Inside The Cockpit - Dornier Do-31

The Dornier Do-31 is a West-German V/STOL transport jet designed during the Cold War. Let's get onboard this one and discover what make this aircraft tick!
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- Museum
Big thank you to the Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim and the helpful staff
www.deutsches-museum.de/en/flugwerft/information/
- Social Media
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- Sources
Dornier, GAF T.O. 1C-Do 31 E1/E3-1, Vorläufiges Flughandbuch Transportflugzeug Dornier Do 31 E1/E3, August 1969
NASA, TN D-6754, A Flight Evaluation of a VTOL Jet Transport Under Visual and Simulated Instrument Conditions, March 1972
-Audio
Music and Sfx from Epidemic Sound
#militaryaviationhistory #insidethecockpit #do31

[@miketeeveedub5779]

Harrier: "I'm one of the most complex and difficult-to-fly VTOL airplanes that ever flew." Do 31: "Hold my beer stein!" Easily one of the most remarkable airplanes that ever flew! Thanks for sharing with us!

[@pleasedontdestroy4851]

I concur

[@unclebob6728]

True that!

[@forcea1454]

There were a number of tenders to NBMR.4 including from British Aircraft Companies, including BAC and Hawker Siddeley.

[@dickiedollop]

Made me laugh but it’s fare to say this one very complex piece of kit and significantly over engineered but credit to Germany for pushing the envelope 👍🏻

[@Rauschgenerator]

What is a beer stein? ...as a German, I'm just wondering...

[@martijn9568]

This looks like something I'd have built in Kerbal Space Program. Huge, stupendously impractical and with as many engines I could fit on it.

[@juanordonezgalban2278]

Moar boosters bou

[@watchfordpilot]

Your obvious pride and smile was easy to see and we can all see why. What and an incredibly very rare and innovative a/c. Thanks.

[@jangustl_wt2358]

The Do-31 E-1 is infront of the Dornier Museum in Friedrichshafen. two were build. Testing of the VTOL Systems were conducted with the "Schwebegestell" to set up the control systems. With an another construction there trialed the complete system. The ground erosion was too much. It broke some flight records, but the high fuel consumption on a cargo plane didnt make it up in the long run. And it was the time of the oil crises. We germans want always something that can do everything. Another interesting prototyp of Dornier is the Do-29. Testing of STOL capabilites.

[@TannithVQ]

It looks like it could be in Thunderbirds. What an amazing aircraft!

[@fazole]

The Gerry Anderson show, UFO, did have a VTOL transport, actually.

[@TannithVQ]

@@fazole I thought I had a vague memory of one of the Gerry Anderson shows having something like that but couldn't put my finger on it. Yes! UFO! I think it carried three tracked vehicles with some kind of weapon on their roof

[@jordankennedy1545]

I love how happy he looks when he’s like “and it’s German”

[@MarijnRoorda]

That smug look on your face when you tell us its german...

[@AnimatedAirlines]

"A proud German shows off his toys"

[@AnimatedAirlines]

@blueboywhitie lol

[@spacemanonearth8830]

GERMAN ENGINEERING IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD!!!!

[@pegzounet]

Well deserved, it's an engineering gem.

[@MarijnRoorda]

@blueboywhitie That's Fokker. And World War 1 Era.

[@Ripper13F1V]

I remember as a kid seeing pictures of this bird in many books I had. Now that I'm turning 50, I nearly forgot about this one. VERY glad you were able to review her. She's remarkable.

[@jefferyindorf699]

Looks like a Buck Rogers spaceship. I LOVE IT!

[@bigblue6917]

The original Buck Rogers would have look at home in it

[@leftcoaster67]

That's what I thought!!!!

[@Eagle_the_18th]

Honestly it kinda looks like a mosquito just because of the tube at the front

[@CarburetorThompson]

@@Eagle_the_18th I can see that the windscreen kinda look like compound eyes

[@alphatrion100]

The front looks like the cockpit of the millenium falcon

[@phantomk2508]

FINALLY ANOTHER "INSIDE THE COCKPIT" VIDEO THESE ARE MY FAV!!!!

