Dornier Do 29

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 (STOL) aircraft. The concept was proved 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 aircraft that would utilise a system of pusher propellers, one on each wing in a pusher configuration, to provide downward 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. 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 an emergency.^[2] The previous Dornier Do 27 had capacity for 4 or 5 passengers, while the Do 29 was expected to have similar passenger numbers at 4 to 6 passengers.^[3]

Testing

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] The aircraft did have some issues during testing, as in July 1962, 1 of the 2 Do 29's was damaged and was written off. The 2nd remaining aircraft continued testing for another year before it was retired.^[3] The aircraft was expected to have a 82 foot takeoff run, but some sources state it had a 262 foot takeoff run and 147 foot run for landing.^[3]

Following testing, the Do-29's 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 Friedrichshafen, Germany.^[1]

Operators

Germany

Luftwaffe

Specifications (Do 29)

Data from ^[1]^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: one (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) ^[5]
Wing area: 21.8 m² (235 sq ft)
Empty weight: 2,180 kg (4,806 lb)
Gross weight: 2,400 kg (5,291 lb) ^[5]
Max takeoff weight: 2,490 kg (5,490 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming GO-480-B1A6 geared horizontally-opposed piston engines, 200 kW (270 hp) each
Propellers: 3-bladed

Performance

Maximum speed: 290 km/h (180 mph, 160 kn)
Minimum control speed: 24 km/h (15 mph, 13 kn)
Range: 400 km (250 mi, 220 nmi)
Service ceiling: 6,500 m (21,300 ft)

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Goebel, Greg. "Dornier Civil Aircraft" Archived June 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. VectorSite, April 2010. Accessed 2010-06-10.
^ ^a ^b Luftwaffe: Projekte: Do 29. In: Geschichte der Luftwaffe. Bundeswehr. Accessed 2009-06-15.
^ ^a ^b ^c McDowell, Jason (2022-05-10). "Dornier's Do-29 Broke Ground in STOL Before It Was Fashionable". FLYING Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
^ Winchester 2005, pp. 84-85.
^ ^a ^b 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

http://www.1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Visschedijk/6709.htm Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine

[VS-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Goebel, Greg. "Dornier Civil Aircraft" Archived June 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. VectorSite, April 2010. Accessed 2010-06-10.

[De-2] Luftwaffe: Projekte: Do 29. In: Geschichte der Luftwaffe. Bundeswehr. Accessed 2009-06-15.

[:0-3] McDowell, Jason (2022-05-10). "Dornier's Do-29 Broke Ground in STOL Before It Was Fashionable". FLYING Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-17.

[Win-4] Winchester 2005, pp. 84-85.

[OBA-5] Green 1960 p.90-1

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Dornier and Zeppelin-Lindau aircraft
Zeppelin-Lindau 1914-1919	Rs.I Rs.II Rs.III Rs.IV CL.I CL.II CS.I D.I Gs.I Gs.II V 1
Dornier designations 1919-1933	Do A Do B Do C Do D Do E Do F Do G (project) 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 Falke 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 (Operational history) 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 32K Do 34 128 Do 131 Do 132 228 Do 231 328 328JET 428 528 728JET 928JET Aerodyne Alpha Jet Projekt 621 Seastar S-Ray 007
See also Claude Dornier and Dornier Museum Friedrichshafen