Dornier Do 22

The Dornier Do 22 was a German seaplane, developed in the 1930s. Despite good performance, it was built only in small numbers and entirely for the export market. The type was operated in the Second World War by Greece, Yugoslavia and Finland.

Do 22
Dornier Do 22 K in the Finnish Air Force
Role Torpedo bomber and reconnaissance seaplane
Manufacturer Dornier Flugzeugwerke
First flight 15 July 1938
Produced 1938–1939
Number built ~30

Development and design

In 1934, Dornier's Swiss subsidiary, based at its factory at Altenrhein, designed a three-seat, single-engined military floatplane, the Do C3; two prototypes were built,[1] with the first flown in 1935.

It was a parasol wing monoplane of fabric-covered all-metal construction. Its slightly swept back wing was attached to the fuselage by bracing struts, and its two floats were braced to both the wing and fuselage. It was powered by a Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs engine driving a three-bladed propeller, and could carry a single torpedo or bombs under the fuselage. Defensive armament was one fixed forward-firing machine gun, also two in the rear cockpit and one in a ventral tunnel.[1][2]

The first production model, known as the Do 22/See when fitted with floats, did not fly until 15 July 1938 from Dornier's factory at Friedrichshafen, Germany, although it did incorporate parts made in Switzerland.[2] While the Luftwaffe was not interested in the aircraft, examples were sold to Yugoslavia, Greece and Latvia. In March 1939, a prototype with conventional landing gear (the Do 22L), was completed and test-flown, but it did not enter production.[3]

Operational history

The Greek Do 22s were destroyed during the German invasion of the Balkans in 1941,[4] but the crews of eight of the Yugoslav machines successfully evaded capture or destruction by fleeing to Egypt. There they flew under the control of the British Royal Air Force until the lack of spare parts made the aircraft unusable.[5]

The four Latvian aircraft had not been delivered when the Soviet Union occupied Latvia in 1940, and were retained by Germany.[6] In 1942 they were transferred to Finland, being used on floats or skis until the end of the war.[2]

Variants
Do C3
Prototypes of the Do 22, two built
Do 22Kg
Export version for Greece.
Do 22Kj
Export version for Yugoslavia.
Do 22Kl
Export version for Latvia. Not delivered, but eventually transferred to Finland.
Do 22L
Land-based aircraft, fitted with a conventional landing gear. One prototype only.

Operators
 Finland
Finnish Air Force – four Do 22KI [7]
 Greece
 Latvia
 Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Yugoslav Royal Navy – 12

Specifications (Do 22)

Data from German Aircraft of the Second World War [8]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 3 (pilot, gunner and radio operator)
  • Length: 13.12 m (43 ft 1 in)
  • Wingspan: 16.2 m (53 ft 2 in)
  • Height: 4.85 m (15 ft 11 in) [9]
  • Wing area: 45 m2 (480 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 2,600 kg (5,732 lb)
  • Gross weight: 4,000 kg (8,818 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 641 kW (860 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 350 km/h (220 mph, 190 kn) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
  • Cruise speed: 310 km/h (190 mph, 170 kn)
  • Range: 2,300 km (1,400 mi, 1,200 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 9,000 m (30,000 ft)
  • Time to altitude: 5,000 m (16,000 ft) in 13 minutes

Armament

  • Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 15 machine guns in ventral and dorsal positions, 1 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 17 machine gun in the nose.
  • Bombs: 1 × 800 kg (1,800 lb) torpedo or 4 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs
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See also

Related lists

Notes
  1. Smith and Kay 1974, p.119.
  2. Green 1962, p.66.
  3. Smith and Kay 1974, p.119–120.
  4. Hartmann, Bert. Dornier Do 22. www.luftarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  5. March 1998, p.230.
  6. DORNIER DO-22K1. Latvian Aircraft - 1918–1940. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  7. Backwoods Landing Strip: Finnish Air Force aircraft
  8. Smith and Kay 1972, p.120.
  9. Donald 1997, p.340.

References
  • Donald, David (ed.) The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz Editions. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
  • Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Six Floatplanes. London:Macdonald, 1962.
  • March, Daniel J. British Warplanes of World War II. London:Aerospace Publishing, 1998. ISBN 1-874023-92-1.
  • Smith, J.R. and Kay, Antony L. German Aircraft of the Second World War. London:Putnam, 1972. ISBN 0-85177-836-4.
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