[@frankbarnwell____]

dragon fly eyes to control it

[@pancernywiatrak6368]

The VW beside it looks really cool too

[@porusmehta2807]

At 12:10 please clarify that the Dornier Do 31 is the only all jet VTOL transport aircraft. There is the V-22 Osprey transport today and the Fairey Rotodyne way back in 1957 and the LTC XC-142 back in 1964.

[@roberts9095]

What I love about the Dornier Do 31 is how it is so innovative yet conventional, it employs many design characteristics of relatively conventional airplanes and overall is an aesthetically pleasing aircraft, despite how unorthodox it is. It's the most beautiful combination of conventionality and innovation. Truly a masterpiece of German engineering.

[@HeroesNights]

On my way to Austria last year before covid 19 hit my flight was diverted to Friedrichshafen where I got on a coach. I couldn't believe my eyes when we drove past the DO31 at the Dornier museum. I was not expecting to see that and it really made my day to get the unexpected chance to see such a rare and special aircraft. Also made me smile to see how proud they are of Zeppelin's with so many posters of Zeppelin's at the airport

[@thewitch7342]

When a german think that something Is overcomplicated you know that the designer spent too much hours on the project

[@whiskeytangosierra6]

"It is German." It has 10 engines. "The only jet powered VTOL transport in the world." It has 10 engines. To prevent one side going rogue, each engine is cross coupled with it's counterpart on the other side. It haS TEN engines. It is perhaps over complicated. It has TEN ENGINES!!!

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

Also, engines are not German ;)

[@whiskeytangosierra6]

@@MilitaryAviationHistory There ARE ten engines. LOL. The things military planners want vs what technology can provide.

[@limes194]

So what? The Do X had 12 engines 😀

[@Herzeleydt_Diesentrueb]

Fueled with sauerkraut...

[@emmedigi89]

Dornier Do31: "I have ten engines!" Soviet N1 Moon rocket: "Hold my beer little boy"

[@faberflav1]

The front of the plan reminds me of the ship Flash Gordon used to impale Emperor Ming with. Go Flash!

[@robdickerson8697]

That's the one mate! 👍

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Where do you think they got inspiration?

[@Wobblybob2004]

War rocket Ajax

[@ianlazenby3871]

Your throughly explanation of these aircraft make me want to keep watching. Your enthusiasm is great

[@deaks25]

The V-22 Osprey's jet-powered cousin. Which also struggled with getting buy-in and development. I suspect if the Do-31 hadn't needed the wing-tip engine pack, then it might have been a more successful 'sell' as an aircraft worth developing. Fascinating as ever, thank you for bringing it to us, and thank you to the Deutsches Museum for preserving it in such a beautiful condition.

[@Paveway-chan]

Germany: we want a VTOL transport plane Harrier: Germany: **straps a Harrier to each wing**

[@sicknote1558]

Lol job done ✔

[@alibizzle2010]

Sci-fi vibe? Looks like classic WW2 Dornier styling to me

[@evantimm6053]

It's the closest thing to a real millennium falcon to ever fly. So that cockpit gets sci fi points from me.

[@spitefulwar]

So nice to see it restored. I remember it standing in front of the Deutsches Museum in Munich in the 80s, exposed to the elements.

[@foxwhiskey]

Yes. Standing outside of the museum. In the daily press they called the plane "the most expensive pigeon nest of Germany", because on every possible position you could found at that time pigeons.

[@okrajoe]

A beautiful plane in its own special way.

[@walterg.dinkla2478]

Great report on a very interesting concept aircraft. I particularly like the manner in which the control gauges were highlighted and identified. This furthers understanding of the ergonomic workload of the air crew. Thank you.

[@ryanvargas4889]

Wow, this video was a excellent surprise this morning. It warmed and VTOL’d my chest cavity!

[@csiga79]

Thank you Chris for your continuing amazing videos, and thank you to the wonderful museum to allow you such access. Very interesting aircraft!

[@wyattpeterson6286]

Another beautiful piece of engineering that was forgotten by history.

[@baghdaddymike6669]

Great content. Could watch this all day.

[@sestrelbethesda9450]

I remember when this was literally stuck outside the main door of the museum. A very long time ago!

[@MegaloHorse]

I remember watching a video about this plane by Mustard. Very nice to see inside of it too now.

