Dornier was a well-known Airplane builder between both World Wars. Due to the Versailles treaty Germany was restricted to build airplanes. Therefore Dornier built planes in other countries like the Netherlands and France. In 1934 Dornier developed flying boats for the Dutch Marine which they built in Dutch Factories. After Fall Gelb, the invasion of the lower countries, the Dutch companies had to construct more of the Dornier 24 Flying boats for the Germans. Besides reconnaissance, Germany used the Dornier Flying Boat with the rescue brigade for the Marine and over time they rescued 11.000 men with these planes. If the Dornier Do 24 crew caught an enemy vessel in its sights it could engage and try to take it out of the war with its bombs. After World War Two another ban was set on airplane development in Germany and Dornier moved its construction plant to Spain. 429 Dornier 24 were built in multiple versions during the war, and it was flown by a handful of countries and well into the sixties.
The Dutch Marine used these planes in the East Indies for transport and reconnaissance. With the Dornier Do 24 K the Dutch sunk the Japanese destroyer Shinonome in the South China Sea near the Malaysian town of Miri. They hit the aft munition storage with bombs and the destroyer sank with all hands on 17 December 1941.
The flying boat had a maximum speed of 330 km/h, a range of 2900 km and had a crew of 4 to 6 men. The Dornier Do 24 K had two 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun positions, one in the nose and one in its tail. In the middle section it was armed with a 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and had a bomb load of 1200 kg carried under its wings. The Dutch built Dornier’s have the K designation – Dornier DO 24 K.
Beautiful photos of a brilliant restoration. I didn’t see as much detail when I was standing next to the one at the RAF Museum!
Thank you Bill