Dornier Do-24 – Photos & Video

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.

Source: Dornier Do-24 on Wikipedia

The Dornier Do-24 was a three-engine flying boat developed by the German company Dornier Flugzeugwerke for maritime patrol, reconnaissance and air-sea rescue missions. It was designed to replace the Dornier Wal that was used by the Royal Netherlands Navy in the Dutch East Indies. The Do-24 had a parasol wing supported by struts above the hull, which had a broad beam and stabilizing sponsons. The engines were mounted in tractor configuration on the wing, and the fuel was stored in tanks in the sponsons and the wing center section. The Do-24 could carry up to 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) of bombs under its wings, and had three gun turrets for defense, one in the nose, one in the dorsal position and one in the tail.
The first prototype flew on 3 July 1937, powered by Wright R-1820-F52 Cyclone radial engines. The Netherlands ordered a total of 90 Do-24s, of which 30 were built by Dornier or its Swiss subsidiary, and 60 were built under license by Aviolanda in the Netherlands. The Do-24 saw service with several air forces during World War II, including the Luftwaffe, which acquired some of the Dutch aircraft after the invasion of the Netherlands in 1940. The Do-24 performed well in rough sea conditions and proved to be a reliable and versatile aircraft.