Dornier Do 24

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_24

The Dornier Do 24 is a 1930s German three-engine 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 24s during its flying
career. A total of 279 were built among several factories from 1937 to 1945.

The Dornier Do 24 was designed to meet a Royal Netherlands Navy requirement for
a replacement of the Dornier Wals being used in the Dutch East Indies, with the
Netherlands government signing a contract for six Dornier Do 24s on 3 August
1936. Two more prototypes were built for the German navy to be evaluated against
the Blohm & Voss BV 138.

The Do 24 was an all-metal parasol monoplane with a broad-beamed hull and
stabilising sponsons. Twin tails were mounted on the upswept rear of the hull,
while three wing-mounted tractor configuration engines powered the aircraft.
Fuel was carried in tanks in the sponsons and the wing centre section. Up to
1,200 kg (2,600 lb) of bombs could be carried under the aircraft's wings, while
defensive armament consisted of three gun turrets, one each in nose, dorsal and
tail positions. In early aircraft the turrets were each fitted with a machine
gun but later aircraft carried a 20 mm cannon in the dorsal turret.

Do 24 V3, the first of the Dutch boats, took off from Lake Constance on 3 July
1937, with the second Dutch boat, Do 24 V4 following soon after. As the Dutch
required that their flying boats use the same engines as the Martin 139 bombers
in use in the Dutch East Indies, they were fitted with 661 kW (887 hp) Wright
R-1820-F52 Cyclone radial engines. Test results were good, with the new flying
boat proving capable of operating from extremely rough open seas and the Dutch
placed an order for a further 12 Do 24s on 22 July 1937. Do 24 V1, the first of
the two aircraft for Germany, powered by three 600 hp (450 kW) Junkers Jumo 205C
diesel engines, flew on 10 January 1938 but after evaluation, the two German
boats were returned to Dornier for storage.

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. 11 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 the Netherlands during the occupation, most under the designation
Do 24T-1.

Another production line for the Do 24 was established in the old CAMS factory at
Sartrouville, France, during the German occupation. This line was operated by
SNCAN and was able to produce another 48 Do 24s. After the liberation, this
facility produced a further 40 Do 24s, which served with the French Navy until
1952.


Role
Bomber, reconnaissance and air-sea rescue flying boat

Manufacturer
Dornier
Aviolanda, Potez

First flight
3 July 1937

Introduction
November 1937

Retired
1967 (Spanish Air Force)

Primary user
Luftwaffe

Produced
1937–1945

Number built
279

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. A Dutch Dornier Do 24 is credited with
sinking the Japanese destroyer Shinonome on December 17, 1941 while the ship was
escorting an invasion fleet to Miri in British Borneo. On 10 January 1942 a
Dutch Dornier Do 24K spotted a Japanese invasion fleet heading for Tarakan
Island in Dutch Borneo, giving adequate warning so that all oil installations
could be destroyed before the Japanese arrived. After the Japanese invasion of
the Netherlands East Indies, six surviving Do 24s were transferred to the Royal
Australian Air Force in February 1942. They served in the 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 World War II.

Specifications (Do 24T-1)

General characteristics
Crew: 6
Length: 21.89 m (71 ft ?9 3/4 in)
Wingspan: 27.00 m (88 ft 7 in)
Height: 5.75 m (18 ft 10?1/3 in)
Wing area: 108.0 m² (1,163 ft²)
Empty weight: 10,600 kg (23,369 lb)
Loaded weight: 16,200 kg (35,714 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 18,400 kg (40,564 lb)
Powerplant: 3 × Bramo 323R-2 Fafnir 9-cylinder radial engines, 701 kW (940 hp)
at 4,000 m (13,120 ft), 895 kW (1,200 hp) with water injection each

Performance
Maximum speed: 340 km/h (183 knots, 211 mph) at 4,800 m (15,750 ft)
Cruise speed: 264 km/h (159 knots, 183 mph) at 5,400 m (17,720 ft)
Range: 2,700 km (1,459 nmi, 1,678 mi)
Service ceiling: 6,300 m (26,670 ft)
Climb to 1,000 m (3,300 ft): 4.5 min
Climb to 4,000 m (13,125 ft): 21 min

Armament

Guns:
1 × 20 mm MG 151 cannon cannon
2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine guns




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