Dornier Thursday 29
| Dornier Thursday 29 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | V / STOL - experimental aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
December 12, 1958 |
| Number of pieces: |
2 |
The Dornier Do 29 was an experimental aircraft developed in the late 1950s that was built in cooperation with the German Research Institute for Aviation (today the German Aerospace Center ) to research the transition from short to vertical take-off technology.
history
The first flight of the first of a total of two prototypes (a third was planned but never realized) was on December 12, 1958.
construction
The design was largely based on the Dornier Do 27 , but was significantly modified in the fuselage front section and wing center section. The highly glazed single-seat cockpit offered good visibility, especially down and was using a Martin-Baker - ejection seat equipped.
A striking feature were the two engines under the wings with rear-facing three-bladed propellers. These propellers could be swiveled down to 90 ° via a swivel gear and were connected to one another by a shaft to ensure even thrust in the event of an engine failure. The necessary counter-rotation to compensate for the gyro torques of the propellers was achieved via the swivel gear.
use
The tests with the goals set were successful from the start and further research results provided fundamental knowledge for the short take-off / landing and slow flight for the design of the Dornier Do 31 . The flight tests were mainly carried out by the works pilot Heinrich Schäfer , as well as by pilots from the Bundeswehr and the DLR .
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 9.5 m |
| span | 13.2 m |
| height | 2.7 m |
| Empty mass | 2180 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 2490 kg |
| Cruising speed | 285 km / h (reaches 200 km / h) |
| Top speed | 330 km / h (reaches 230 km / h) |
| Service ceiling | 6500 m |
| Range | 400 km |
| Engines | two 6-cylinder boxer engines Avro-Lycoming GO-480-BI-A6 each with 270 PS (approx. 200 kW) |
Received aircraft
The last prototype of the Do 29 still in existence was exhibited in the Bundeswehr Air Force Museum in Berlin until March 2009 . It is now on permanent loan in the Dornier Museum in Friedrichshafen , which opened in July 2009.
