Do 215B-1/4
 

According to Kurzbetriebsanleitung Do 215B-1, the Do 215B-4 differed from B-1 mainly by absence of camera installation in crew entry door, instead it has two cameras built into rear fuselage - I presume this means rear bomb bay. Das anyone know any details of that installation or at least what kind of cameras was used in B-4 subtype?

Kind regards,
Pawel

Re: Do 215B-1/4
 

Pawel,


You may already have this info ( or other detail that conflicts with this) but both Green and Smith/Kay in their books on German Warplanes state that:- "an Rb 50/30 being mounted beneath the lower gun position (?) and an Rb 20/30 installed in the crew entry hatch." This may not assist with the positioning (given the age of the books) but may assist with the camera types.

Green's Warplanes of the Third Riech (sorry Dave) shows two photos, of aircraft identified as Do 215B-4s, and a side view of a Do 215B-4 with a prominent bulged mounting beneath the entry hatch - the second photo of the two (p142) is an oblique underside shot with no obvious ports for a camera under the bomb bays (so one must ask - is it a B-4?)

There is a photo in Griehl "Do 217/317/417" on page 15 of a camera mounting in the crew entry hatch of a Do 215B. The hatch is stencilled "Do 215B N 28" and the view is from oblique front with the hatch down giving a nice view of the top of the camera. (Anyone an idea of the sub-type of wk nr 0028?)

Hope that this is of assistance.

Re: Do 215B-1/4
 

Andy, according to Betriebsanleitung Do 215B-1 had Reihenbildner 20/30x30 fitted to crew entry door and 50/30x30 or 50/18x18 aft C-Stand (between rib 10 and 11), whereas for the Do 215B-4:
1. Für die Einstiegtür ist kein Bildgerät, sondern nur Anschluß für ein solches vorgesehen
2. Zwei Bildgeräte sind im Rumpfhinterteil untergebracht.

Regards,
Pawel