The lead ship of her class of four heavy cruisers for the Italian navy, Zara was launched on 27 April 1930. Commissioned into the Regia Marina on 20 October 1931, she took an active part in naval operations in the Mediterranean along with her sisters Fiume, Pola and Gorizia.
During the Battle of Cape Matapan, Zara and Fiume were sent to protect Pola which had been hit by an aerial torpedo. During the night, the three cruisers were surprized by a force of three British battleships (HMS Warspite, Valiant and Barham). All three heavy cruisers were lost.
Zara, likely in the mid 1930’sZara In port in 1935, possibly at NaplesZara on May 5, 1938Zara. Photographed in 1938 while conducting gunnery firing to portZara. Photographed in 1938 while conducting gunnery firing to portIMAM Ro.43 reconnaissance seaplane in the catapult of the heavy cruiser Zara, January 1940Zara in Battle of Punta Stilo, July 9, 1940Zara during the Battle of Point StriloHeavy cruisers Fiume, Gorizia, Zara and Pola in the battle near Punta Stilo, July 9, 1940Zara at Messina, March 23, 1942 after the 2nd Battle of SirteZara and FiumeZaraZara37mm AA on a Zara class cruiserZaraZaraZaraZara firing her 8 gunsThe bow 203 mm (8 inch) turrets of the Italian heavy cruiser Zara with the guns at maximum elevationTwin 100mm AA on a Zara class cruiserThe crew of a twin 100 mm DP mount at work, aboard the heavy cruiser Zara, January 1941The muzzle of a 203 mm (8 inch) Modello 1927 of the Italian heavy cruiser Zara
The Dornier Do 335 was a twin-engined fighter designed for the German Luftwaffe during the closing stages of the Second World War. The engines were arranged in a push-pull configuration, which produced a very fast aircraft. Overheating was a constant threat from the rear engine, a problem that continued throughout its development.
By the end of the war, no Do 335s had been delivered to operational squadrons. At leat 16 prototypes were built, along with approximately 22 pre-production machines completed. These included A-0, A-1 and A-11 versions. Numerous options were under development including a night fighter and twin fuselage versions.
Post war, captured aircraft were evaluated by France, Britain and the US.
Dornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UIDornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UIDornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UIDornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UIDornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UI tail sectionDornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UADornier Do 335 V1 CP+UA
Dornier Do 335 V3
Dornier Do 335 V3 Wk-Nr 230003 T9+ZH (formerly V3 CP+UC)Dornier Do 335 V3 Wk-Nr 230003 T9+ZH (formerly V3 CP+UC)Dornier Do 335 V3 Wk-Nr 230003 T9+ZH (formerly V3 CP+UC)
Dornier Do 335 V8
Dornier Do 335 V8 Wk-Nr 230008 CP+UH
Dornier Do 335 V9
Dornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UIDornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UIDornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UIDornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UIDornier Do 335 V9 Wk-Nr 230009 CP+UI tail section
Dornier Do 335 V11
Dornier Do 335 V11 (A-0) Wk-Nr 240111 CP+ULDornier Do 335 V11 (A-0) Wk-Nr 240111 CP+ULDornier Do 335 V11 (A-0) Wk-Nr 240111 VG+PO (previously CP+UL)
Dornier Do 335 V13
Dornier Do 335 V13
Dornier Do 335 V14
Dornier Do 335 M14 Wk-Nr 230014 RP+UQ is examined by German and US military and civilian personnelForward view of Do 335 M(V)14 Wk-Nr 230014 RP+UQ, fitted with wing-mounted 30mm MK 103 cannonRear view of Do 335 M(V)14 Wk-Nr 230014 RP+UQ at Oberpfaffenhofen.
Dornier Do 335 A0
Dornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240102 VG+PH captured by USDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240105 VH+PKDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240105 VH+PKDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240105 VH+PK with an Arado Ar 234 in the backgroundDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240105 VH+PKDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240107 VG+PMDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240107 VG+PMDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240107 VG+PMDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240107 VG+PMDornier Do 335 A-0 Wk-Nr 240110 VG+PP
Dornier Do 335 A1
Dornier Do 335 A-1 113Dornier Do 335 A-1
Dornier Do 335 A12
Dornier Do 335 A-12 114Dornier Do 335 A-12 114
Dornier Do 335s Under Construction
Dornier Do 335 fuselage under constructionUnfinished Do 335s at Dornier plant, OberpfaffenhofenUnfinished Do 335s at Dornier plant, OberpfaffenhofenDornier Do 335 aircraft in various stages of completion, near the town of Oberfaffenhofen
Dornier Do 335 Detail
Dornier Do 335 Pfeil being made ready for testing at Oberpfaffenhofen late 1944Dornier Do 335 forward engineDornier Do 335 rear exhaustDornier Do 335 rear engine installationDornier Do 335 rear engine installationDornier Do 335 rear engine installationDornier Do 335 rear propellerDornier Do 335 A0 cockpitDornier Do 335 access ladderDornier Do 335 main undercarriageDornier Do 335 nose undercarriageDornier Do 335 forward wheel wellDornier Do 335 cockpitDornier Do 335 Pilot’s seatDornier Do 335 V3 canopyDornier Do 335 V3 canopyDornier Do 335 V3 rear engine air intakeDornier Do 335 V3 cockpitDornier Do 335 V3 cockpitDornier Do 335 V3 flaps and aileronDornier Do 335 V8 rear engineDornier Do 335 V9 forward engine
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
