Dornier Do 28 is a family of twin-engine light utility aeroplanes from Dornier Flugzeugwerk. The first production version, substantially based on the relatively popular single-engine Do 27, was the Do 28 A-1 with two 250HP Lycoming O-540 engines and two-bladed propellers. This was developed into the Do 28 B-1 with two 290HP IO-540 engines, three-bladed propellers, larger tail and redesigned nose. Sixty of each model were produced. The Do 28 B was followed by a similar but entirely new and larger design, the Do 28 D. The Do 28 D was developed further into the Do 128, which in turn tested a new wing ("TNT") and turboprop engines used for the Do 228. All these types had good "Short Take-off and Landing" (STOL) capabilities. This page focuses on the Do 28 A.
| Do 28 A-1 | Do 28 B-1 | Do 28 D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length (m) | 9.2 | 9.0 | 11.4 |
| Height (m) | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.9 |
| Wing span (m) | 13.8 | 13.8 | 15.5 |
| Wing Area (m2) | 22.4 | 22.4 | 29.0 |
| Empty Weight (kg) | 1670 | 1725 | 2238 |
| Take-off Weight (kg) | 2450 | 2670 | 4015 |
| Max Speed (km/h) | 280 | 302 | |
| Cruise Speed (km/h) | 250 | 280 | 272 |
| Landing Speed (km/h) | 85 | 85 | |
| Service Ceiling (m) | 5900 | 6300 | 7680 |
| Range (km) | 1150 | 1780 | 2875 |
| Take-off distance (m) | 310 | 272 | 546 |
| Landing distance (m) | 210 | 225 | 530 |
| Seats (crew + pax) | 2 + 6 | 2 + 6 | 2 + 12 |
All models of the type have a high-mounted wing without struts and two engines unusually arranged on stub wings at the bottom of the fuselage with the fixed main landing gear underneath. The A model can be distinguished from the B model by larger, more prominent exhaust outlets, two-bladed propellers, nose profile, and landing light in the wing tip. The B model had smaller, more streamlined exhaust outlets, three-bladed propellers, and landing light in the nose.
The D model is larger and more angular. The engine nacelles and fuselage are almost rectangular in cross-section, whereas they are oval in the A and B models.
The type's good STOL characteristics meant that it was often used to transport passengers or cargo to small, unimproved 'bush' airstrips. As well as official military operations, the type was used by Air America and Bird & Sons, both CIA front companies, in south-east Asia before and during the Viet Nam war. Even more notoriously, five examples were used by the short-lived Katangese Air Force. At least one was used for missionary work in the Pacific. The type was also used for air taxi work by such operators as Deutsche Taxiflug (D-IBAG) which later merged with Deutsche Nahluft to become Air Lloyd (operating D-IHUL). The type was also used by FINA (PetroFina) in Canada, Rosenthal China, and the French Customs service.
RUAG Aerospace hold the type certificate, A.360 for all Do 28 models and Do 128, as well as for the Do 228 which they have developed into the Do 224NG. The US FAA has type certificate 7A13
An Airworthiness Directive list can be downloaded from the LBA (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, German aviation authority), but it seems like the actual ADs are not available electronically.
All piston-powered versions of the Do 28 (A, B and D) used a version of Lycoming's 6 cylinder O-540 (O=horizontally opposed, 540 = 540 cubic inch) family of engines.
| Do 28 A-1 | Do 28 B-1 | Do 28 D-1 & -2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | O-540-A1D | IO-540-A1A5 | IGSO-540-A1E |
| Power (HP) | 250 @ 2575 rpm | 290 @ 2575 rpm | 380 @ 3200rpm |
| Fuel delivery | carburettor | fuel injection | fuel injection |
| Air delivery | naturally aspirated | naturally aspirated | supercharged |
| Propeller Drive | direct | direct | geared (77:120) |
Sixty series Do 28 A-1 were built, numbered 3001 to 3060. Sixty subsequent Do 28 B were numbered 3061 to 3120.
| Constr. nbr | Registration | Notes | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3000 | PT-IIP | (Do 28 A prototype, Brazil)
| Cert of Airworthiness expired 1979. |
| 3004 | D-IHUL | written off 1972 | |
| 3005 | OY-AIW | Picture: after crash | written off 27-JUL-1960 |
| 3007 | SE-CON | written off 1963 | |
| 3009 | D-IBYD | written off 1973 | |
| 3010 | D-IATA |
| |
| 3011 | N2001F |
| |
| 3023 | N12828 |
| |
| 3024 | D-IDTF | Operated by Air Lloyd, crashed and repaired, Germany, 10-SEP-1963 | |
| 3025 | D-ICTF | Operated by Air Lloyd.
| written off 13-oct-1964 |
| 3027 | N2002F |
| |
| 3030 | EC-BNH | written off 11-jan-1975 | |
| 3034 | N96155 | written off 20-jun-1977. Hit trees on go-around | |
| 3044 | PJ-ADI | written off 17-may-1971 | |
| 3047 | F-OCBR | Crashed and repaired, New Hebrides (Vanuatu) 28-FEB-1964 | |
| 3048 | D-IBEW | Operated by Air Lloyd. Lost in mid-air collision with Lockheed Starfighter DA+103 | written off 02-jun-1965 |
| 3049 | ST-ACM | written off 01-jan-1970 | |
| 3050 | D-IBEX, CS-AIO, N20LP |
Owned by me.
| In storage, complete but not airworthy, Auckland, NZ. |
| 3051 | D-IBOM, G-ASUR, N123CA | One of the few flying examples left. Lives at Shuttleworth, UK.
| |
| 3056 | HB-LCK | written off 02-jun-1979 | |
| 3058 | XW-PCT | written off 24-mar-1976 | |
| 3059 | HS-CHI | written off 22-oct-1979 |
