The development of the machine brought worldwide recognition to aviation pioneer Claude Dornier (1884-1969) in the 1920s, according to a spokesman for the Dornier Museum in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance, Germany. More than 300 “whale” flying boats were produced.
The special thing about a flying boat: “It’s designed for takeoff and landing.” Back then, most cities could be reached by water.
“Whale” flying boats were used for various purposes: in the postal services, in the emerging passenger aviation industry, for record and reconnaissance flights, as well as for military purposes. The twin-engine seaplane had seats for nine people.
With a five-ton tank load of up to 180 km/h, it can cover six flight hours. “This was something very special for when aviation was still in its infancy,” the spokesperson said.
The “whale” was also used by researchers for expeditions such as the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen, who discovered the Arctic in 1925. German naval pilot Wolfgang von Gronau (1893-1977) circumnavigated the entire planet in a flying boat in the 1930s. He covered more than 40,000 kilometers in less than four months. About 90 years ago the starting and landing point was List on Sylt.
The spokesperson said the “whale” had broken dozens of records. In the 1930s, the series was replaced by more advanced and new developments. A replica of the famous whale N25, the flying boat that Amundsen used on his trip to the North Pole, is also in the Dornier Museum. Starting this Thursday, the museum celebrates the anniversary of the first flight on November 6, 1922, with the special exhibition “Game Changer – 100 Year of Dornier Wal”.
(SDA)