Rohrbach Ro.III Rodra

The Rohrbach Ro.III Rodra, built by the German company Rohrbach Metall‑Flugzeugbau, was a large all‑metal transport aircraft that first flew in 1927. Designed by Dr. Adolf Rohrbach, the Ro.III was conceived as a successor to the earlier Ro.II bomber, adapting the robust stressed‑skin construction to a civil cargo and passenger role. The high‑wing monoplane featured a rectangular fuselage of duralumin, two 500‑hp BMW VI V‑12 engines mounted on the wing, and a fixed tailwheel undercarriage with optional floats. Its spacious cabin could accommodate up to twelve passengers or 1 800 kg of freight, while a large cargo hatch and reinforced floor facilitated loading of mail, ammunition, and even light vehicles. Only a handful of examples were built, mainly for the Deutsche Luft Hansa and for export to the Colombian Air Force, where the type demonstrated its ability to operate from rough airfields and short runways. Although the Ro.III never achieved large‑scale production, it proved the practicality of all‑metal construction for transport aircraft, influencing later designs such as the Junkers Ju 52 and setting a precedent for the transition from wood‑frame to metal airframes in the interwar period.

Rohrbach Metall-Flugzeugbau

Rohrbach Ro.III Rodra

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification