D-1929 Dornier Do X
(c/n 1)
Launched in 1929, the appropriately registered giant 52
ton 100 passenger Do X was clearly twenty
years ahead of its
time. DLH planned to use the mammoth 'boat on trans-Atlantic
services. Unfort-
unately the twelve engined machine was
grossly underpowered and, even the substitution of the original
Seimens Jupiter air cooled
radials with Curtiss Conquerers in 1930 did little to enhance its
performance.
Several long distance flight were made,
including the infamous North Atlantic crossing which took a
couple of years to complete,
dogged as the craft was with mechanical problems. It was
finally put on
exhibit in 1934 in the
Deutschen Luftfahrtmuseum in Berlin. The Do X was unfortunately
destroyed in
1945 during an allied air
raid,