[@EXG_BLU]

Same lol

[@AnimarchyHistory]

This is the pinnacle of Kraut Space Magic

[@techpriest8965]

I absolutely love this plane. I know I should not talk about other channels here but I first heard about this aircraft from Mustard's video :) Great plane, love the inside the cockpit!

[@nathanishungryanimations7206]

Remember Mustard’s video on this… …thing? It’s cool, don’t get me wrong, but it is not typical.

[@Eagle_the_18th]

I guess that’s what makes it cool, it goes outside of box that makes most aircraft typical

[@samuelglover7685]

Thanks for a really interesting and informative video. I especially admire how well you handle the camera when you're focusing on an aircraft's subsystems. That's a challenge under museum conditions, I think.

[@misteryorkie8674]

Hi Chris. Great presentation and thoroughly enjoyable. Keep up the good work.

[@cosmicmemer1611]

This looks like something straight from despicable me.

[@maxmustermann6612]

Ein oft besuchtes Museum!

[@intertr0ns]

Visited 2015. Highly recommend. Glad to see they brought this unique magnificent beast inside to preserve it.

[@edward9674]

Always good with a new mil av history video upload.

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@MrRugbylane]

I remember this plane was at the front entrance of the Munich Science Museum when I visited as a 17 year old in 1988.

[@kevinmurphy5506]

Thank you for your help in learning more about the aircraft and as always a very informative speech

[@pvtjohntowle4081]

Did it actually fly? Any footage of it flying? Why not include it flying as well from the archives.

[@bondisteve3617]

Very impressive production..as the others....thanks very much!

[@danieleregoli812]

Absolutely mind-blowing aircraft! I've always loved the Do-31. Thanks for the great video.

[@maschinistensoehne2110]

Very informative video. Happy to see the aircraft in such a good shape.

[@timcargile1562]

This a great video of a very interesting and complex aircraft. Thanks so much, Bismarck!

[@laszlokocsi1825]

I didnt ever expect this beauty im more than happy

[@tomjohnson5597]

Such a cool design. Great video, thanks.

[@Biker_Gremling]

It's a VTOL: 🙂 Transport plane: 😲 Has 10 jet engines : 😧 It's German : 😱

[@07_danishwistara29]

I can imagine the vine boom sound effects after each reaction

[@michellemieux1544]

Thank you for the internals visit!!!! Wow....I can only imagine the pilots.....going from rotor / planes to this!!!!! I wonder if any good pilot stories still exist! Thank you again Chris!

[@thedarkbat1627]

Love finding Bismark on his own KZbin channel!! Love Bo TIme!!

[@grimgorkeisenpelz9392]

Nice episode. I did not hear of this plane before and did not consider it feasible. Remarkable, that it actually flew. Would love to see some footage of it flying.

[@PakleniVuk]

Did you know that Dornier Do17 was produced in Serbia once upon a time? I didn't. And when I found out, I start to admire all of Dornier aircrafts.

[@lazereyedwhale6283]

wow i was just looking for the do31 cockpit thanks

[@marcogazaneo]

Nach Corona solltest du definitiv mal in das Udvar Hazy Center und ein paar Episoden dort drehen!! He-219, Ar-234, Ho 229... das wäre ultra! PS. Definitiv einer der interessantesten KZbin Channel! Sehr cool!

[@missilpeludo8813]

I need visit this museum!!!!!!!

[@BeasBotBonanza]

I love this idea but its easy to see why it wasn't taken on because the main use of VTOL in a cargo role would surely be the ability to drop cargo somewhere that would be inaccessible by conventional planes. While VTOL craft like this can operate on small patches of land without a runway, they still require a 'good' surface to land on, which limits them to maybe built up areas like car parks or roads or something? If only there was another kind of cargo transport that didn't actually even have to touch the ground to deliver something heavy.... oh wait, helicopters :P Now I'm definitely more of a plane enthusiast than helicopter fan, but one cannot deny that the Soviets had the much better idea of just using choppers to throw stuff about instead of making an awesome big jet thingymabob like this

[@Lost_Legacy1980]

Looks very futuristic for this Periode of Time! Beautiful Aircraft! :)

[@cozmcwillie7897]

It would have been interesting to see the view from the front seats through that super looking windscreen. I don't think I've seen such a pleasing front on an aircraft except the B29. (oh and of course the Millennium Falcon (which I think is a B29))

[@minecrafter023]

Good ol' Flugwerft Schleißheim!

[@markymark3075]

You forgot to mention the amazing sound it made when it takes off!

[@PaddyPatrone]

Von den Fähigkeiten her geht die Do31 Richtung V-22 Osprey, wenn auch nicht die gleiche Größe.

[@marienfeld07]

Very interesting Bismarck, I liked very much aince it was slightly mentioned in the documentary film by DW about Claude Dornier business; I enjoyed your "it's german" because we're in the same wavelength, and I think that this 67 technology can be updated with the one we have today.

[@Cadcare]

I've walked through this aircraft at Oberschleißheim. It's an artwork in tissue-paper-thin aluminum. The Dornier Do-31. The "Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim" (it's an annex to Munich's German Museum of "Masterpieces of Science and Technology" and is also worth a visit) is well worth the visit. Outside of Winter, take your roller blades - That is, if you don't ride your bicycle from Munich's city centre. This aircraft comes with chrome bling. They also have a very truthful hang gliding exhibit. There's a video suggestion 🙂

[@AmeliorateAviation]

Wow, that’s incredible that they had that kind of technology at that time

[@robertmoulds160]

Reminds me of the Boeing YC 14 and Mc Donnell Douglas YC 15 the complicated VSTOL never replace the Lockheed C 130 and the Canadair tilt wing CL 84. The CL 84 was intended for use for the US Navy sea control ships, US marines and the Canadian armed forces. While a prototype crashed at sea after testing off the USS Gram in 1972 it was still sound inspiring the Bell V 22. I remember building a model of a CL 84 that tilting wings with down to scale stores it would carry and even the history of the aircraft cancelled by Pierre Trudeau in 1974. But due to heavy American interest and investment despite being Canadian made my teacher while impressed questioned it's Canadian content but was fairly graded.

[@michaelarea571]

saw it for the first time at Dornier in Oberpfaffenhofen. was working in the hangar right next to it. i heard that it had a compressor stall problem in ground effect. thats why it blew the mlg tires all the time. when i saw it they were flat.

[@GannicusMisteriosdeHonduras]

Reminds me of the Arado bomber

[@bigblue6917]

Now you mention it I can see what you mean.

[@GeshronTyler1]

Quite possible that Donier ended up with personnel and/or technical/engineering data from Arado post WWII.

[@waterheaterservices]

We gotta talk about that pre 1968 Volkswagen Transporter too... 😊

[@DocHolle1]

Sehr gut erklärt ! Dankeschön !

[@svens.5139]

I remember that Do, for years it was displayed outside in front of the Deutsche Museum in Munich in the seventies till early eigthies.

[@z33r0now3]

Unterschleißheim, mein zweites zu Hause :D. This museum is my second home.

[@studinthemaking]

They had these on the tv show. The man in high castle.

[@leftnoname]

How come this never appeared in a James Bond movie? That’s some real kraut space magic.

[@AITF045]

Never thought I’d get to see the inside of such a weird aircraft.

[@tommihommi1]

you can go to the museum and look at the inside yourself! I was there a few months ago

[@AITF045]

@@tommihommi1 unfortunately, I live practically on the opposite side of the world. I would go if I could though!

[@kaikenDagger]

@Mialisus "Moskito" at home: Ta 154

[@Thorr97]

Great stuff! Interesting that everything is labeled in English.

[@craiga2002]

"Do you like this plane?" "'Like this plane?!' I want to BE this plane!" Great and informative video!

[@fazole]

Fascinating aircraft. I've never seen any info on its STOL capabilities. Apparently, this thing also used a hybrid analog-digital computer to help maintain directional control and stability. It'd be interesting to compare it to some of the contemporary cargo helicopters like the CH-53, for example.

[@boblobla1611]

You need to do an inside the cockpit on that gorgeous Type II double cab!

[@madmax6007]

Fabolous job as usual ! 😉 Do You think to do even the EWR VJ 101 ?

[@Swaggerlot]

Good to see that they fitted Mk9 Martin Baker bang seats for the pilots!

