Dornier Do 18

History of Dornier Do 18

Although the Dornier Do 18 was a serviceable airship with a successful pedigree, it was heavily declassified and obsolete at the start of WWII and was subsequently used in limited quantities, mainly for air and sea rescue operations etc. The Do 18 is based on the Dornier Do 15 series of mail airships, inheriting all the advantages of the previous design, but with upgraded engines and defensive armament for a militarized role.

There are too many flaws in the bulky design to make such a machine's range impractical in the face of ever-changing warfare throughout the conflict, although the system will still hold some distance records.

One of the most unusual features of the Do 18 design is the implementation of the engine. The plane houses two engines in a single nacelle mounted above the fuselage. In general, the overall appearance of the machine is quite attractive, with smooth lines and rounded shapes.

The characteristic hull at the bottom of the hull is clearly visible. Large wing elements were mounted high up by raised engine nacelles, although they were not supported by floats at the ends. Instead, the wing elements are supported closer to the root of the wing, thanks to smaller structures protruding from the sides of the fuselage. This support is actually a steady sponsor of water landings and water idles. The defensive armament of this militarized variant consists of a 7.92mm machine gun mounted in open bow and open stern positions.

G-series models feature upgraded armament, including a 13mm machine gun in the bow and a power-operated dorsal turret with a powerful 20mm cannon. Power comes from a range of Junkers and BMW branded engines with slightly different horsepower throughout the aircraft's production life cycle.

The Do 18 is believed to be the first German ship to fall victim to British artillery fire. This happened on September 26, 1939, when a Do 18 was knocked down by a Blackburn Skua. The crew of Do 18 landed safely in the water but were rounded up as prisoners by British naval personnel.

Do 18 was subsequently destroyed on a British ship.

Dedicated air and sea variants of the Do 18N-1 exist, while the dual-control Do 18H is used for pilot training. The Do 18 was replaced in service by the cheaper Blohm & Voss 138 series until 1942.

DORNIER Do 18 size

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