Warplanes of Germany: Luftwaffe Dornier Do 214, and Dornier Do 216
Dornier Do 214 flying boat (project)
(Luftwaffe diagram)
Dornier Do 214, transport flying-boat (project).
Originally designed as the Do P.93 forpassenger transatlantic service from Lisbon to New York, the Do 214 wasredesigned as the P.192 for military service in early 1940. In 1941, afull-sized fuselage mockup was constructed in order to evaluate the interiorlayout. The fuselage was streamlined, having a round cross-section, with theinterior consisting of two decks.
Its wings featured a small amount of sweep on the leading edge, with straighttrailing edges, and were shoulder-mounted on the fuselage. Eight Daimler-BenzDB 613 24-cylinder "power-system" engines — themselves consisting ofa pair of Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V12 engines, paired up to run a singlepropeller like the DB 605-based "DB 610" engines of the Heinkel He177A, and themselves weighing over 1.5 tonnes (3,300 lb) apiece (the DB 613"power systems" would have weighed more like 1.8 tonnes apiece) —provided the power, with four tractor engines and four pusher engines. Alleight "power system" engines, using a total of 16 DB 603s to completethem, provided power to two quartets of four-blade VDM variable-pitchpropellers; the front propellers had a 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in) diameter, the rearpropellers had a 4.60 m (15 ft 1 in) diameter.
The mammoth eight-engine design was intended for use as a military transport,with a large bow door admitting vehicles and bulky freight to the upper deck.It was also designed for use as a long-range bomber, flying tanker, aerialminelayer and U-boat supply vessel. By 1943, it was realized that long-rangeflying boats were not needed due to the worsening war situation, and the Do 214project was canceled. (Wikipedia)
(Luftwaffe Secret Projects artwork)
Dornier Do 214, transport flying-boat (project)l.
Dornier Do 216 flying boat (project)
(Luftwaffe diagram)
Dornier Do 216, transport flying-boat (project).
Dornier developed this flying boat project after their Do P.192/ Do 214 project was cancelled by the RLM in June 1943. It started its design life under the designation P.174/I, but was given the Do 216 number by the RLM later. Intended for an anti-shipping role, the 216 could be fitted out for other purposes also. Basically, the Do 216 was similar to the Do 214, but had only a single interior deck inside the fuselage instead of the two found on the Do 214. The wing planform was also similar, with a tapered leading edge and a straight trailing edge. Four Jumo 223 24-cylinder diesel engines (2500 horsepower each) were the proposed powerplants; two engines each were located in a wing nacelle blended into the wing, one pulling and one pushing. The Do 216 was manned by a crew of ten, and there were to be seven remote-controlled gun stations located at various place along the fuselage. Offensively, the 216 could carry up to a 5000 kg (11020 lbs) weapons load, which included various guided weapons mounted in underwing racks.
(Luftwaffe Secret Projects artwork)
Other versions of the P.174 were designed, with the same basic dimensions, only to be powered by six Daimler Benz DB 603C 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled, inverted V engines (1750 horsepower each). This flying boat project was also cancelled by the RLM, the reason given was that there was no need for a seaplane of this type. (Luft46)