[@AP-gr3xi]

I’m so happy this existent!

[@ArnoSchmidt70]

Cargo space looks similar to the Osprey.

[@wkelly3053]

Great video, but so much to comment on. “The pedestal is a complex one”. YEAH! I think if you could fly this, they would let you take the Space Shuttle up solo. The cockpit glass looks like a cross between an Arado 234, a B-29, and a Handley Page Victor. Yes, it is German...when I was an engineering student in America we had a German professor substitute for a few days. He told us that in Germany we would not be smart enough to be truck drivers. No disrespect to truck drivers, but could he have been right? Finally, why is there a Road Runner cartoon character painted on the plane? Really enjoyed this episode.

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it. As for Road Runner, I am not sure.

[@cpawp]

Why was an evidentely technology-savvy company like Dornier not integrated into the ATR-project....?

[@miltonxwing9800]

Great video as usual. A comment, at approx 12:00 you note this was the only vtol transport built. Could be technically correct depending on definitions but I’d like to raise the Canadair CL-84 for worthy recognition here. Keep up the great work.

[@tonym480]

I would like to give a call out for the Fairey Rotodyne. First vertical test flight in November 1957, first transition to forward flight in April 1958. Cancelled in typically British Government fashion February 1962 after most of the problems had been solved.

[@GeshronTyler1]

I thought one of the big issues was the noise and/or vibration levels- from what I'd seen somewhere else, it was so loud in the cockpit, that the pilots couldn't talk to one another...

[@FrankC321]

Chris, it was nice of the museum to allow you to drive up and park your VW Bus really close to the D0-31. Question, what paint shop did you use for the checkerboard paint, awesome!

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

Fascinating aircraft. Super video production, and yes, it is German. 😆

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

Thank you :)

[@FireAngelOfLondon]

One of these did a joint performance with a hovering Harrier at the Paris Air Show in 1969. I have been hoping to find film of it for years but so far no luck.

[@HoH]

Out of curiosity: are you recording with a Canon Powershot G7X?

[@frankbarnwell____]

10 engines? blows what out the arse? the p 38 still dumdfounds me. this is a jet pretzel, .... with passengers. dang Bismarck!

[@euggapushkinv2311]

Hey Mr Bismark, what that high pitch noise could be heard on a background? Are the museum guys still lunching corded models with small engines on a other side of the hangar? Also, can you cover some old artifacts from that museum at some point. Like Otto Lilienthal wings that he crashed in? Cheers!

[@phillipmorel5116]

How have I not heard of this before now!!!!!!!😳🤯

[@codefeenix]

WOW this is so cool!

[@CraigLYoung]

I remember reading about that plane in the mid 60's. I always wondered what happened to it.

[@SCVIndy]

Cool review

[@fedupgamer9075]

The Germans sure made good use of that captured UFO tech! Was wondering where Man in the High Castle got this idea from. Did not realize this aircraft actually existed.

[@frankbr5991]

When I was "Young" I often played Quartett and favored planes are these with a spiky long nose!

[@stevek548]

I had no idea this machine existed. What a beautiful piece of engineering! Imagine how clenching it would be losing engines during vertical landing?

[@FireAngelOfLondon]

It had an excess of thrust and could afford to lose two lift engines during a vertical take-off or four during a landing. If it lost one of the main Pegasus engines though, that would have left a mark...

[@stevek548]

@@FireAngelOfLondon The early Pegasus engines were notoriously underpowered too.

[@FireAngelOfLondon]

@@stevek548 That's because forcing gases around tight corners tends to bring heavy frictional and compressive losses and the engineers took some time to learn how to make it work. The Pegasus has gone from the first versions producing a mere 9,000lbs of thrust to the latest versions that can produce 23,800lbs. A lot of that improvement has come from finding more and more efficient ways to make air and hot exhaust gases flow around corners, which presents some of the most difficult challenges in the aero engine field.

[@sergarlantyrell7847]

Talk about a niche project! If you've got a to get goods into an area without a runway, you can parachute them in out the back of a C-130 and it doesn't need a long runway to take-off from either. Then for everything else the Chinook might only have half the range and speed (range being much more important for a transport aircraft) but it has twice the payload capacity.