In the late 1950s Jack Frost, an engineer at aircraft manufacturer Avro Canada, developed an innovative design for a vertical-takeoff aircraft that he believed could attain supersonic flight.  The U.S. Air Force contracted Avro to supply two saucer-shaped test vehicles to demonstrate Frost's concept.  The U.S. Army was also interested, seeing the test vehicles as flying jeeps.  In early testing the "Avrocar" proved to be very difficult to control, but after many modifications, stable flight was demonstrated.  Unfortunately, its three jet engines were not powerful enough to raise the craft out of ground effect or achieve high speed, and the classified project was cancelled in 1961.

Here's the basic airframe.  The jet engine exhaust spun a central turbo-rotor that drew air from above and directed it through various ducts to power and control flight.

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