The Junkers EF 009 was a conceptual experimental aircraft developed in the late 1930s by Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG. Designated as a "Hubjäger" (lift fighter), the EF 009 was designed as an unorthodox jet fighter capable of vertical takeoff. According to design notes, the aircraft was intended to launch via a specialized gun carriage ramp, marking it as an early, unrealized attempt at vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) technology long before such systems became practical in aviation.
As a project of the Junkers design office in Dessau, the EF 009 fell under the company's "EF" (Entwicklungsflugzeug) internal numbering system, which was used for various development aircraft. While Junkers was a pioneer in all-metal cantilever monoplanes since its founding in 1895 by Prof. Hugo Junkers, the EF 009 never progressed beyond the design study phase. No specific lead designer or chief engineer has been identified in available documentation, and no official RLM requirement documents or factory drawing sets are present in the public domain.
Technically, the EF 009 was envisioned as a jet-powered fighter, implying the use of turbojet propulsion. While Junkers produced its own line of Jumo jet engines, no specific engine model, thrust rating, or configuration was ever formally assigned to the EF 009. Due to its status as a paper project, there are no verifiable technical specifications regarding its dimensions, maximum speed, range, or weight. While its role as a fighter suggests a single-seat configuration, this is not explicitly confirmed in technical records.
Because the EF 009 was never built, it had no operational history and did not participate in World War II. No prototypes were constructed, and no pilots ever flew the type. Today, the aircraft exists only in historical and modeling literature, particularly within "Luft '46" circles. There are no surviving airframes or museum examples; the only representations of the EF 009 are scale models and conceptual artwork, serving as a testament to the speculative nature of German aviation research during the late 1930s.