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The Dornier Do.28D Skyservant is 12 seat twin-engined, STOL light utility aircraft designed; engineered and built by Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH in
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. The Do 28D was a further development of the Do 28A/B, a twin-engine version of the sinle-engined Do 27. Wing
and tailplane form-factor was similar to that of the Do 27A/B, but the tailfin was enlarged and featured a prominent fin fillet. The Do 28
flew first on 23 February 1966. The type obtained certification in 1967. The Do 28A/B was produced until 1971. The Do 28D, had the same
general arrangement as the Do 28A/B, with the stub-mounted twin engines and spatted main gear on the bottom of the engine nacelles, it was
not only bigger but substantially redesigned. The Do 28D had a boxy fuselage with double doors on the left, as well as a crew door with window
on each side of the cockpit. Only six production Do 28Ds were built, with production quickly moving on to the Do 28D-1, with wingspan stretched
by 50 centimeters and an increased MOW. The Do 28D-1 was followed in turn by the Do 28D-2, with an internal redesign to increase internal cabin
length by 15 centimeters, more fuel load, and higher MOW. The wing was also modified, with wing fences featured on the Do 28D-1 deleted and other
changes. The West German Government placed an order for 125 aircraft, including four configured as VIP transports and one hundred and twenty one
for the Luftwaffe. The original order was for the D-1 model but was changed to the improved D-2 model. Between 1971 and 1974, one hundred and twenty
one Dornier Do 28 D-2 Skyservant were built in Oberpfaffenhofen for the German armed forces. The West German Air Force mainly used as the Skyservant
as a transport and liaison aircraft until the Dornier 228-LT was introduced in 1994. Twenty Do 28D-2 aircraft of this series were handed over to the
German Navy. Ten of the twenty aircraft of the Marineflieger, served from 1978 in the maritime reconnaissance role, with additional underwing fuel tanks
fitted for extended endurance. About 50 more Do 28D-2s were built and sold in small numbers to a range of other users, including Cameroon, Ethiopia, Israel,
Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Somalia, Thailand, Turkey, and Zambia. |
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The 1973-built Dornier Do 28D-2 Skyservant s/n 4167 entered service with the Luftwaffe as 58+92. In August 1993, the aircraft was withdrawn from service;
stored at Leipheim and offered for sale. In April 1994, the Do 28D-2 was registered D-IDBH and flown to Breitscheid. At Breitscheid the aircraft was parked
and finally preserved since 1995.
On 25 May 2023, the privat owned Dornier Do 28D-2 Skyservant D-IDBH was in bad condition seen at Flugplatz Breitscheid (EDGB)
with the faded Luftwaffe serial 58+92 visible under the registration D-IDBH on the aircraft. |
