Do-217 on the eastern front?

[Juri_JS]

Hello, at the moment I am doing some research about the use of German bombers on the eastern front. My question is, was the Do-217 also used on the eastern front as bomber or reconnaissance aircraft - and if yes, where and by which Luftwaffe units?

There are apparently some reports from the Soviet side about encounters with DO-217s that are mentioned in these books:
"Yakovlev Aces of World War 2" by George Mellinger and "Soviet Lend-Lease Fighter Aces of World War 2" by George Mellinger and Jim Laurier.
So far I haven't found any information from the German side, therefore I am a little bit sceptical if the reports are correct.
I hope anybody can tell me more.

[Peter]

Juri,

At least 3. Nachtaufklärungsstaffel used DO217.

http://www.ww2.dk/air/recon/nst3.html

Peter

[Juri_JS]

Thank you Peter.
3. Nachtaufklärungsstaffel operated in the area of army group north. The Soviet reports I mentioned above are from the Kuban area (army group south). Does anyone know which Luftwaffe unit could have flown the DO-217 in this area in 1942-1943? My guess is that it was a reconnaissance unit.

[Nick Beale]

1., 2., 3. and 4.(F)/Nachtaufkl. Staffel all flew Do 217s.

[Juri_JS]

Thank you Nick Beale. Apparently the Nachtaufklärungsstaffeln where the only units that used the DO-217 on the eastern front. I have read the information at ww2.dk about these units, but unfortunatly I can't find more detailed information. Did they only fly night reconnaissance missions as there name suggests or what was the exact task?

[Nikita Egorov]

Germans used various types of Dornier bomber/recon aircraft in the battle of Kuban. Here are some loss records:

1943-02-01 Do 17E 3003 I/LLG 1 Fl.Pl. Sslawjanskaja
Bombenwurf. Bruch 35 %.

1943-02-08 Do 217K-1 4466 K7+XH 1. Nachtaufkl.St. (Asoff-Longontin-Ssamarskoje-Poluchin)
Flugzeugführer Fw Einhell, Ludwig vermißt
Beobachter Ofw Mathes, Helmuth vermißt
Bordfunker Uffz Schmidt, Josef vermißt
Bordschütze Ofw Kneip, Rudolf vermißt
Unbekannt. Bruch 100 %.

[Graham Boak]

I recall comments that Dornier night fighters were not popular on the Eastern Front because the undercarriage was considered too weak. Presumably this would read across to the bombers as well.

[Snautzer]

From Der Adler No 25, December 1941

emblem is that of 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr.Nacht,

[Dénes Bernád]

The Hungarians also used Do 215s, up until late 1943. The Croats, too flew Do 17Zs on the Eatern Front for quite a while.

[ReccePhreak]

I came across this thread while researching a Do217E-2/R6. The info provided here greatly helps in my research. I am getting closer to having enough info to build the model I am hoping for. Thanks for all the great information.
Larry