Some Dornier Do-24 flying boats

[JDK]

JDK- you are from Australia, do you know anything about one hull of this airplane which is converted into the classic toursit boats and still is operated? Do you have any images? Hope I don't ask too much.

Not at all. IIRC, it was a houseboat, nothing to do with tourists as such, and was the bow to the bulkhead aft of the struts - but from Matt's post above, it seems it's no longer in the water. I've had a vague look for in on / by the Murray river, but Iall I found were paddle-steamers and mozzies. It's a lot of river, I looked at a small bit.

Matt, can you add a bit?

[Matt]

James,

Unfortunately I can't add too much to the story as much air has passed over the wings since I investigated into the Dornier 'boat'. The gent who owned it for many years as a houseboat informed me of its whereabouts, and a visit soon afterwards found it where expected, and still in the Echuca district. It was getting dark by that time and I didn't have my camera with me so no photographs were taken of this historic machine. The photo shown below has been linked to from the ADF Serials website (http://www.adf-serials.com).



I have suspicions that the 'boat' may have been relocated in the last few years however this has yet to be confirmed. As an aside, the 'boat' appeared to be in at least reasonable condition externally when I saw it.

Cheers,
Matt

[Mr Widgeon]

Thanks for the input, and answers!

The tip floats were really no problem since the struts were fairly short and the floats were well braced.

True, but I'd think inferior in terms of safe landings and take-offs on rough water to a sponson arrangement. I'm no seaplane pilot (as well as no pilot) but the stresses, turning moments and chance of float loss are presumably much more significant than the buoyancy and 'tender' return to upright (without risk) of the sponsons, on a choppy sea with floats hitting crests or going into waves.

Don't forget the Boeing 314s habit of digging in the down wind wingtip when turning in anything more than a breeze.
They also had a problem with leaking sponsons.
The biggest problem with sponsons is that if you DO sink a wingtip there is nothing to keep the rest of the wing from continuing to flood and the airplane turning turtle.
I'm no seaplane pilot either but I've spent years and years around them.
The floats aren't really a problem until you slow down and come off the step.
Through the years PBYs and Albatrosses have operated in heavy seas with no problem regarding floats.
Of course there are always exceptions to any rule.
Landing in open water is always dangerous, more so when the sea is rough and the wind is up.
Open water landings under those conditions are only done under extreme need.
Knocking off a float is usually the least of your problems since the airplane is much more likely to open seams in the hull that will prevent a takeoff.
Then it's hope the rescue ship(s) gets there before you sink.
More flying boats have been lost to that cause than to having a float knocked off and rolling over.

[M.P.]

Some nice pictures of the Do 24 ATT here:
http://www.airfan.de/trips/europa/DornierDo-24ATT.htm

Some video, showing the Do 24 ATT in the air and on water:
http://www.pozefilm.de/video/do24.wmv
http://www.pozefilm.de/video/do24-fra.wmv

And here leading a formation together with two Breguet Atlantic:
http://www.pozefilm.de/video/do24info.wmv
This was the last flight for one of that Atlantic, the 61+05, on the way into a museum.