Dornier Do 335 Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | December 2018 | Title | Dornier Do 335 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Robert Forsyth | Publisher | Osprey Publishing |
| Published | 2018 | ISBN | 9781472828897 |
| Format | 80 pages, softbound | MSRP (USD) | $20.00 |
Review
"'What does he [Claude Dornier] know about fighters?'" one Nazi German official reportedly scoffed at Dornier's request for inclusion in a 1942 RLM fighter-bomber competition.
Apparently much, according to Robert Forsyth's Dornier Do 335 – ninth in Osprey's steadily expanding "X-Planes" range.
Dornier's daring design marked a distinct departure from conventional aerodynamics. But it produced one of WWII's fastest, most powerful, and – potentially – most adaptable piston-engine warplanes.
Fortunately for Allied powers, Dornier's "Pfeil" ("arrow") arrived late – hence, its insertion amidst X-Planes.
From development and production plans to service and variant schemes, Forsyth's pithy, 80-page study recaps the total tale across five succinct sections:
- Introduction
- Origins
- Prototype Design & Development
- Flight-testing
- Trial Deployment
A sixth, final chapter assesses the Do 335 – and explores its "legacy". But Forsyth omits Dornier's debt to Fokker's D-XXIII.
Photos, tech-manual excerpts, action paintings, and a three-view illustrate the account. And a cockpit schematic and two cut-aways depict interior details.
Extended captions, sidebars, and biographic remarks further supplement the study. And a selected bibliography and index wrap things up.
Recommended!
My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!