Dornier Do 29

For the original aircraft with this designation, see Dornier Do 29 (1934).

Do 29

Do 29 on display at the Dornier Museum
Role	Experimental aircraft
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Dornier Flugzeugwerke
First flight	12 December 1958
Primary user	DFL
Produced	2
Developed from	Dornier Do 27

The Dornier Do 29 was an experimental aircraft developed by Dornier Flugzeugwerke and the Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (German Aviation Laboratory) in the 1950s, used to test a tilting-propeller system for short takeoff and landing aircraft. The concept was proved to be successful in flight testing, however no further development of the system or aircraft was proceeded with, and at the conclusion of its test program the Do 29 was retired.

Design and development

During the Second World War, Heinrich Focke of Focke-Achgelis, a manufacturer of helicopters, developed a design for a short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) aircraft that would utilise a system of pusher propellers, one on each wing in a pusher configuration, to provide downwards thrust and enhance lift.^[1] Designated Fa 269, the design was not developed due to the state of the war.^[1]

In the 1950s, however, a renewed interest in STOL and VTOL aircraft led to a re-evaluation of Focke's concept, and Dornier was given a contract to develop an aircraft capable of demonstrating the tilting-propeller system. The aircraft, given the designation Do 29, was based on the Do 27 light transport, modified with twin Lycoming GO-480 engines mounted below the wings.^[1] These engines drove three-bladed, pusher propellers, that were capable of being tilted downwards to an angle of up to 90 degrees, and the engines were coupled so that symmetrical thrust could be maintained in the event of an engine failure.^[1]

The forward fuselage was also modified with a helicopter-like cockpit. A Martin-Baker ejection seat was provided for pilot escape in the event of a crash.^[2]

Testing

The Do 29 at the Dornier Museum

Two examples of the Do 29 were constructed, while a third was planned but not built, with the first prototype flying on 12 December 1958.^[2] In the following flight testing, the propeller system was not rotated further than 60 degrees as opposed to its nominal 90 degree capability,^[1] but the aircraft proved to be highly successful, with a stalling speed of 24 kilometres per hour (15 mph) and exceptional short-field performance.^[1]

Despite this, however, the tilting-propeller system was not further pursued after the end of the flight test program.^[1]

Aircraft on display

One of the Do 29 prototypes survived the program, and is displayed in the Dornier Museum in Germany.^[1]

Operators

Germany

Luftwaffe

Specifications (Do 29)

Detail of propeller assembly

Data from ^[1]^[3]

General characteristics

Crew: 1 (pilot)
Length: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 13.2 m (43 ft 4 in)
Height: 2.69 m (8 ft 10 in) ^[4]
Wing area: 21.8 m² (235 sq ft)
Gross weight: 2,400 kg (5,291 lb) ^[4]
Max takeoff weight: 2,500 kg (5,512 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming GO-480-B1A6 geared opposed piston engines, 200 kW (270 hp) each
Propellers: 3-bladed

Performance

Maximum speed: 290 km/h (180 mph; 157 kn)
Minimum control speed: 24 km/h (15 mph; 13 kn)
Range: 400 km (249 mi; 216 nmi)
Service ceiling: 6,500 m (21,325 ft)

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Goebel, Greg. "Dornier Civil Aircraft". VectorSite, April 2010. Accessed 2010-06-10.
1 2 Luftwaffe: Projekte: Do 29. In: Geschichte der Luftwaffe. Bundeswehr. Accessed 2009-06-15.
↑ Winchester 2005, pp. 84-85.
1 2 Green 1960 p.90-1

Bibliography

Green, William. Observer's book of aircraft (1960 ed.). London: Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd.
Winchester, Jim, ed. Aviation Factfile: Concept Aircraft. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press. ISBN 1-59223-480-1

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dornier Do 29.

http://www.1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Visschedijk/6709.htm

Dornier and Zeppelin-Lindau aircraft

Zeppelin-Lindau 1914-1919	Rs.I Rs.II Rs.III Rs.IV C.I C.II CS.I CL.II D.I V1

Dornier designations 1919-1933	Do A Do B Do C Do D Do E Do F Do G Do H Do J Do K Do L Do N Do O Do P Do Q Do R Do S Do T Do U Do V Do X Do Y Delphin Komet Libelle Merkur Spatz Wal

RLM designations 1933-1945	Do 10 Do 11 Do 12 Do 13 Do 14 Do 15 Do 16 Do 17 Do 18 Do 19 Do 20 Do 22 Do 23 Do 24 Do 25 Do 26 Do 29 Do 212 Do 214 Do 215 Do 216 Do 217 Do 317 Do 318 Do 335 Do 417 Do 435 Do 635 P.59 P.85 P.174 P.184 P.192 P.231 P.232 P.238 P.247 P.252 P.254 P.256 P.273 P.1075

Dornier designations post-1945	Do 24 Do 25 Do 27 Do 28 Do 29 Do 31 Do 32 Do 34 Do 128 Do 132 Do 228 Do 231 328 328JET 428 528 728JET 928JET Aerodyne Alpha Jet Projekt 621 Seastar S-Ray 007

See also Claudius Dornier and Dornier Museum Friedrichshafen

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