WW2 Era German Focke-Wulf Triebflügel - Germany’s Vertical Takeoff Fighter That Never Flew

One of the most unconventional aircraft concepts to emerge from German design studies during the Second World War was the Focke-Wulf Triebflügel, a radical attempt to solve the problem of air defense through vertical takeoff and high-speed interception. Conceived late in the war, the Triebflügel was designed to operate without conventional runways, launching vertically and transitioning to horizontal flight once sufficient altitude and speed were achieved.

The aircraft was to be powered by three Pabst ramjet engines mounted at the tips of rotating wings. During takeoff, the rotors would spin vertically to generate lift in a manner similar to a helicopter. Once airborne, the pilot would gradually tilt the aircraft into level flight, with the rotors continuing to spin and provide forward propulsion. For landing, the process would be reversed, requiring the pilot to slow the aircraft, pitch the fuselage upright, and descend vertically back onto its landing gear.

Although the Triebflügel never progressed beyond wind tunnel testing, projected performance figures were remarkable, with an estimated top speed of approximately 621 mph and a service ceiling near 50,000 feet. For this build, I chose to explore a plausible late-war operational appearance, applying a worn Luftwaffe light blue RLM 76 base combined with a splinter-style camouflage. The intent was to present the Triebflügel as a war-weary interceptor, a machine pushed into service during desperate final conditions where radical engineering met urgent necessity.