The Dornier Do 18 was a development of the Dornier Do 15 "Wal" flying-boat. Introduced by Deutsche Lufthansa in 1935, its records included a non-stop 5,200 mile (8350 km) flight from Start Point, Devon to Caravellas in Brazil.
In Luftwaffe service it was obsolete by the outbreak of World War II, but a few were used on North Sea reconnaissance missions. It was highly vulnerable to British interceptors and was soon withdrawn from service. A Do 18 is believed to have been the first German aircraft destroyed during the war, downed by a Blackburn Skua on September 26, 1939.
Specifications
General Characteristics
- Crew:
- Capacity:
- Length: 19.2m (63 ft)
- Wingspan: 23.7m (77 ft 9 in)
- Height: 5.4m (17 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 98m² (1,055 ft²)
- Empty: kg ( lb)
- Loaded: 9,980 kg (22,000 lb)
- Maximum takeoff: kg ( lb)
- Powerplant: 2x Junkers 205 diesel, 450 kW (600 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 249 km/h (155 mph)
- Combat Range: 3,220 km (2,000 miles)
- Service ceiling: 4,270 m (14,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
- Wing loading: 101.8 kg/m² (20.9 lb/ft²)
- Power/Mass: 0.09 kW/kg (0.055 hp/lb)
Armament
2x machine guns