Dornier Do J

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The Dornier Do J was a twin-engine German flying boat of the 1920s.

The Dornier Do J was better known as the "Wal" (whale). It made its first flight in November 1924. The flight as well as most of the production until 1932 took place in Italy because all aviation activity in Germany was forbidden after WWI.

It was powered by 2 Rolls-Royce Eagle IX 355 hp (265 kW) engines. with a maximum speed of 241 mph (388 km/h), and a cruising speed of 201 mph (323 km/h). Its empty weight was 5,565 lb (2524 kg), and a maximum payload of 9,039 lb (4100 kg). It had a range of 2,237 miles (3,600 km), and a ceiling of 11,480 ft (3,500 m).

The Norwegian Arctic explorer Roald Amundsen used two Dornier seaplanes in his attempt to reach the North Pole in 1925.

Two Dornier Wal aircraft (named Passat and Boreas) also played an important role in the Third German Antarctic Expedition in 1939.

[edit] Specifications

• wingspan 86 ft 9 in (26.4 m)
• length 53 ft 2 in (16.2 m)
• height 15 ft 4 in (4.7 m)
• wing area 314 ft² (29 m²)

The aircraft could carry a crew of 2-4 and 10 to 12 passengers. Two primary versions existed, military and commercial. Over 300 Wals were built by CMASA, Piaggio in Italy, CASA in Spain, Kawasaki in Japan, Aviolanda in the Netherlands and Dornier in Germany.