Do X
| Country | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Dornier Flugzeugwerke |
| Primary Role | Seaplane |
| Maiden Flight | 12 July 1929 |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseGerman aircraft engineer Claudius Dornier designed the Do X aircraft to be the largest and most advanced flying boats in the world as a showcase for his aircraft manufacturing company Dornier Flugzeugwerke. In fact, the aircraft was so advanced in terms of speed and range that the prototype was built in Altenrhein, Switzerland in order to circumvent the restrictions imposed on Germany by the Versailles Treaty. The 12-engined luxury passenger aircraft first took flight in Jul 1929, and in Oct of the same year broke the record of having the most number of people aboard a flight. In Nov 1930, the Do X aircraft embarked on a flight from Germany for the United States. The flight was delayed significantly when her port side wing became damaged by a fire near Lisbon, Portugal, causing her to sit idle in Lisbon for six weeks. She finally arrived in New York on 27 Aug 1931, where she would remain, at the Glenn Curtiss Airport (now the LaGuardia Airport), as an attraction to generate interest for the design. The Great Depression, however, removed Dornier's hopes for a large market for this design. The only orders came from the Italian airline Società Anonima Navigazione Aerea, for which two aircraft, X2 and X3, were built. Failing at turning the Do X design into a revenue-generating product, the Do X aircraft was turned over to the airliner Deutsche Luft Hansa. In 1936, the Do X aircraft became the centerpiece of the new Deutsche Luftfahrt-Sammlung at Lehrter Bahnhof museum in Berlin, Germany, where she would remain on display until she was destroyed by British bombing in Nov 1943. The two Italian Do X aircraft might had been used as military transports after Italy entered the war.
ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia
Last Major Revision: Feb 2012
Do X Timeline
| 12 Jul 1929 | The 12-engined Do X flying boat took its maiden flight. |
| 21 Oct 1929 | The Do X aircraft took its 70th test flight, breaking a record with 169 people on board. |
| 3 Nov 1930 | The Do X aircraft departed Friedrichshafen, Germany under the command of Friedrich Christiansen for the ultimate destination of New York, United States. |
| 29 Nov 1930 | The Do X aircraft's flight from Germany to the United States was canceled in Lisbon, Portugal due to an accidental fire that damaged the port wing. |
| 5 Jun 1931 | The Do X aircraft arrived in the Cape Verde islands. |
| 5 Aug 1931 | The Do X aircraft departed Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
| 27 Aug 1931 | The Do X aircaft arrived in New York, United States. |
| 21 May 1932 | The Do X aircraft departed New York, United States. |
| 24 May 1932 | The Do X aircraft arrived in Berlin, Germany, welcomed by 200,000 people. |
| 24 Nov 1943 | Before dawn, while on display at a museum in Berlin, Germany, the Do X aircraft was destroyed by British bombing. |
SPECIFICATIONS
Do XIa
| Machinery | Twelve Curtiss Conqueror water-cooled V12 engines rated at 610hp each |
| Armament | None; capacity for 66-100 passengers |
| Crew | 14 |
| Span | 48.00 m |
| Length | 40.00 m |
| Height | 10.25 m |
| Wing Area | 450.00 m² |
| Weight, Empty | 28,250 kg |
| Weight, Maximum | 56,000 kg |
| Speed, Maximum | 211 km/h |
| Speed, Cruising | 175 km/h |
| Service Ceiling | 500 m |
| Range, Maximum | 1,700 km |
Photographs
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Visitor Submitted Comments
4 Aug 2021 12:08:56 PM
Does the flight log still exist,can the information about the test flight in New York after some engines were replaced be accessed? My relative flew on it.
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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Joachim von Ribbentrop, German Foreign Minister, Aug 1939
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24 Apr 2013 11:15:25 AM
A little more on Do X2 & X3: They were rejected by Italy's airline and given to their air force, who used them for airshows, ceremonial fly-bys, officer training cruises, and at least twice on joint maneuvers with the navy. Both were retired in 1935 and broken up in 1937. (info via the Italian Defense Ministry)