interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

Hi All,
An interesting captured DO-17 photo, as caption says there is the part of a RAF aircraft fuselage in front of the dornier.
Anyone have any ifno on the DO-17 unit ?
Cheers
Jerry


http://cgi.ebay.ca/Captured-Dornier-...QQcmdZViewItem

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

Look like some night scheme on this airplane.

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

I believe it is Melsbroek, and I think I have seen a photo of the Dornier from the other side. It was a hack.

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

Hi...

Great photo... :)

Given that the aircraft code is apparently fully alphabetic (GS+NE?), and with the number 5 on the rudder, it might suggest some sort of training unit, perhaps one of the Blindflugschulen... ? Admittedly, many of those were to be seen with the characteristic narrow double yellow fuselage bands, which are missing here. It seems to be an early Do17E/F subtype, judging from the curved, bracket-shaped item lined up with the lower part of the engine cowling (radiator or some such thing, perhaps?)

The caption in English, He's Had It, on the tailplane, and the caption to the photograph stating that it is 1943 vintage, might suggest that it was captured somewhere on mainland Europe, perhaps southern Italy after the Allied landings there... ? However, Franek says he's seen a photo of the machine from the other side, so is it actually a hack on a German-held airfield with the remains of a Spitfire in the background, or a captured machine, as the caption states, with tailplane graffiti in English...? Would be good to see the photo of the machine from the other side, though, if Franek or someone could provide it.

Regards... :piliot:

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

After a bit of research using the LEMB Sktz Database, this can be confirmed as a Dornier Do17F-1, WNr.915 which served with Fl.Zielgeschwader 2 and was found abandoned at Melsbroek airfield in Belgium in 1944. The image below of the same aircraft is is reproduced from Luftwaffe Verband magazine (Issue 14, April 1998) and is copyright Jean-Louis Roba.

Cheers

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

Hi All,
Thanks for the replies and info.
Cheers
Jerry

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

Thanks Peter... the picture is much appreciated.

Regards...

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

Hello,

OK so thats sorted Now, what is known of the RAF aircraft in the photo ?

Alex

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

Hello Peter and everyone,


Did anyone notice the landing gear supports in the photo? They appear to be steel tubes and quite atypical.



Regards,
Ed

Re: interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay
 

Hi all...

I don't think that the photo I've reproduced from Luftwaffe Verband does the image any justice Ed. The original image is small and the coarse paper on which it was printed doesn't help. The angle at which this second image is taken also gives us the impression that the main legs appear to be different. An image of a Do17P-1 in William Green's "Warplanes of the Third Reich" [pp119] is also taken from a similar angle and suffers from the same optical illusion. The first image from the eBay link provides us with a much better (and clearer) view of the undercarriage arrangement and from comparison with other Do17's in various books I have looks quite typical for the type... :)

Cheers

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator