TYPE: Night-fighter
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of four
POWER PLANT: Two Daimler-Benz DB 603A liquid-cooled engines, rated at 1,849 hp each at 6,900 ft
PERFORMANCE: 350 mph at 18,700 ft
COMMENT: The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. It was a more powerful development of the Dornier Do 17, known as the Fliegender Bleistift (flying pencil). Designed in 1937-38 as a heavy bomber but not meant to be capable of the longer-range missions envisioned for the larger Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffon), the Do 217’s design was refined during 1939 and production began in late 1940. It entered service in early 1941 and by the beginning of 1942 was available in significant numbers. The Do 217 was also converted to become a night fighter and saw considerable action in the Defence of the Reich campaign until late in the war.
In 1941, with Germany under increased night-time attack by RAF Bomber Command and with shortages of the Messerschmitt Bf 110 and the preferred Junkers Ju 88C night fighters, it was decided to supplement the night-fighter force with a version of the Dornier Do 217 E, despite its much greater size and 15-ton weight. This aircraft, the Do 217 J, was fitted with a new “solid” nose with four forward firing 20 mm MG FF cannon and four 7.92 mm machine guns.
By October 1940, the production of heavy night fighters and night fighters such as the Do 217 and Ju 88, had been discussed comprehensively and by 5 November 1941 these discussions had been concluded. On November 1941 the Technische Amt (T.A.) had ordered the Dornier Do 217E bomber fleet to be withdrawn in accordance with a decision made earlier that year on May. Dornier designated the subject of their new project the Dornier Do 217 Z, later renamed the Do 217 J. Two versions were ordered as Dornier Do 217J- 1 and Do 217J-2 and delivered to night fighter groups began in early 1942
Complaints were made by crews about the performance of the Dornier in comparison to other German types. On 12 May 1942 Erhard Milch ordered that Dornier cease all night fighter design. It was decided that the Ju 88 series only (Ju 88 C-6) would continue to be developed and serve as a heavy night fighter. Strangely, the order was not passed onto the Dornier design team who continued to produce the Do 217N variant
After testing was satisfied the two variants, the Do 217N-1 and Do217N-2, which had two sub-variants, were fitted with FuG 202. The Do 217N-1 variants were given two sub-variants which were to follow the design of the Do 217E-2/E-4 and the Do 217J-1/J-2 with emphasis on range and endurance. Extra fuel tanks were added to the empty bomb bay. For operations over water the heavy night fighters were fitted with lifeboats and radio transmitters. The FuG X with TZG 10 and FuG 16. IFF equipment was the FuG 25s. The Do 217N also had the FuG 101 radio altimeter, blind flying equipment FuB1 2 and PeilG V. AI search radar was the FuG 202. The no longer needed bomb release gear remained, bringing the aircraft up to 33,000 lb on take-off, so it was barely able to reach 24,300 ft. Fuel consumption lightened the load, and the Dornier could reach a maximum operational ceiling of 27,600 ft. The speed of the Do 217N was a maximum of 500 kilometres per hour (270 kn) at 6,000 metres (20,000 ft). The Do 217N-2 was much improved, as it was much lighter and refined.
Overall the Dornier Do 217N-1 was an initial production of the Do 217J-1 version. Powered by a Daimler-Benz DB 603 it had similar armament to Do 217 J-2, retaining defensive armament. Entered service in April 1943. Some modified with dorsal and ventral guns replaced by wooden fairings as Do 217 N-1/U1, conversion with Schräge Musik arrangement of four upward-firing 20 mm MG 151s as Do 217 N-1/U3. About 240 aircraft were built (Ref: 24).
