Do 215 B-5

[petrowl]

Hi friends !

I bought the long time wanted Do 215 B-5 kit from the producer ICM

The kit looks not bad but I was surprised by the camouflage schemes included in the kit.

The aircraft coded R4+SN is identified as personal plane of Paul Gildner with the marking of the 33 victories.

The rudder of that plane is on the photo in the book Rudders & Markings. It is a plane from 5./NJG2 but the 3rd code letter is unknown.

Are the codes from the Do 215 used by Gildner in 5./NJG 2 known?

Gildner used also overall black Do 215 B-5 (or Z-10) with at least 16 victory bars and code G9+?M. The 3rd code letter is unknown again. Does anybody know the letter?

Also known is the photo of the rudder with 35 bars, maybe also used by Gildner. The rudder is camouflaged with RLM 74 & 75 colours and the victory marking is different to 33 victory marks rudder. The cockades are over the victory bars. Is it the same plane?

The Do 215 B-5 G9+DC camouflaged RLM 76 upper side and RLM 75 topside looks to only a phantasy of the illustrator. I haven’t seen the photos yet. Does exist the photo of this plane?

The last one is the Do 215 B-5 coded R4+DC in the camouflage maybe from the summer 1942. Could it be Helmut Lent’s plane?

Peter Henchlife in the book about Helmut Lent mentiones only the sorties with Do 215 B-5 G9+PM and G9+DF.

As I know Peter Henchlife owns Lent’s logbook or some fragments of them.

This Do 215 could also wear the victory bars on the rudder, isn’t it?

Could anybody help me?

Many thanks

Petr "Owl"

[rauhbautz]

In Volume One, Nachtjager, Luftwaffe Colours by David P. Williams there is both a photo and color painting of R4+DC ascribed to Stab II./NJG 2 at Leeuwarden, spring 1942, but no pilot designated. This may be of help.
Regards,
Bob

[mathieu]

Hei Petr,

A photo from the R4+DC which was published in a book about airfield Leeuwarden, the text by the photo reads that the R4+DC was often flown by Lent because additional fueltanks were fitted in the bombbay. This increased the range up to 5 hours. I'll see if I can find the code of Gildner's aircraft in this book, but that can take some time.

Best regards,

Mathieu.