The Do 24 entered Luftwaffe service as an expensive rescue asset - the equivalent of today's heavy combat SAR helicopter. As such it saw action all around Europe. Built on the Dutch Do 24 production line, CH-EV was delivered to Seenotstaffel 7 in Athens in December 1941. It was damaged by Allied naval gunfire in this small Egyptian port on 12 August 1942, and declared a Totalverlust (total loss) on 28 August. The Allies retook Mersa Matruh during the Second Battle of El Alamein early in November. Photo by: MD Elias/Alexander Turnbull Library

On 31 October 1944 a Luftwaffe Do 24 rescue aircraft, CM-RY, was flown from Nest (Unieście) in Pomeriania to Sweden by a deserting mechanic, Heinz Roesch, and his girlfriend. Roesch was hired as an adviser and the Do 24 entered service with F2 wing at Hägernäs, today the Täby seaplane flying club. It served in the rescue role until 1951. Photo from: Flygvapenmuseum

This Do-24 was recovered from Lake Müritz, which adjoins the former Luftwaffe test centre at Rechlin in 1991. This aircraft was probably one of the four Do-24s that were to be used in a suicide attack on the Oder bridges in a desperate attempt to stop the Soviet advance in March 1945. The Do-24 had been chosen because it was able to carry such a sufficient amount of explosives. However, before the attack could be made all four Do-24s on Lake Muritz were destroyed and sunk by attacking American fighters.

This wonderful aircraft was straffed by P-51s and sunk burning at Lake Muritz, Germany in the last stages of WWII in 1945. Code sometimes quoted as KK-VC

Almost 280 Do-24s were built in various versions between 1937 and 1945. They were used by the Luftwaffe during WWII for long-range SAR & reconnaissance and by the EdA until the 1960s. This plane is a composite from the fuselage of Aviolanda-built WNr. 3385, mated with the original wing of the Do 24 that became the Do 24 ATT, WNr 3404. It was previously a gate-guard at the Dornier factory at Oberpfaffenhofen but is displayed at the Deutsches Museum - Flugwerft Schleissheim with EdA markings from 1960-1969.

[Nikon D300 + Tokina 12-24mm/4]

Participant to Biscarrosse Seaplane Airshow 2008. This aircraft is widely quoted as cn 5345, but that is its fuselage number. Its true Dornier Werknummer is 3404.

With name "de Ouwe Lobbes" barely visible. On long-term loan from the Royal Air Force Museum. This aircraft is widely quoted as c/n 5294, but that is its fuselage number. It is in fact Dornier Werknummer 3387 which was delivered to Spain in Sep 1944, becoming '65-7', then HR.5-7, HR.5-1 and finally HD.5-1. It was one of two examples bought in August 1976 by Dolph Overton and it was registered to him as N99225 in Feb 1977. The aircraft was never delivered to him, remaining in storage at Pollensa, Spain. Mr. Overton donated it to the Royal Air Force Museum in 1982, which in turn loaned it to the Dutch museum in Nov 1991.

On long-term loan from the Royal Air Force Museum. This aircraft is widely quoted as c/n 5294, but that is its fuselage number. It is in fact Dornier Werknummer 3387 which was delivered to Spain in Sep 1944, becoming '65-7', then HR.5-7, HR.5-1 and finally HD.5-1. It was one of two examples bought in August 1976 by Dolph Overton and it was registered to him as N99225 in Feb 1977. The aircraft was never delivered to him, remaining in storage at Pollensa, Spain. Mr. Overton donated it to the Royal Air Force Museum in 1982, which in turn loaned it to the Militaire Luchtvaart Museum in Nov 1991.

This aircraft is widely quoted as cn 5345, but that is its fuselage number. Its true Dornier Werknummer is 3404.

The Dornier Do 24 V1 prototype seen during trials. It was D-AIBE for some time and later Luftwaffe TJ-HR. This aircraft, powered by Jumo diesel engines, first flew on 10 January 1938 but it had been preceded by the Wright Cyclone-powered Do 24 V3 for the Netherlands.

The Do 24 flying boat was not initially selected for German use but on 12 April 1940 the V1 prototype, powered by Jumo diesel engines, was sent from Travemünde to Narvik with an urgent cargo of ammunition and medical supplies. The crew relied on an atlas sheet for navigation and reached their destination the next day after an adventurous flight. This quay still exists along Fagernesveien, Narvik. A torpedo had exploded under the jetty and destroyed the building on the right. Photo by: Gerd Böttger / Bundesarchiv