12/17/2005. Remarks by Bernhard C.F. Klein: "The Do 18 was developed to fullfill a Lufthansa requirement for a long-range flying boat as a successor to the Dornier Wal. The first prototype Do 18 V1, pictured here, was first flown by Erich Gundermann from the Bodensee (Lake Constance), Germany, on March 15, 1935. Tested at Travemünde (at the Baltic Sea) by the RLM. Became Lufthansa D-AHIS on September 19, 1935 after 60 hours in 131 flights and was redesignated Do 18 A. After an additional 51 flight hours it crashed near Dahme 19 mls (30 km) north of Travemünde, Germany, on November 2, 1935, killing three out of five crew."