Dornier Do 24 in German service
Originally designed for the Dutch, the Do 24 became the German staple rescue and transport flying boat of WWII
Two prototypes were built for Germany with Jumo 205C engines, but these were underpowered and the aircraft was overlooked in favour of the BV 138 "flying clog", even though that machine had a hard battle to become a viable aircraft. With the German invasion of Norway however, both sidelined prototypes were used operationally as germany conscripted alll available resources to the war effort.
With the capture of the Netherlands the Aviolanda factory that was producing the Do 24's was cpatured intact, along with many partially completed airframes. This was a great boon for Germany, and the uncompleted aircraft were completed with their Wright R-1820 engines, and modified for rescue recovery as the Do 24 N model, and used by the German paramilitary Seenotdienst rescue service.
Initially unarmed, civil registered, and painted in Red Cross white the aircraft were used to rescue downed airmen, but the British soon refused to accept that the Seenotdienst was a civilian service and started shooting down the aircraft. The whole of the Seenotdienst was quickly reorganised onto a military footing, and the aircraft were camouflaged and armed for their own protection.
As the supply of captured American engines was exhausted, the Bramo 323 engine was instead fitted to the aircraft, as the Do 24 T.
The Dornier Do 24's continued in German service in all theatres until the end of the war, both in rescue and agent insertion missions. Later production aircraft were built in French factories.