The first Dornier Do 24K flying boat to take to the air during trials in the North Sea in 1937

The Dornier Do 24 is a 1930s German three-engine flying boat designed by the Dornier Flugzeugwerke for maritime patrol and search and rescue. A total of 279 were built among several factories from 1937 to 1945

This particular aircraft was built by Dornier Flugzeugwerke as a model V3. Werknummern 761 (Werk Nr 761). On July 2, 1937 first flight by Dornier pilot Erich Gundermann without any markings. During flight testing in Germany, the tail was painted with a black hakenkruez swastika in a red band with a white circle on both tails with German registration D-ADLP in black lettering on both sides of the fuselage. On September 8, 1937 this aircraft underwent seagoing tests in the North Sea.

This flying boat was purchased by the Marine-Luchtvaartdienst (MLD), the first of eleven flying boats built for the Marineluchtvaartdienst (Netherlands Naval Aviation Service). Before shipment overseas, this aircraft was converted into a Do 24K-1 variant. Painted in MLD markings with serial number X-1 painted on both sides of the fuselage in large black letters. On November 10, 1937 loaded as cargo aboard the vessel Kota Nopan and shipped from Hamburg overseas to Morokrembangan Seaplane Base in eastern Java. During 1938, used at the flying school at Morokrembangan Seaplane Base near Soerabaja in eastern Java.

On January 30, 1942 assigned to squadron GVT-7 at Lake Grati near Soerabaja in Java flying reconnaissance missions over the Savu Sea (Savoe Sea) along with Do 24 X-1, Do 24 X-24 and Do 24 X-36.

On February 7, 1942 assigned to GVT 7 based at Lake Grati near Soerabaja in Java to fly reconnaissance missions along with Do 24 X-1, Do 24 X-24 and Do 24 X-36.

On March 2, 1942 took off from Lake Grati overloaded with passengers and civilians on an evacuation flight to Australia and landed on March 3, 1942 at approximately 8:30am at Roebuck Bay off Broome. This flying boat was unaware a Japanese air raid by six A6M2 Zeros was in progress and was strafed and destroyed roughly a mile from shore. The bodies of the three civilians that drown in the strafing attack were recovered and were buried at Perth War Cemetery in the same row of graves. Mrs Cornelia G. E. Piers-Morien (age 42) at grave 4, Frans Piers (age 7) at grave 5 and Cornelius "Cor" Piers (age 14) at grave 6.

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