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 Finland, Greece and Yugoslavia.

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,Smith and Kay 1974, p.119. 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.Green 1962, p.66.

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. 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.Smith and Kay 1974, p.119–120.

Operational history

The Greek Do 22s were destroyed during the German invasion of the Balkans in 1941, 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.March 1998, p.230.

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

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

;: Finnish Air Force – four Do 22KI Backwoods Landing Strip
Finnish Air Force aircraft
/ref>
;
*Hellenic Air Force
;
*Latvian Air Force
;: Yugoslav Royal Navy – 12

Specifications (Do 22)

See also

Notes

References

*
*Donald, David (ed.) ''The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. Leicester, UK: Blitz Editions. .
*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. .
*
*Smith, J.R. and Kay, Antony L. ''German Aircraft of the Second World War''. London:Putnam, 1972. .

External links

A history of military equipment of Modern Greece (1821 - today): Greek Do.22 Kg

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Do 022
1930s German bomber aircraft
World War II aircraft of Finland
Aircraft first flown in 1938
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Parasol-wing aircraft
Floatplanes