Dornier Do 12

Do 12
Role	Flying boat
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Dornier Flugzeugwerke
First flight	23 June 1932

The Dornier Do 12 Libelle III ("Dragonfly III") was the third of a line of small German flying boats of the 1930s. It started with the A Libelle I and the A Libelle II, though the Do 12 was not a continuation, but an entirely new aircraft.

The aircraft was amphibious and would carry three to four passengers. It was powered by a single Argus As 10 engine initially, then a Gnome-Rhône 5Ke Titan engine, mounted above the wing. It first flew in 1932 and went on to be used by the DFS to pull gliders.

Design

The Do 12 was a high-wing monoplane, of the usual Dornier all-metal construction, with a two-spar, trapezoidal wing, whose trailing edge was very strongly rounded at the root. The fuselage was of rectangular cross section.

In the nose was a storage area where equipment, including anchors, could be kept. Behind it, the open cockpit had two side-by-side seats, with optional dual control. In the cabin, there were two more seats and a storage area, which could also be fitted with bunks for sleeping. Between the cockpit and cabin were nacelles which accommodated the retracted undercarriage wheels, a first for Dornier, which were lowered or raised manually by a crank. The engine sat on a stand high above the wing, alongside two fuel tanks, in the pusher configuration.

From the first flight on 23 June 1932, and in the further course of testing, it was obvious that the Argus engine was underpowered, making take-off distances substantially too long. However, financial difficulties in the company meant that fitting the stronger Gnome-Rhône Titan 5Ke took some time.

Father Paul Schulte, a missionary known as the "Flying Priest", used the Do 12 "D-INEZ" for many years and in his various books it plays an important role.

Specifications (Do 12)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Length: 9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 13.00 m (42 ft 8 in)
• Height: 4.20 m (13 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 28.0 m² (301 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,075 kg (2,370 lb)
• Loaded weight: 1,400 kg (3,090 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Argus As 10 or Gnome-Rhône Titan 5 Ke, 179 kW or 190 kW (240 hp or 260 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 210 km/h (130 mph)
• Cruise speed: 170 km/h (105 mph)
• Range: 580 km (360 mi)
• Service ceiling: 5,100 m (16,700 ft)
• Wing loading: 50 kg/m² (10.2 lb/ft²)
• Landing speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)

See also

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of Germany
• List of RLM aircraft designations
• List of seaplanes and flying boats