Albatros Productions Limited

Windsock Datafile No. 136 Dornier Flying Boats

by  Ray Rimell

Reviewed By  Clare Wentzel, IPMS# 1096

MSRP: £10.85 from the publisher. (~$17.75 US) Website: www.windsockdatafilespecials.co.uk/ Datafile number 136 from Albatros Productions, Ltd. covers the Dornier Flying Boats. Ray Rimell is the author of this datafile. Ray is the Editor of Windsock Worldwide magazine and is an enthusiastic fan of World War One aircraft. While Ray is listed as the author of this datafile, much of the information was provided by the late Peter Grosz and by George Haddow, who prepared the drawings. In 1910, young Claude Dornier started working for the Zeppelin Company and Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin himself soon recognized his skills. He was assigned to design a series of large all-metal seaplanes. A small group of engineers were then relocated to Lake Constance to start work. Four different programs were completed before the end of the war. The first was a huge multi-strut biplane with a wingspan of over 142 feet while the forth program was a 121 foot wingspan monoplane that contained an enclosed cabin, an early indication of future designs. While they were not major factors during the war, they laid the groundwork to the many future seaplane designs from Dornier. This 33-page book contains 70 large black and white photos with eleven pages being devoted to the detailed 1/72 and 1/144 scale drawings that we have come to expect in the Datafile line. The drawings provide details of the four different programs including the differences between the two RS.II designs. Some cockpit detail is provided for the Rs.III. As usual, the book format includes a detailed written narrative of the four aircraft programs. The photos include glimpses of the construction of these giants and the words and photos combine to provide the reader a very detailed understanding of these little known aircraft, which formed the basis of Claude Dornier's long line of seaplanes. This book is well recommended for all aviation enthusiasts who are fans of World War One. The author has done a fantastic job of providing as much information as possible about these little-known aircraft. This book is a must to expand our knowledge of this facet of World War One aviation. I would like to thank Albatros Productions Ltd. for providing the sample for review. Information on this book and other Datafiles is available from the publisher on their website - www.windsockdatafilespecials.co.uk/. The books are also available from many other hobby shops, aviation booksellers and some contest vendors.