NASA. The first models of military transport aircraft had gondolas with lifting TRD, so as planned, that the propulsion system of the aircraft will consist of only two lifting and sustainer turbofan with thrust of Bristol on 16 000 kgf in afterburner. AT 1963 in the USA in a research center of NASA Langley held test aircraft models and individual elements of his designs in wind tunnels. Later took the test flying model in free flight.

As a result of research in the two countries the final version of the future aircraft Do.31 was formed, he was to receive the combined power plant of the lifting and propulsion and lifting motors. pilot flying stand was built to study the controllability and stability of the aircraft with a combined power plant hovering company "Dornier", possessed truss cruciform. Overall dimensions stand dimensions repeated future Do.31, but total weight was significantly less - only 2800 kg. By the end 1965 This year the stand was a great way to test, he fulfilled all 247 flight. These missions made it possible to build a full-fledged military transport aircraft vertical takeoff and landing.

Dornier Do.31: transport VTOL

In the next stage, especially for the construction of tests, mining piloting and testing the reliability of a new machine systems experimental aircraft was created, received designation Do.31E. German Defense Ministry has ordered to the construction of three similar machines, while two experimental aircraft designed for flight tests, and the third - for static tests.

Tactical military transport aircraft Dornier Do 31 It was made by the normal aerodynamic scheme. It was vysokoplan, equipped with a sustainer and lift engines. The original concept involves the installation of two turbofans Bristol Pegasus in each of the two inner nacelles and four lifting motors Rolls-Royce RB162, that were located in the two outer nacelles on the wing tips. Subsequently, it was planned to establish a plane more powerful and advanced engines RB153.

Fuselage monocoque type was metal and had a circular cross-sectional diameter 3,2 m. The forward fuselage was crew cabin, designed for two pilots. Behind it was placed cargo compartment, which had a volume of 50 m3 and dimensions 9.2×2,75×2,2 m. The cargo cabin can be placed freely 36 paratroopers with equipment on the reclining seats or 24 wounded on stretchers. In the tail of the aircraft was a cargo hatch, here there was a loading ramp.

landing gear was retractable tricycle, on each desk had dual wheels. Root support retracted back into the nacelle lifting and propulsion engines. The nose landing gear strut was made manageable and self-orienting, she also was removed back.

Dornier Do.31: transport VTOL

Construction of the first pilot of the aircraft was completed in November 1965 of the year, He received the designation Do.31E1. For the first time the plane took off 10 February 1967 of the year, performing conventional takeoff and landing, because at that time the lifting turbojet plane have not been established. The second experimental car Do.31E2 used for a variety of ground tests, and a third pilot transport aircraft Do.31E3 received a full set of motors. A third plane made its first flight VTOL, it happened 14 July 1967 of the year. The same aircraft made a complete transition from vertical to horizontal flight take-off, followed by vertical landing, it happened 16 and 21 December 1967 of the year.

It is the third instance of the experimental aircraft Dornier Do 31 It is currently in Munich Aviation Museum. AT 1968 year the aircraft was first presented to the public, It happened in the international aviation exhibition, which was held in Hanover. A new freighter exhibition attracted the attention of British and American firms, who were interested in the possibilities of not only military, but its civilian applications. Interest in the aircraft exhibited in the American space agency, NASA has provided financial assistance for the flight test and research the optimal approach path of aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing.

The following year, an experimental aircraft Do.31E3 shown at Paris Air Show, here the plane as a success, attracting the attention of spectators and specialists. 27 May 1969 the aircraft performed a flight from Munich to Paris. As part of this trip three world records for the aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing has been established: speed of flight - 512,962 kmh, height - 9100 meters and range - 681 km. By the middle of the same year at the VTOL Do.31E it was done already 200 flight. During these flight test pilots was carried out 110 vertical takeoffs followed by transition to horizontal flight.

Dornier Do.31: transport VTOL

In April 1970 Do.31E3 year experimental aircraft made its last flight, funding for this program has been discontinued, and she collapsed. This happened in spite of the successful, and above all trouble-free progress of the flight tests of the new aircraft. At that time, the total value of the German cost of the program to develop a new military transport aircraft exceeded 200 million marks (beginning with 1962 of the year).

One of the technical reasons clotting promising program could be called a relatively low maximum speed of the aircraft, its capacity and range especially when compared with traditional aircraft transport aircraft. In Do.31 airspeed decreased, including, and because of the high resistance nacelle aerodynamic lifting motors it. Another cause clotting works were overdue at the time frustrated military, Political circles and design the very concept of aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing.

Despite this, Dornier company on the basis of experimental aircraft Do.31E projects advanced military transport VTOL aircraft have been developed, possess a greater load-carrying capacity - Do.31-25. They have a number of hoisting engines in nacelles at first planned to increase up to 10, and then to 12 pcs. In addition engineers "Dornier" was designed VTOL Do.131V, who had just 14 podemnımi opinions.

There was also developed a separate project of civil aircraft Do.231, who was supposed to get two up-and-sustainer turbofan company Rolls Royce thrust 10 850 kg each and another 12 lifting turbojet the same company with a thrust of 5935 kgf, of which eight engines arranged in four pods of four and two in the nose and tail section of the aircraft fuselage. Estimated weight of the model aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing reached 59 tons with a payload up to 10 tonnes. planned, Do.231 that can carry up to 100 passengers with a maximum speed 900 km / h for a distance of 1000 kilometers.

Dornier Do.31: transport VTOL

However, these projects have not been implemented. In this experimental Dornier Do 31 It was (and is currently) unique in the world constructed jet military transport VTOL.

Flight performance Dornier Do.31:
dimensions:
— length - 20,88 m,
— height - 8,53 m,
— wingspan - 18,06 m,
— Wing Area - 57 m2.
Let the masses - 22 453 kg.
Normal takeoff weight - 27 442 kg.
Power point: 8 lifting turbojets Rolls Royce RB162-4D, takeoff thrust - 8h1996 kgf; 2 hoisting turbofan propulsion engine Rolls Royce Pegasus BE.53 / 2, Rod 2h7031 kgf.
Maximum speed - 730 kmh.
Cruising speed - 650 kmh.
Practical range - 1800 km.
Practical ceiling - 10 515 m.
Capacity - up to 36 soldiers with equipment or 24 wounded on stretchers.
crew - 2 man.

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