Dornier Do 32
Dornier · West Germany · first flew 1962 · helicopter
The Dornier Do 32 was an experimental West German tip-jet helicopter, using small jets at the rotor blade tips to turn the rotor and thus eliminating the need for a conventional tail rotor.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- tip-jet rotor system
- no tail rotor
- compact single-rotor pod-and-boom layout
Distinguished from conventional helicopters by the absence of a tail rotor — the clean tail boom ends in a simple stabiliser. The tip-jet rotor produces a distinctive high-pitched whine rather than the rhythmic beat of a mechanically driven system.
Specifications
- The Dornier Do 32 has a length of 5.8 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.4 m (24 ft).
- Typical crew: 1-2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in the early 1960s as Dornier explored unconventional rotorcraft configurations, the Do 32 used ram-jet or pressure-jet units at the rotor tips. The concept promised mechanical simplicity but suffered from high fuel consumption and noise; the programme did not proceed beyond the experimental phase.
Variants
A single experimental prototype was constructed.
Where you'll see it
Test-only aircraft; no operational service.
Related aircraft
- Dornier Do 28
- Dornier Do 28B
- Dornier Do 28D Skyservant
- Dornier Do 28D-2 Skyservant
- Bell YOH-4
- Boeing CH-46A Sea Knight
- Boeing Vertol HH-46A Sea Knight
- Lockheed XH-51
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