Help to ID the twin engine bombers or recon acfts

[researcher111]

I doctored the attached photo to look as clear as it could. It depicts a few aircrafts identified by the Jewish memorial site as of 1941 somewhere on Latvian or Lithuanian airfield as Luftwaffe bombers with a later revision stating the year may have been 1944 and US bombers . Eventhough from the aerial viewer's point they bear some similarities to P-61's eventually a Russian type or a lend/lease ,is hard to make an accurate identification.

Thanks in advance & Happy Seasonal Greetings

PS : The aircraft seems to be equipped with nose wheel rather conventional tail dragon wheel

[ChrisS]

I believe these to be Dornier Do17 all with Bramo radial engines making them either Do17M Do17P

[researcher111]

DO-17 had a tail dragon wheel, those depicted don't seem to .

[Nordpol54]

@ researcher111,

ChrisS is right. These a/c are Do 17 and in fact they are sitting on their tailwheels.

Best Regards
Norbert

[Tim O.]

I agree with Chris and Norbert that these are Dornier Do17s. I think what you are seeing as the nose wheel Researcher 111, is in fact the open crew entry hatch under the fuselage of the aircraft.

The man in this photo is rather unhelpfully standing in front of the access hatch on this Do17 of 9./KG153 but you can see how it is hinged at the front of the aircraft and could cause some confusion from a distance.

Best wishes
Tim O.

[Don Pearson]

Look at the shadows; there are no booms behind the engines that would be present with P-61 aircraft.

Don

[researcher111]

Yeah I could agree on DO-17 or 215 , given a tail dragon wheel the elevator's shadow must have been somehow
visible on the ground , though that's the case with the left corner acft. only or the sun angle may have affected.

PS : Agreed no P-61

[Merlin]

I see on this photo Do 17P in dark camouflage indicating one of the night reconnaissanance Staffeln. If the location is correct with "Latvian or Lithuanian airfield " it would be 3./Nacht during 1941 or 1942.

[obdl3945]

Hi...

These aircraft are definitely the early version Do17M or P. I appreciate it may look as though they have nosewheels, but they did not have this feature. I surmise that either someone or something is positioned in front of some of the aircraft giving the wrong impression.

Tim O's photo is of a Do17Z, a later developement with a redesigned forward fuselage incorporating the crew entry hatch; these earlier Do17M or P had the crew entry door on the fuselage side under the left wing, as per attached image, via ebay auction in January of this year.

Regards,

Paul

[Tim O.]

Originally Posted by obdl3945

Hi...

These aircraft are definitely the early version Do17M or P. I appreciate it may look as though they have nosewheels, but they did not have this feature. I surmise that either someone or something is positioned in front of some of the aircraft giving the wrong impression.

Tim O's photo is of a Do17Z, a later developement with a redesigned forward fuselage incorporating the crew entry hatch; these earlier Do17M or P had the crew entry door on the fuselage side under the left wing, as per attached image, via ebay auction in January of this year.

Regards,

Paul

Paul is right. On closer inspection these are Dornier 17M or P versions with side entry hatch. Not sure what it is under the nose but it is not a wheel!

Tim O.