20 сентября 1963г.: экспериментальный немецкий СВВП EWR VJ 101C (X1), совершивший свой первый полет 10 апреля, впервые осуществил вертикальный взлет и переходы от вертикального к горизонтальному полету и наоборот. VJ 101 назвали "Traumjager" ("Истребитель мечты") из-за его футуристического вида.

The first prototype in conventional flight before its accident in September 1964. George Bright remarked that ‘‘we based our techniques on the assumption that the flying qualities of the ‘bedstead’ and the aircraft would be the same; our only error was that the aeroplane’s flying qualities were far superior to those of the test rig!”

Названный за свой футуристический вид "Traumjager" ("Истребитель мечты"), VJ 101 был чисто опытным самолетом, уменьшенным в размерах из-за отсутствия подходящих двигателей. Работы по самолету зашли в тупик из-за его низкого боевого потенциала.

The first prototype VJ101C (X1) before the fitting of its non-afterburning wingtip nacelle-mounted RB.145 engines. The VJ101C was of light-alloy construction, but in the hot regions near the fuselage-mounted engines, titanium and steel were also used. The continuous multi-spar wing was attached to the fuselage by six bolts.

The second of the two EWR VJ101Cs, known as X2 and given the registration D-9518, is prepared for a flight at Manching during its test-flight programme.

In 1967 the X2 suffered a hard landing after ingesting hot engine gases while taking off from a raised platform. It was heavily damaged but was rebuilt to flying condition, and was finally retired in the second half of 1971.

Engineers discuss preparations for the next flight of the X2 at Manching during its flight test programme. By late 1967 EWR had some 1,750 employees, split equally from the Messerschmitt and Bolkow groups, Heinkel having left the consortium in 1964.

Both VJ101Cs - this is the second, X2 - were mounted on a test pedestal for trials. The aircraft was tethered at the centre of gravity with freedom of movement about all three axes, then put through an extensive series of trials, including nacelle-swivelling and automatic throttle controls for the lift engines during transitions.

Encapsulating West Germany’s post-war ambition to "do something challenging”, the EWR VJ101C supersonic VTOL experimental jet fighter helped to put the nation back on the map technologically. The first prototype is seen here on the gyroscopic pedestal used for trials at Manching.

The second VJ101C is now a permanent exhibit at the excellent Deutsches Museum in Munich. Some 115 foreign companies participated in the VJ101C project, 35 of which were British (including Dowty-Rotol, Dunlop, Martin-Baker and Lucas), 60 of which were American and 20 were French, to the tune of more than DM62,000,000.

Following successful trials with the Wippe, the next stage was to construct a “flying bedstead” for hovering trials. This incorporated three RB.108s in the same geometric locations as proposed for the VJ101C prototypes. After trials on a telescopic arm the rig made its first free flight, in the hands of George Bright, in March 1962. Note the “sail” fitted on its underside to simulate the keel area of the aircraft to determine ground-effect characteristics.

The West German EWP Sud's VJ101C X-1, the first of two prototypes for a projected Mach 2 VTOL interceptor bore a strong resemblance to the earlier Bell D-188A project designed to meet the same mission. However, according to Bell, despite numerous similarities, the two designs were not related. The fruit of an industrial collaboration between Heinkel, Bolkow and Messerschmitt, plus much government cash, the VJ-101Cs used six 2.750lb s.t. Rolls-Royce RB 145 turbojets, arranged in pairs, with two each in swivelling pods at the wingtips, plus two in the forward fuselage, just aft of the cockpit. During jetborne or hovering flight, this triangulation of thrust could be either manually or automatically fine-tuned to provide altitude control, obviating the need for a puffer jet system. In forward flight, the two fuselage engines would shut down, all propulsion coming from the now horizontal wingtip pods. The X-1 first hovered on 10 April 1963, making its first full transitional flight on 20 September 1963. Unfortunately, it was to crash and be destroyed in the autumn of the following year. While the X-1 had always been destined to be the low speed vehicle, the X-2, by virtue of carrying 3.550lb s.t. reheated RB 145 in the wingtip pods was to be used for testing at speeds up to Mach 1.08. The X-2 first flew on 12 June 1965, followed by its first full transition on 22 October 1965. Soon afterwards, the programme for the projected VJ 101D production aircraft was cancelled which made the remaining prototype redundant.

Several VTO aircraft have been flown over the past 20 years but have fallen by the wayside for political or technical reasons. The VJ 101C shown here had six RB145 engines - two for pure lift in the fuselage and two pairs (with reheat) in swivelling pods at the wing tips. The tip nacelles featured translating intakes, with sharp lips for high speed flight and rounded lips with intakes in the up position for VTOL.

Photograph of the EWR-Sud VJ 101C XI VTOL research aircraft (six Rolls-Royce RB.145 turbojets)

EWR-Sud VJ 101C X-1 VTOL research aircraft (six Rolls-Royce RB.145 turbojets), with its wing-tip pods tilted vertically for VTOL operation

EWR VJ 101 C in hovering flight.

The X-2 during hovering trials at Manching. Note how the wingtip nacelles are in the VTOL position, in which the entire intake section slides forward to improve air ingestion at oblique angles.

The second VJ101C, X2, at Manching in 1969. Designed as an experimental fighter, the VJ101C pre-dated the VFW VAK-191, which was developed as a potential VTOL aircraft for the nuclear strike role, and which first flew in September 1971.

The distinctive West German EWR VJ101 experimental vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.

Engineers inspect the port engine of VJ101C X1. The nacelles were attached to the wing by means of a hollow shaft which passed through the nacelles between the engines.

The flap of the air intake for the two Rolls-Royce RB.145 lift engines would be opened during hovering and transitions to and from aerodynamic flight.

The first stage in the development of the VJ101C was the Wippe (see-saw), a simple frame into which a single Rolls-Royce RB.108 engine and cockpit were incorporated in order to investigate the use of thrust modulation for primary control of the aircraft. The seat could also be turned sideways to simulate roll-axis conditions.

EWR-Sud hovering rig (three Rolls-Royce RB.108 lift turbojet engines)

The well-organised cockpit of the X1 featured basic flight instruments on the upper panel with engine dials below.

The three pairs of engines were linked to a common throttle lever located at the forward end of a box on the port side of the cockpit, as seen here in the X1.

Firemen surround a disconsolate-looking X1 following the accident in which George Bright was forced to eject from the aircraft on September 14, 1964. The machine was damaged beyond repair and was retired from the VJ101C programme.

Модель самолета EWR-Sud EWR 420 (VJ 101D)

EWR Sud VJ-101C. Логично, когда СВВП оснащается комбинированной силовой установкой из подъемных и подъемно-маршевых двигателей. В соответствии с данной концепцией на VJ101C западногерманского консорциума были использованы установленные на законцовках крыла поворотные подъемно-маршевые двигатели Rolls-Royce RB.145 и два фюзеляжных подъемных двигателя RB.145. На практике VJ 101 не являлся "истинным" самолетом вертикального взлета. Самолет с установленными на угол 45° подъемно-маршевыми двигателями все-таки пробегал перед взлетом дистанцию в 4 м. При установке двигателей вертикально их газы могли разрушить ВПП и сжечь резину на колесах шасси. Горячие газы представляли не меньшую проблему и при посадке. До того как самолет разбился в сентябре 1964 года, он преодолел в горизонтальном полете звуковой барьер.

The second VJ101C prototype, X2, was powered by a total of six Rolls-Royce RB.145 turbojets; two fuselage-mounted lift engines behind the cockpit and four afterburning engines located in pairs, one on top of the other, in wingtip-mounted nacelles

Three-view drawing of the EWR-Sud VJ 101C XI VTOL research aircraft (six Rolls-Royce RB.145 turbojets)