In 1969, the German company Hamburger Flugzeugbau launched the idea of a new short-haul Aircraft that they thought would be a big success for the German airline Lufthansa.
The aircraft was named HFB 600 Vertibus - Vertibus because the plane could take off vertically without using a runway. With its four lifting engines that were to deliver 19,180 lbt for each engine and four cruising engines with 19,475 lbt on each, the plane could lift from the ground and 10 kilometers into the air in six minutes using the combined eight gas turbines.
The maximum distance was planned to be 900 kilometers with all seats full of passengers. The manufacturar planned for a civilian and military edition. The civilian edition were to be able to accommodate up to 90 passengers.
The aircraft were to be manufactured for domestic use in countries such as Germany, France and Spain.
The year after the launch of plans for the aircraft type, the manufacturer was bought by Messerschmitt-Bölkow and thus ended the drawings in a drawer. It has recently been argued that the Avro RJ 85 aircraft are largely based on the HFB 600 drawings, but this is not officially confirmed.
Lufthansa never showed a great interest in the aircraft type. The airline had just received its first Boeing 737 when the proposal for the vertical plane arrived, so the interest was not that big for another type of aircraft with 100 passengers.
http://www.hangar.no/1969-flyet-som-sku ... rullebane/
I love how the '60 were a hopeful, positive period of phantasy/vanity projects... a very space-age-ish and sleek decade!