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The Dornier Do 11 was the first new bomber built for the Luftwaffe, although was mainly used as a training aircraft.
The Do 11 was developed from the Dornier Do P, and was originally designated as the Dornier Do F.
The Dornier Do P had been powered by four engines carried in two twin engined nacelles, each carrying one pusher and one tractor engine, and carried above the wing. The Do 11 carried its engines in wing mounted nacelles. It had a high mounted wing.
The prototype Do 11 was powered by two 530hp Siemens Jupiter VI engines when it made its maiden flight on 7 May 1932. It was almost entirely built from metal, apart from some canvas covering. It had a retractable undercarriage, but this was problematic and was often left locked down. The wing had a straight trailing edge and curved leading edge. The biggest problem with the design was that the airframe was too weak, leading to problems with wing vibration and fuselage deformation.
Mass production of the Do 11C began at Friedrichshafen in 1932. It was powered by the Siemans Sh 22B-2 engine and had metal propellers. It had the same fuselage, wings and tail as the prototype. Although it had been ordered as a cargo and postal aircraft, the Do 11C could carry bombs. It could carry 30 50kg bombs on six vertically mounted magazines or 120 10kg bombs on a special bomb rack. In theory it could carry three machine guns, one above the bombardier’s position in the nose, one in a dorsal position behind the wing and one in a ventral position close by. The last two shared a single gunner. On the Do 11C the gun positions were normally faired over and there was no glazing for the bomb aimer. The Do 11C was largely used as a training aircraft.
The Do 11D had shorter wings in an attempt to solve problems with wing vibrations. It also had a new type of rudder control and extra fins under the tailplane. A total of 150 were ordered, of which 76 were delivered. Some Do 11Ds were used by the Reichsbahn as air freighters. However more went to the new Luftwaffe. It had a glazed nose allowing the bomb aimer to work and open gun positions.
The Do 11 was followed by the less successful Do 13 and then the Do 23, which did at least enter service, but saw already obsolescent and was soon replaced by more modern designs.
Do 11D
Engine: Two Siemens Sh 22B-2 engines
Power:
Crew: 4
Span: 26.3m
Length: 18.8m
Height: 5.6m
Empty weight: 5,830kg
Maximum take-off weight: 2,370kg
Max speed: 260km/h
Climb Rate:
Service ceiling: 4,100m
Endurance:
Armament: Three machine guns
Bomb load: 30 50kg bombs or 120 10kg bombs
Aircraft of the Luftwaffe 1935-1945, Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage.
Combines a good background history of the Luftwaffe with a comprehensive examination of its aircraft, from the biplanes of the mid 1930s to the main wartime aircraft and on to the seemingly unending range of experimental designs that wasted so much effort towards the end of the war. A useful general guide that provides an impressively wide range of information on almost every element of the Luftwaffe (Read Full Review)
