The Dornier Do 215 was originally intended for export, beginning life as a redesignated version of the Dornier Do 17 light/medium bomber. Three prototypes were initially produced from the Do 17K - the V1, V2 and V3 - each with differing powerplants to showcase the aircrafts capabilities to foreign interest. The first was lost during testing while the third proved to be the winning combination. Eighteen completed aircraft were earmarked for use by the Swedish Air Force but the deteriorating political situation in Europe forced these systems to be reinstituted for use by the German Luftwaffe, whom modified three of the batch to suit their specific wartime needs. The remaining fifteen followed suit with new designations, becoming the Do 215B, with full production of the type beginning in December of 1939.
The Do 217 retained much of its visual similarities from the Do 17 bomber including the distinct "pencil" like fuselage. Engines were of inline design powering three-blade propellers and fitted to nacelles under each wing. Wings were mid-mounted monoplanes with rounded edges. The crew compartment was held in the extreme forward portion of the fuselage, complete with extensive glazing around the canopy. Conditions, no doubt, were cramped for the crew of four, consisting of the pilot, bombardier and two machine gunners. The streamlined design ended in a conventional empennage sporting twin vertical surfaces. Armament for the series varied by model type with early forms the aircraft sporting 4 x 7.92mm MG 15 machine guns then later upgrading these to six. The night-fighter version coupled the firepower of 4 x 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns with 2 x 20mm MG FF cannons all held in the nose. The Do 215 could sustain an internal payload of up to 2,200lbs in the bombing role. In the reconnaissance role, the aircraft would be fitted with a series of photo graphic cameras in the bomb bay as needed.
Though only some 100 or so Dornier Do 215's were produced, there were variants of note appearing throughout its production run. The Do 215 V1 was the initial prototype constructed from the Do 17 Z-0 and featured original Do 17 engines. The Do 215 V2 was the second prototype, this being fitted with French Gnome-Rhone 14-cylinder engines. The Do 215 V3 became the third prototype in the series, now fitted with German Daimler-Benz DB 601Ba inline piston engines.
The first production form became the eighteen Do 215 A-1's intended for use by the Swedish Air Force. Three of these were refitted (including the FuG 10 navigation system) for use by the German Luftwaffe under the new designation of Do 215 B-0. Likewise, the remaining fifteen of the original Swedish production batch fell under Luftwaffe operation with the designation of Do 215 B-1. The B-models would become the standard production models of the Do 215 series. The Do 215 B-2 were slightly revised Do 215's intended for the photographic reconnaissance role. There aircraft were fitted with three Rb 50/30 series cameras in the bomb bay and a sliding cover under the original bomb bay doors. The Do 215 B-3 was produced in only two examples, essentially the photo-reconnaissance Do 215 B-2's, produced for sale to the Soviet Union - the only two Do 215's not used by Germany. The Do 215 B-4 appeared as an "improved" reconnaissance platform developed from the Do 215 B-2 series models and were equipped with Rb 20/30 and Rb 50/30 series cameras.
Perhaps the most distinct form of the Do 215 became the Do 215 B-5 "Kauz III", a dedicated night-fighter built from Do 215 B-1 and Do 215 B-4 models. These aircraft featured the similar "Kauz II" noses found on the Dornier Do 17 Z-10's, fitted with an IR search light, antenna trees and "Spanner" infrared detection systems. Armament included 4 x 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns along with 2 x 20mm MG FF cannons all housed in the nose. The Spanner infrared detection system was later replaced by the FuG 202 Lichtenstein B/C series radar as the former proved to be of little operational value. Operation of this type ran from January of 1941 through May 1944.
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Air-to-Air Combat, Fighter
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
Length
51.8 ft (15.79 m)
Width/Span
59.1 ft (18.00 m)
Height
15.0 ft (4.56 m)
Empty Wgt
12,743 lb (5,780 kg)
MTOW
19,401 lb (8,800 kg)
Wgt Diff
+6,658 lb (+3,020 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Dornier Do 215 B-1 production variant)
Installed:
2 x Daimler-Benz DB 601 Ba Vee 12-cylinder inline engines developing 1,160 horsepower each.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Dornier Do 215 B-1 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
INITIAL:
4 x 7.92mm MG 15 machine guns
LATER:
6 x 7.92mm MG 15 machine guns
NIGHT-FIGHTER:
4 x 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns in nose
2 x 20mm MG FF cannnons in lower nose
Up to 2,200lbs of internal ordnance.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
Do 215 V1 - Initial Prototype Model based on the Do 17 Z-0; lost to accident.
Do 215 V2 - Second Prototype Model; fitted with French Gnome-Rhone 14-cylinder radial engines.
Do 215 V3 - Third Prototype Model; fitted with 2 x Daimler-Benz DB 601Ba series inline piston engines.
Do 215 A-1 - Swedish Export Production Model Designation; 18 aircraft produced.
Do 215 B-0 - Bomber / Reconnaissance Variant; 3 x A-1 models with FuG 10; intended for Swedish export.
Do 215B - Base Designation of Standard Production Models.
Do 215 B-1 - Fifteen late production Swedish A-1 models redesignated for Luftwaffe use.
Do 215 B-2 - Reconnaissance Variant; 3 x Rb 50/30 series cameras in revised bomb bay.
Do 215 B-3 - Two Production Aircraft based on B-2 models; sold to Soviet Union.
Do 215 B-4 - Reconnaissance Variant based on the B-2 model; fitted with Rb 20/30 and Rb 50/30 series cameras.
Do 215 B-5 "Kauz III" - Dedicated Night-Fighter; 20 conversion aircraft from B-1 and B-4 models; IR searchlight in nose; FuG 202 navigation; 4 x 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns in nose; 2 x 20mm MG FF cannons in lower nose.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
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Right side profile illustration view of the Dornier Do 215 nightfighter; color
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Nazi Germany; Hungary; Soviet Union
