2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. DornierWal D-2069: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
- 2. Argos: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
what is it?
The Dornier Do J Wal ("whale") is a twin-engine German flying boat of the 1920s designed by Dornier Flugzeugwerke and manufactured in five countries. The Do J was designated the Do 16 by the Reich Air Ministry (Reichsluftfahrtministerium – RLM) under its aircraft designation system of 1933.
How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · 22 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 104 years ago, in 1922.
- Wingspan of 22 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1922-11-06
- introduced
- 1923
- retired
- 1953
- status
- retired
- number built
- 300
- role
- flying boat
- makers
- Dornier
- engines
- 2× Rolls-Royce Eagle IX / BMW VI
- passengers
- 10
- length
- 17.3 m
- wingspan
- 22 m
- height
- 5.6 m
- max take-off weight
- 7,000 kg
- top speed
- 185 km/h
- cruise speed
- 145 km/h
- range
- 800 km
- ceiling
- 3,500 m
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q1245981, Wikipedia: Dornier Do J Wal (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.