Dornier Do 27
The Dornier Do 27 was a German single-engine STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier). Configuration was a classic high-wing, "tail-dragger" aircraft with fixed landing gear.
History
Dorniers facilities in Spain designed the Do 25, to a Spanish military requirement for a light utility aircraft, as a precursor to the production Do 27. Powered by a single 110 kilowatts (150 hp) ENMA Tigre G.V engine, the Do 25 was not selected for production.
The Do 27 seated four to six and the original prototype first flew in Spain on 27 June 1955. Most production aircraft were built in Germany, the first German built aircraft taking flight on 17 October 1956, 50 more were manufactured in Spain by Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA as the CASA-127.
The German Air Force and German Army ordered a total of 428 of the Do 27A and Do 27B (with dual controls).
A later version with the same basic specifications but equipped with wider track landing gear was known as the Do 27Q-5. The aircraft was offered as a twin-float seaplane, the Do 27S-1, and with a larger engine (254 kW/340 hp Lycoming GSO-480-B1B6) and a three-blade propeller as the Do 27H-2.
In addition to the military operators in Germany and Spain, Portugal received 40 new build and 106 ex-German aircraft. The Portuguese Air Force used these extensively in the colonial war in Portuguese Africa during the 1960s-70s. In the Portuguese Guinea, in April 1973, two Do 27s were shot down by SAM-7 Grail shoulder-launched AAMs.
The Do 27 was notable for being the first mass-produced aircraft in Germany after World War II. It was appreciated for its relatively wide, comfortable cabin and excellent short-field performance.
Variants
- Do 25 : Do25-P1, 150 hp Tigre GIVB engine Do 27- P2, 225hp Continental O470-J.
- Do 27 : Static Test Airframe # 101 and 2 other Do 27 Prototypes (# 102 and # 103 later registered as B1)
- Do 27-A1 : Basic military production variant, 6 seats, 1570 kg MTOW, undercarriage width 225 cm. 177 built.
- Do 27-A2 : As A1 minor modifications (interior), two built.
- Do 27-A3 : As A1. (but 1700 kg MTOW) with Wheels (8,5 x 10), Reinforced Fuselage and Wing, 1750 kg MTOW, 88 built.
- Do 27-A4 : As A3. wide landing gear (272 cm), 1850 kg MTOW, 65 built.
- Do 27-A5 : 38 Do 27-A3 converted to A4 Standard. Certificated as civil Model as A4 later.
- Do 27-B1 : As A1. Dual Controls, 86 built.
- Do 27-B2 : As B1 apart minor internal modifications and dual brake, five built.
- Do 27-B3 : As B1. (1700 kg MTOW) with Wheels (8,5 x 10), Reinforced Fuselage and Wing, 1750 kg MTOW, 16 built.
- Do 27-B5 : 10 Do 27-B3 converted to A4 Standard. Certificated as A4 later.
- Do 27-H1 : One aircraft as B2. Engine Lycoming GSO-480 B1B6 (340 hp), 3-bladed prop, different rudder.
- Do 27-H2 : As H1 for the Swiss Air Force. Fuselage like A4 or Q1.
- Do 27-J1 : As A4. Do 27-A4 delivered to the Belgium Army.
- Do 27-K1 : As A4. Do 27-A4 delivered to the Portuguese Air Force.
- Do 27-K2 : As K1. minor technical Modifications. Delivered to Portuguese Air Force.
- Do 27-Q1 : As A3. Six-seat basic Civil version.
- Do 27-Q3 : Four-seat variant of the Q-1 with a 230 hp Continental O-470K engine, one built.
- Do 27-Q4 : As Q1. Fuselage as A4.auxiliary fueltanks (2 x 72 l), 1850 kg MTOW, 34 built.
- Do 27-Q5 : As Q4. Minor internal Modifications, 12 built.
- Do 27-Q6 : As Q5. Internal Modifications, matches FAA-certification criteria for Guinea Bissau and Brazil (2 built).
- Do 27-S1 : Floatplane with enlarged rudder and a ventral fin (# 2023). As Q1 later registerd as Do 27-S2. Crashed 2.9.72.
- Do 27-T : As Q4. Turbomeca Astazou II turbine (530 hp). 1 Do 27-T1 was built (# 2068).
- C.127 : As A1. License production of C.A.S.A/Spain.
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