NICO BRAAS MEMORIAL COLLECTION
No. 13209. Dornier Do 14 (D-AGON c/n 234)
Source unknown

Dornier Do 14

08/31/2017. Remarks by Nico Braas: "Designed as an experimental trans-ocean flying boat and ordered by the Deutsche Lufthansa, the Dornier Do 14 made its first flight on August 10, 1936 after a five-year development phase.

The all-metal Do 14 featured many unusual and innovative construction details. It was powered by two BMW VI engines buried in the fuselage center, coupled by a two-speed gearbox and driving a single large-size three bladed pusher propeller mounted in a pylon on top of the wing. The propeller was driven by means of a large extension shaft. Also the cooling system was very unusual with the engine radiators buried into the upper surface of the wing. They were flush-fitted and hardly create any extra drag. In spite of its very modern layout, the cockpit was still open, although it would have been fully enclosed at later versions.

During its extensive test period, the Do 14 was taken over by the rapid development in aeronautical engineering where engines fitted with variable-pitch propellers were mounted in the leading edge of the wing. In fact, the Do 14 was already outdated when it flew and Lufthansa soon lost interest in the project. Only a single Do 14 was manufactured and flown. As far as known it never flew with any registration although the civil registration D-AGON was assigned to this plane. The engines were dismounted in 1937 and the airframe was finally scrapped in 1939."


Created August 31, 2017