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The Dornier Libelle (en:"Dragonfly I"), also designated Do A, was a German open-cockpit, all-metal, parasol wing, monoplane flying boat aircraft, with partly fabric-covered wings. There was three versions of the seaplane version; the prototype, first version, and improved version (the Libelle 2). A landplane version, built without sponsons and fitted with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage was produced as the Dornier Spatz.[1]
| Libelle | |
|---|---|
| |
| The Dornier Libelle II in the Deutsches Museum München | |
| Role | Flying boat |
| Manufacturer | Dornier |
| Designer | Claude Dornier |
| First flight | 16 August 1921 |
| Number built | 2x Do A + 5x Libelle I + 3x Libelle II |
Variants
edit- Do A
- Two prototypes of the Libelle[2]
- Libelle I
- The standard production model, five built, fitted with Siemens-Halske Sh 4 engines and two built with 59.7 kW (80 hp) Siemens-Halske Sh 5 engines.[2]
- Libelle II
- The improved Libelle II was powered by Siemens-Halske Sh 5 or 75 kW (101 hp) Siemens-Halske Sh 11 engines. Other engines fitted to Libelle II aircraft include the Bristol Lucifer and the ADC Cirrus. Three built.[2]
Accidents
editA Dornier Libelle crashed into the sea off Milford beach in Auckland, New Zealand on 12 December 1929, killing both crewmen.[3]
Survivor
editA Libelle II VQ-FAB, manufacturers number 117 built in 1925, which operated in Fiji, is displayed in the Deutsches Museum in the centre of Munich.[4]
Specifications (Libelle I)
editData from [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: two passengers
- Length: 7.18 m (23 ft 7 in)
- Wingspan: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
- Height: 2.27 m (7 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 14 m2 (150 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 420 kg (926 lb)
- Gross weight: 640 kg (1,411 lb)
- Fuel capacity: fuel 42 kg (93 lb)fuel + oil 10 kg (22 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Siemens-Halske Sh 4 5-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engine, 45 kW (60 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 120 km/h (75 mph, 65 kn)
- Cruise speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
- Range: 300 km (190 mi, 160 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 1,600 m (5,200 ft)
References
edit- ^ "Dornier Spatz". Germany. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Do A Libelle". Germany: histaviation.com. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ^ Tragedy at Milford
- ^ Ogden, 2006. p. 202
- "Do A Libelle". Germany: histaviation.com. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- Donald, David, ed. (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Prospero Books. p. 347. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Ogden, Bob (2006). Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe. Tonbridge, Kent: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-375-7.
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to Dornier Do A Libelle.
- "Dornier Spatz". Germany. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- Dornier “Libelle" at http://www.jadu.de/luftfahrt
- "Libelle" at www.histaviation.com Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine