Everything about The Dornier Do 24 totally explained
The
Dornier Do 24 is a 1930s
German 3-engined
flying boat designed by the
Dornier Flugzeugwerke for maritime patrol and search-and-rescue. According to Dornier records, some 12,000 people were rescued by Do 24's during its flying career. A total of 279 were built between several factories from 1937-1945.
Design and development
The Dornier Do 24 was designed to meet a
Dutch navy requirement for a replacement of the Dornier Wals being used in the
Dutch East Indies. It was an all-metal monoplane with a broad-beamed hull and stabilising sponsons. The aircraft was powered by three wing-mounted radial piston engines. The first two aircraft built were fitted with 447 kW (600 hp) Junkers Jumo 205C diesel engines. The next two had 652 kW (875 hp) Wright R-1820-F52 Cyclones, this was to meet a Dutch requirement to use the same engines as the Martin 139. The third aircraft (with Cyclone engines) was the first to fly on the
3 July 1937. Six Dutch aircraft (designated
Do 24K-1) were built in Germany, followed by a further aircraft built under licence by
Aviolanda in the Netherlands (designated
Do 24K-2).
Only 25 aircraft had been built on the
Aviolanda assembly line before the German occupation. The
Luftwaffe were interested in the completed and partially completed aircraft. The Dutch production line continued to produce aircraft under German control. Eleven airframes were completed with Dutch-bought
Wright Cyclone engines, but later models used the BMW
Bramo 323R-2. A further 159 Do 24s were built in Holland during the occupation, most under the designation Do 24T-1.
Another production line for the Do 24 was established in
Sartrouville,
France, during the German occupation. This line was operated by
SNCA and was able to produce another forty-eight Do 24s. After
the liberation this facility produced a further forty Do 24s, which served in the French Navy until 1952.
Operation History
Thirty-seven Dutch and German-built Do 24s had been sent to the East Indies by the time of the German occupation of the Netherlands in June 1940. Until the outbreak of war, these aircraft would have flown the tri-color
Roundel. Later, to avoid confusion with British or French roundels, Dutch aircraft flew a black bordered orange triangle insignia. After the
Japanese invasion six surviving Do 24s were transferred to the
Royal Australian Air Force in February, 1942. They served in RAAF through most of 1944 as transports in
New Guinea, making the Do 24 one of the few aircraft serving operationally on both sides during WW2.
During the war a German Do 24 made a forced landing in neutral
Sweden, was impounded and paid for, and remained in Swedish service until 1952.
In 1944, twelve Dutch-built Do 24s were delivered to Spain with the understanding that they'd assist downed airmen of both sides. After the war, a few French-built Do 24s also found their way to Spain. Spanish Do 24s were operational at least until 1967, and possibly later. In 1971, one of the last flying Spanish Do 24s was returned to the Dornier facility on
Lake Constance for permanent display.
Variants
Do 24K-1 » Germany production aircraft, 6 built.
;Do 24K-2 » Dutch licence production powered by three (746 kW) 1000 hp Wright R-1820-G102 engines.
Do 24N-1 » Dutch-built Do 24K-2s completed for Lutwaffe for air-sea rescue powered by three (746 kW) 1000 hp Wright R-1820-G102 engines, 11 conversions.
;Do 24T-1 » French production, 48 built
Do 24T-1 » Dutch production for the Lutwaffe powered by three BMW Bramo 323R-2 engines, 159 built (including T-2 and T-3).
;Do 24T-2 » Do 24T-1 with minor changes.
Do 24T-3 » Do 24T-1 with minor changes.
;Do 24 ATT » Post-war restoration with three Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45 turboprop engines, one built.
Do 318 » One Do 24T modified in 1944 with a boundry-layer control system.
Operators
Survivors
Four complete aircraft survive:
In February 2004, a restored and re-engined aircraft, the Do-24 ATT, began flying around the world on a UNICEF mission to assist children in the Philippines. The Do-24 ATT is piloted by Iren Dornier, the grandson of Dornier founder Claudius Dornier. Upon completion of the work with UNICEF, it'll be run as a special charter airliner by South East Asian Airlines. (External Link
)
A Do 24T-3 is on is on display at the Dutch Air Force Museum, Soesterberg, The Netherlands painted to represent an aircraft of the Marine Luchtvaartdienst - Dutch Naval Air Force. The restorers did very good work on it, it theoretically could be made airworthy within one week.
A Do 24T-3 is on display at the Flugwerft Schleißheim branch of the Deutsches Museum in Oberschleißheim.
A Do 24T-3 is on display at the Museo del Aire, Cuatro Vientos, Madrid, Spain.
Specifications (Do 24)
Further Information
Get more info on 'Dornier Do 24'.
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