Do 17 Armour Plating

[Chris Goss]

A few years ago, a piece of what appears to be shaped armour plate was found in the earth bank at the back of one of Kenley's blast pens adjacent to the end of Golf Road where Do 17 Z-2 F1+HT of 9./KG 76 crashed on 18 Aug 40. One of their volunteers spotted a similar piece of armour plate at Cosford with their Do 17-anyone have any thoughts?

[James A Pratt III]

I have read a long time ago that some Do 17s did have some armor plate fitted during the BofB.

[Nick Beale]

It cropped up quite a lot in my Battle of Britain research, for example:

CX/JQ/93 para. 37
On 28/6 5 a/c of I./KG 76 (Fliegerkorps I) at NORA having engines changed. Date of delivery or armour-plating for them remains undetermined. (A)

CX/JQ/118 para. 17
Fliegerkorps I reported to Fliegerhorst Krefeld that KG 1 needed 100 sets of armour plates for He 111 machines and KG 76 needed 30 sets of armour for Do 17 Z machines. (A)

[Chris Goss]

Thanks both. Begs the question where it was fitted, what was it made from and what did it look like?

[James A Pratt III]

I believe that for the BofB based on experience in France ect. an extra MG was added and gunners started wearing steel helmets as well. There is a picture of a Do 17 wearing a helmet in BCRS vol 1

[Chris Goss]

James-that is correct as Do 17 was found to be vulnerable. Loads of photos like this in my book