Dornier Do 18

Dornier · Germany · first flew 1935 · transport aircraft

The Dornier Do 18 was a German twin-engine flying boat originally developed for Lufthansa transatlantic mail services and later adapted for maritime patrol by the Luftwaffe. Its tandem engine installation in a single over-wing nacelle was a distinctive Dornier feature.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	19.25 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Twin-engine parasol-wing flying boat with tandem push-pull engine arrangement
Dornier-style sponsons replacing underwing floats
Narrow slab-sided hull with no pronounced boat step

A medium flying boat with a tandem push-pull engine pair in a single nacelle above the parasol wing, Dornier-style side sponsons rather than wingtip floats, and a clean rounded hull.

Specifications

The Dornier Do 18 has a length of 19.25 m (63 ft).
It has a wingspan of 23.7 m (78 ft).
Its maximum speed is 267 km/h (166 mph).
Typical crew: 4.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

A Do 18 set a world long-distance seaplane record in 1938 by flying 8,391 km non-stop from Start Point, England, to Caravellas, Brazil. In Luftwaffe service it conducted early North Sea patrols but was quickly outclassed by Allied fighters and relegated to air-sea rescue work.

Variants

The Do 18D was the main maritime patrol version; the Do 18G introduced more powerful Jumo 205D engines and improved armament; the Do 18H and N were training variants.

Where you'll see it

Operated by Lufthansa on prestige mail routes before the war and then by the Luftwaffe for maritime patrol and rescue duties primarily over the North Sea.

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