dornier 217 tail guns R 19 ? & R 20 ?

[brewerjerry]

Hi
I am wondering if there is any info on the DO-217 tail cone guns
was there a version with just two guns and was the other the two twin 81Z setup
the old profile publications on the 217 , has a photo of a DO 217E-4/R19. U5+NT Wn 4272 with what appears to be two single guns in the tail cone
cheers
jerry

[Chris Goss]

All in my book on the Do 217................

[brewerjerry]

Hi
So found it is not R19 which is a bombay nod
cheers
jerry

[Chris Goss]

FIXED REARWARDS FIRING GUNS FITTED TO THE DO 217 ("GIESSKANNE")

Several specimens of the long wing span Do 217, sub-series K, recently examined in Italy were fitted with fixed rearward firing rifle calibre machine guns mounted in the tail cone.
This armament consists of two pairs of MG81s i.e. four guns in all mounted side by side with a pair of muzzles protruding from each side of the tail cone.
The guns appear to be mounted in parallel but there may be very slight convergence.
An air bottle which is mounted above and to the rear of the guns is provided for cocking and the weapons are fired electrically by a press button in the pilot's control column. It is estimated that 200 rounds of ammunition are carried for each gun giving it a total of 600 rounds per container. The whole unit with ammunition is self-contained in the tail cone and can, if necessary, be jettisoned by the pilot.
A periscope is used for sighting which is an entirely new departure for the GAF. It is 26" long of which 10" project above the cockpit roof and is fitted just forward and to the right of the pilot's head. The image is presented inverted thus if the target is above the line of flight it appears below the centre of the graticule. If to port its appears on the right side of the graticule. This facilitates aiming as the pilot has only to move his controls in the direction of the image.
A.I.2(g)
15..11.43

[barkas]

Friends,

I also have a request for Do 217 special equipment. The night fighter Do 217N-2 W.Nr. 1570 Vkz. 3C + IP from 6./NJG 4 that accidentally landed in Switzerland was, according to the photos, exceptionally equipped with FuG 227.
But in the photos has also additional antennas on both sides under the cockpit.
Please, what equipment did these antennas belong to?

Jan

[Graham Boak]

The Arado 240 also used a periscope for aiming its remote turrets. I'm far from sure that this was the only example, if perhaps the most sophisticated. However this was not likely to have been known to A.I.2(g).

[Andy Mitchell]

In Manfred Griehl's "Do 217-317-417 - an Operational Record" (Airlife 1991) there is a diagram of a Do 217K-2 showing the installation of rearward firing guns in the tail-cone (pg 108) plus a photo of the installation of MG 81 Zs in the tail of a K-2 (pg 112).