Designed to a Royal Netherlands Navy requirement for a replacement of the Dornier Wals being used in the Dutch East Indies, the Dornier Do 24K first flew on 3 July 1937. The Netherlands planned to operate up to 90 Do 24K flying boats, however when Germany invaded in 1940, only 37 had been delivered to the East Indies.
Post-invasion the Dutch production line was resumed and an additional 159 Do 24s were built in addition to 16 incomplete airframes at the factory. A second production line was started at the CAMS factory at Sartrouville, France, during the German occupation. This line was operated by SNCAN and produced 48 Do 24s during the war and another 40 after the liberation of France, which served with the French Navy until 1952.
The two prototypes were used by the Luftwaffe during the invasion of Norway to transport troops to Narvik.
The aircraft captured and produced in the Netherlands were pressed into service with Seenotstaffeln (air-sea rescue) and deployed in the Arctic, Baltic, North Sea, Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean, and Black Sea. They were also used as transports, notably for keeping contact with the troops left behind on the Aegean Islands and Crete, and for supporting the Kuban bridgehead in early 1943.
Dornier Do 24 N-1 KD+GJDornier Do 24 N-1 KD+GJDornier Do 24 N-1 KD+GJDornier Do 24 N-1 D-AEAV of Seenotdienst
Dornier Do 24T
A new Dornier Do 24T-3 is run up outside the CAMS factory in Sartrouville, near Paris, on the SeineDornier Do 24T-2 (KOJT) from Seenotstaffel 7 (SBK XI) in the Aegean Sea in 1942Dornier Do 24T-2Dornier Do 24T-2 CM+IH at KirkenesDornier Do 24T-1 5W+GU of Seenotstaffel 50Dornier Do 24T-1 behind an Italian CANT Z.506Dornier Do 24T of Seenotstaffel 3 arriving at Schellingwoude, the flying boat base of Amsterdam in The Netherlands.Dornier Do 24TDornier Do 24T-1Dornier Do 24T-2 (CM+IA) flying over Lake Constance, where Seenotstaffel 9 held a training camp during the severe winters of 1941 and 1942Dornier Do 24T-2 CM+IM with a broken tailAn abandoned Dornier Do 24T-2 (CH+EV) at Mersa Matruh harbor, EgyptSunken shipping at Mersa Matruh, Egypt, in November 1941. A wrecked Dornier Do 24T-2 flying boat (CH+EV) is on the right.
Dornier Do 24MS
Dornier Do 24T-3 converted to a minesweeper
Miscellaneous Dornier Do 24 Photos
Dornier Do 24 EnginesDornier Do24Dornier Do24Dornier Do24Dornier Do24 V1Dornier Do24 with Blohm & Voss BV 138 flying boatsDornier Do 24s of 9. Staffel and an Arado Ar 196 in front of their hangar at Kiel-HoltenauDornier Do 24 at Schleswig in North Germany after the war had endedDornier Do 24 of SNG 81 in the special markings applied for the Luftwaffe’s final operation. Schleswig in late 1945
The Blohm und Voss BV 222 Wiking was a large six-engined flying boat originally designed for Luft Hansa as a trans-Atlantic commercial transport. With the commencement of World War Two, production was overtaken by the Luftwaffe. Used as a long range transport, reconnaissance and air-ambulance a total of 13 were built. Post war one was used by the Royal Air force until 1947 when a lack of spare parts resulted in it being scrapped.
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V1, work number 222/365, initially with the civil registration number D-ANTE, first flew on September 7, 1940. In July 1941 it received the military codes CC+EQ. On May 10, 1942 it was assigned to Lufttransportstaffel-See 222. In February 1943 V1 hit a submerged wreck in Piraeus Harbour and sank, later being scrapped.
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V2, work number 222/366, CC+ER, first flew on 7 August 1941. From August 10, 1942 it was coded X4+BH and operated by air transport Portstaffel-See 222. At the end of the war it was captured in Norway, then given to the US for testing. After testing, it was blown up off Trondheim.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-2Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-4Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-2 X4+BHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-2 with gondolas removedBlohm & Voss BV 222 V2 having lower hull repairedBlohm und Voss BV 222 V2 in Norway 1945Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-2 X4+BHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V2
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V3
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V3, work number 222/439, DM+SD, first flew on 28 November 1941. From December 9, 1941 it was recoded as X4+CH of Transportstaffel-See 222 and was used as a long-distance transport. From May 1942 it was used for reconnaissance with the Fliegerfiihrer Atlantic On June 20 1943 along with BV 222 V5 it was attacked by a de Havilland Mosquito Il of No 264 Squadron, RAF on Lake Biscarosse in France and sunk.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-3
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V4
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V4, work number 222/0004, DM+ SE, first flew on the 9 April 1942. From April 20, 1942 coded X4+DH it was allocated to the air transport Portstaffel-See 222 At the end of the war it was in Kiel-Holtenau where it was blown up by its own crew.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-4Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DH somewhere in the Mediterranean possibly off TobrukBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-4 X4+DHBlohm und Voss BV 222 V4
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V5, work number 222/000 0005 first flew on 3 July 1942. From July 7, 1942 coded X4+EH it was allocated to the air transport squadron See 222. On June 20, 1943 along with the BV 222 V3 it was attacked by a de Havilland Mosquito II No 264 Squadron RAF, on Lake Biscarosse in France and sunk.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5 in the MediterraneanBlohm und Voss BV 222 V5Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5 in Norway
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V6
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V6, work number 222/000 0006, first few on August 19th 1942. From 21 August 1942 coded as X4+FH it was allocated to the Air Transport Staff Fel-See 222. On November 24, 1942 near Pantel-leria it was shot down by a Bristol Beaufighter of No 272 Squadron, RAF.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V6
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V7, first prototype of the C-series also referred to as C-07, work number 222/031 0007, was powered with Junkers Jumo 207 C diesel engines. It was operated as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft as TB+QL from August 16, 1943. At the end of the war it was blown up near Travemunde.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Cockpit of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V8, work number 222/000 0008, was powered by Bramo 323 R2 Fafnir radial engines and first flew on 20 October 1942. From 26 October, 1942 coded X4+HH it was allocated to the air transport Portstaffel-See 222. On 10 December 10, 1942 it was shot down south of Malta by Bristol Beaufighters of 227 Squadron RAF.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8Blohm und Voss BV 222 V8
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V9
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V9 was the first C-series machine and was later designated C-09 powered by Junkers Jumo 207 C diesel engines. From July 23, 1943 it operated as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft. At the end of the war it was captured at Travemiinde.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V9 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V9 (C-0)Blohm und Voss BV 222 V9 (C-0)
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V10
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V10, later designated C-010 wk.nr 222/031 0010, equipped with Junkers Jumo diesel engines, first flew on July 17, 1943. Assigned codes TB+QN it was used for long-distance reconnaissance by Fliegerfihrer Atlantic. It was shot down on February 8, 1944 near Biscarosse by a de Havilland Mosauito II of No 157th Squadron RAF.
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V10
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V11, later designated as C-011 wk.nr 222/33 0051, was equipped with Junkers Jumo 20 engines and first flew on October 16, 1943.Assigned codes TB+QO it was used as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft by Fliegerfihrer Atlantic. The fate of this aircraft is unknown.
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V12
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V12, later designated as C-012 wk.nr 222/33 0052, was powered by Junkers Jumo 20 engines and first flew on November 23, 1943. Assigned codes DL+TX it was used as a long-distance reconnaissance aircraft by Fliegerführer Atlantic. It was captured by British troops in Norway at the end of the war and transferred to Great Britain. Given serial number VP501 it was used until April 1947.
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V13
Blohm & Voss BV 222 V13, later designated as C-013 wk.nr 222/33 0053, was equipped with Junkers Jumo engines and first flight on April 18, 1944. It received the identification code DL+TY.
Blohm und Voss BV 222 Detail
The wing-mounted turret of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V5Side Machine Gun of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V4MG 157 turret on Blohm und Voss BV 222 V3 of the LTS 222Engine and wing-mounted floats of the Blohm und Voss BV 222Engine detail of the Blohm und Voss BV 222The wing-mounted floats of the Blohm und Voss BV 222Cockpit of Blohm und Voss BV 222 V7 (C-0)Cockpit of the Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-1
Blohm und Voss BV 222 Under Construction
Blohm und Voss BV 222 under constructionFuselage of a captured Blohm und Voss BV 222 in Hamburg 1945
Blohm und Voss BV 222 in British Service
Blohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the BritishBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the BritishBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the BritishBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the BritishBlohm und Voss BV 222 V-12 (C-0) captured by the British
Blohm und Voss BV 222 in US Service
Blohm und Voss BV 222 evaluated by US ForcesBlohm und Voss BV 222 evaluated by US Forces
Miscellaneous Blohm und Voss BV 222s
Blohm und Voss BV 222 C-0Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222Blohm und Voss BV 222
Once an air base in World War Two, little remains of RAAF Rathmines apart from some re-purposed buildings and a war memorial dedicated to the crews of Catalina flying boats based here. The beaching ramp where the Catalinas were brought ashore is now a boat launching ramp. Behind the memorial, the bowling club was once the officers’ mess.
History
Formed in 1939, the RAAF Station at Rathmines became one of the major flying boat bases for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II, and housed Nos 9, 11, 20, 40,41, 43 and 107 Squadrons at various stages during the war. Used as a training base after World War 2 it was closed and then sold in the early 1960s.
The Memorial
The area where the memorial stands was the site of the Commanding Officer`s residence and control tower. Built in 1972 and dedicated to all RAAF personnel who served on flying boats at Rathmines a Catalina propeller sits on top of the memorial. Walls on both sides commemorate those who died or served for their country and had passed through the base at Rathmines. Reading the names, we saw how young some of them were.
Club Catalina
Now a bowling club, Club Catalina was once the officer’s mess for the RAAF base. Unfortunately closed during our visit, the club contains a memorial wall commemorating and honouring RAAF personnel who operated and trained at the base during its service years.
What Did We Think?
Very easy to find with plenty of parking, we loved the history of the area as well as the views over the lake.
The Catalina War MemorialWall of RemembranceWall of RemembranceThe Dedication PlaqueThe Memorial Viewed Through TreesCommemoration of the Renaming of the BayCatalina BayThe Bowling Club’s Club Catalina
