Dornier Do 28
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The type designation Dornier Do 28 comprises two different twin-engine
STOL A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft that has short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature various arrangements for use on airstrips with harsh conditio ...
utility aircraft A utility aircraft is a general-purpose light aircraft, light airplane or helicopter, usually used for transporting people, freight or other supplies, but is also used for other duties when more specialized aircraft are not required or available. ...
, manufactured by Dornier Flugzeugbau GmbH. Most of them served with the
German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
and ''
Marineflieger The ''Marinefliegerkommando'' (Naval Aviation Command) is the naval air arm of the German Navy. History During the First World War, naval aviators were part of the . After the war Germany was no longer allowed to maintain a military aviation ca ...
'' and other air forces around the world in the communications and utility role. The Do 28 series consists of the fundamentally different Do 28 A/B (1959) and Do 28 D Skyservant (1966).


Design and development


Dornier Do 28 A/B

The Do 28 was developed from the single-engine Do 27 at the end of the 1950s. The design shared the high-wing
cantilever A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a canti ...
layout and the lift augmentation devices of the Do 27, together with the rear
fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
which seated six passengers. The defining feature of the new design was the unusual incorporation of two Lycoming engines, as well as the two main
landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
shock struts of the faired main landing gear attached to short pylons on either side of the forward fuselage. The internal space of the Do 28 was the same as the Do 27. Like the Do 27, the Dornier Do 28 possessed a high cruising speed, excellent low-speed handling characteristics, as well as very short takeoff and landing (
STOL A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft that has short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature various arrangements for use on airstrips with harsh conditio ...
) performance. The Do 28 was readily accepted as a natural progression from its single-engine forebear. With many of the same STOL characteristics, most Do 28 production was destined for military customers, notably Germany, although a small number were in service for commercial operators as a rugged, low-cost utility
transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, an ...
. The design proved remarkably adaptable and was developed into a number of progressively improved variants, from the original D, through the D1 and D2 to the 128-2, introduced in 1980. Each variant introduced a number of detail changes that enhanced its already versatile performance capabilities.


Dornier Do 28 D Skyservant

The Dornier company was given financial assistance from the German government to develop a larger STOL transport to carry up to 13 passengers. The type was designated the Do 28D and later named Skyservant. The Do 28D was a complete redesign and shared only the basic layout and wing construction of the earlier versions. The fuselage and engine nacelles were rectangular, unlike the rounded Do 28A/B. The aim was to develop a simple and rugged aircraft for use under arduous conditions, which could be easily maintained. With a crew of two pilots, the cabin accommodated up to 12 passengers; freight could be loaded easily through large double doors and with the seats removed the cabin gave of unobstructed space. The first flight of a Do 28D took place on 23 February 1966 and the type was publicly exhibited at the
Paris Air Show The Paris Air Show (french: Salon international de l'aéronautique et de l'espace de Paris-Le Bourget, Salon du Bourget) is a trade fair and air show held in odd years at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France. Organized by the French ...
at Le Bourget airport in June 1967. A further variant of the Skyservant was the Do 28D-2/OU (Oil Unit). Two aircraft were fitted with
radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
and SLAR (Side-Looking Airborne Radar) to monitor oil pollution in the
Baltic Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages * Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originati ...
and
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
s. Painted in a white scheme, they were operated between 1984 and 1995 by MFG 5 of the ''Marineflieger'', on behalf of the German Transport Ministry. These aircraft are easily recognised by the fuselage-mounted SLAR antenna and a
radome A radome (a portmanteau of radar and dome) is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a radar antenna (radio), antenna. The radome is constructed of material transparent to radio waves. Radomes protect the antenna from weather and ...
under the
cockpit A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a Pilot in command, pilot controls the aircraft. The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the ...
. In 1991, both aircraft operated for several weeks in the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
during the
Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
under the control of the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
. These two aircraft were replaced by the
Dornier 228 The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, designed and first manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. Two hundred and forty-five were built in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 19 ...
at the end of 1995. These Skyservants are preserved in the
Aeronauticum Aeronauticum is the official German maritime aircraft museum – located in Nordholz (close to Cuxhaven, Lower Saxony). The museum has a large collection of aircraft that has been used by the German Marine/Navy, among other places also in the adjace ...
museum at
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. In 1997, the Hungarian engineer A. Gál developed a conversion based on a D-variant, that was intended to meet the requirements of skydivers. Instead of the Lycoming piston engines, Gál had two
Walter M601 The Walter M601 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Walter Aircraft Engines of the Czech Republic. The company's first turboprop, the M601 is used in business, agricultural and military training aircraft. Development The turboprop wa ...
-D2 and now its derivative General Electric H75
turboprop A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
, modified three-blade AVIA propellers and a skydiving kit installed by Aerotech Slovakia on seven planes. Although CAA, Hungary's aviation authorities, instantly certified the conversion, the JAA-certification could not be applied for before 2007, due to certification restrictions on the engines. In 2008, there have been six planes flying in Europe, all of them Hungarian registered, mainly at dropzones in Soest, Germany,
Target Skysports Skydive Hibaldstow is a parachuting centre and skydiving drop zone at Hibaldstow, North Lincolnshire, England, and is affiliated with the skydiving company, British Skydiving. History First opened in May 1941, the airfield served as RAF H ...
, Hibaldstow in the United Kingdom, Algarve (Portugal) and Seville (Spain).


Operational history

A total of 121 Dornier Do 28D-2s were built between 1971 and 1974 at Oberpfaffenhofen for the ''
Bundeswehr The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
'' (German Federal Armed Forces) where they replaced aging Percival Pembrokes. They served until the introduction of the
Dornier 228 The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, designed and first manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. Two hundred and forty-five were built in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 19 ...
in 1994, predominantly as a transportation and communications aircraft. 20 aircraft were transferred to the ''
Marineflieger The ''Marinefliegerkommando'' (Naval Aviation Command) is the naval air arm of the German Navy. History During the First World War, naval aviators were part of the . After the war Germany was no longer allowed to maintain a military aviation ca ...
'', 10 served from 1978 in the maritime
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
role, additional underwing
fuel tank A fuel tank (also called a petrol tank or gas tank) is a safe container for flammable fluids. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine system in which the fuel is stored and propel ...
s were fitted for extended endurance (see photo). The high noise levels and vibration in the cabin led to the type's replacement by the significantly quieter turboprop-powered Dornier 228. During the 20 years in German military service, only three aircraft were lost to accidents. The Do 28D was flown in 30 countries around the world and is still in service today. More than 150 aircraft were built. In the German Federal Armed Forces jargon, the Skyservant was called the "farmer's eagle" and was regarded as a reliable "workhorse".
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
received two specially equipped
SIGINT Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...
aircraft with the code name of 'Anadolou' as well as the normal transport version.


Variants


Dornier Do 28 A/B/C

;Do 28 :Prototype, first flew 29 April 1959 with two Lycoming O-360-A1A engines and fixed pitch two-blade
propellers A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...
; one built. ;Do 28A-1 :Designation of production aircraft with Lycoming O-540-A1A engines and a 7 ft increase in
wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...
, 60 built. First flown on 20 March 1960 at
Oberpfaffenhofen Oberpfaffenhofen is a village that is part of the municipality of Weßling in the district of Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany. It is located about from the city center of Munich. Village The village is home to the Oberpfaffenhofen Airport and a m ...
. One aircraft was used for the personal transport of the German Defense Minister,
Franz Josef Strauss Franz Josef Strauss ( ; 6 September 1915 – 3 October 1988) was a German politician. He was the long-time chairman of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) from 1961 until 1988, member of the federal cabinet in different positions betwee ...
; 60 built. ;Do 28A-1-S :
Floatplane A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy. By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, ...
conversion of the Do 28A-1 by the Jobmaster Company of
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, Washington, United States. ;Do 28B-1 :Do 28A with enlarged nose, additional fuel tanks, increased
tailplane A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplane ...
area and powered by Lycoming IO-540
fuel injected Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All comp ...
engines and three-blade
constant speed propeller In aeronautics, a variable-pitch propeller is a type of propeller (airscrew) with blades that can be rotated around their long axis to change the blade pitch. A controllable-pitch propeller is one where the pitch is controlled manually by the ...
s, 60 built. ;Do 28B-1-S :Proposed floatplane conversion of the Do 28B-1 by the Jobmaster Company of Seattle, Washington, USA. ;Do 28B-2 :Variant with
turbocharged In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...
Lycoming TIO-540 engines, one built. ;Do 28C :Designation of a proposed eight-seat version with two 530 shp
turboprop A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
s but this design was not pursued.


Dornier Do 28 D Skyservant and derivatives

;Do 28D :Redesigned aircraft with box fuselage, larger wing, new tail and two IGSO-540 engines, seven built. ;Do 28D-1 :Production version of the Do 28D, with 0.5 m (1 ft 7½ in) greater wingspan and higher gross weight. 54 built. ;Do 28D-2 :Increased maximum takeoff weight, strengthened fuselage with enlarged cabin, 172 built. ;Do 28D-2/OU :Do 28D modified as a pollution patrol aircraft ;Do 28D-2T :In 1980 one
German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
Do 28D-2 aircraft was fitted with two Avco Lycoming TIGO-540 turbocharged engines. ;Do 28D-5X Turbo Skyservant :Prototype version powered by Lycoming LTP-101-600
turboprop A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
s rated at 298 kW (400 shp) each. One built, first flying on 9 April 1978. Also known as the TurboSky. ;Do 28D-6X Turbo Skyservant :Prototype version powered by PT6A-110 turboprops, also rated at 298 kW (400 shp) each. One built, first flying on 4 March 1980 later redesignated Dornier 128-6. ;Do 28E-TNT :A Do 28D fitted with a new, high technology wing (''Tragflügel Neuer Technologie'' – New Technology Wing) of 19.97 m (55 ft 8 in) span for trials, powered by two 533 kW (715 shp)
Garrett TPE331 The Honeywell TPE331 (military designation: T76) is a turboprop engine. It was originally designed in the 1950s by Garrett AiResearch, and produced since 1999 by Honeywell Aerospace. The engine's power output ranges from . Design and developm ...
-5-252D mounted on the wing. One built, first flown on 14 June 1979. Wing later used in the
Dornier 228 The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, designed and first manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. Two hundred and forty-five were built in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 19 ...
. ;Do 28 G.92 :1995 conversion of Do 28D powered by two
Walter M601 The Walter M601 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Walter Aircraft Engines of the Czech Republic. The company's first turboprop, the M601 is used in business, agricultural and military training aircraft. Development The turboprop wa ...
-D2 750 hp turboprops used for
skydiving Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes. For ...
operations, seven built ;Dornier 128-2 :Improved version of Do 28D-2, replaced D-2 in 1980. ;Dornier 128-6 :Production version of the Turbo Skyservant, six built.


Operators


Military operators


Civil operators


Specifications (Do 28D-2 Skyservant)


See also


References


Notes


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985)''. London: Orbis Publishing, 1985. * * * * * *


External links


German Navy Do 28 page

German Luftwaffe Do 28 page
{{Authority control Do 028 1960s German military utility aircraft High-wing aircraft STOL aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1959 Aircraft first flown in 1966 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft