interesting captured DO-17 photo on e bay

[brewerjerry]

Hi All,
An interesting captured DO-17 photo, as caption says there is the part of a RAF aircraft fuselage in front of the dornier.
Anyone have any ifno on the DO-17 unit ?
Cheers
Jerry


http://cgi.ebay.ca/Captured-Dornier-...QQcmdZViewItem

[Pilot]

Look like some night scheme on this airplane.

[Franek Grabowski]

I believe it is Melsbroek, and I think I have seen a photo of the Dornier from the other side. It was a hack.

[obdl3945]

Hi...

Great photo...

Given that the aircraft code is apparently fully alphabetic (GS+NE?), and with the number 5 on the rudder, it might suggest some sort of training unit, perhaps one of the Blindflugschulen... ? Admittedly, many of those were to be seen with the characteristic narrow double yellow fuselage bands, which are missing here. It seems to be an early Do17E/F subtype, judging from the curved, bracket-shaped item lined up with the lower part of the engine cowling (radiator or some such thing, perhaps?)

The caption in English, He's Had It, on the tailplane, and the caption to the photograph stating that it is 1943 vintage, might suggest that it was captured somewhere on mainland Europe, perhaps southern Italy after the Allied landings there... ? However, Franek says he's seen a photo of the machine from the other side, so is it actually a hack on a German-held airfield with the remains of a Spitfire in the background, or a captured machine, as the caption states, with tailplane graffiti in English...? Would be good to see the photo of the machine from the other side, though, if Franek or someone could provide it.

Regards...

[Peter D Evans]

After a bit of research using the LEMB Sktz Database, this can be confirmed as a Dornier Do17F-1, WNr.915 which served with Fl.Zielgeschwader 2 and was found abandoned at Melsbroek airfield in Belgium in 1944. The image below of the same aircraft is is reproduced from Luftwaffe Verband magazine (Issue 14, April 1998) and is copyright Jean-Louis Roba.

Cheers

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[brewerjerry]

Hi All,
Thanks for the replies and info.
Cheers
Jerry

[obdl3945]

Thanks Peter... the picture is much appreciated.

Regards...

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

OK so thats sorted Now, what is known of the RAF aircraft in the photo ?

Alex

[edwest]

Hello Peter and everyone,


Did anyone notice the landing gear supports in the photo? They appear to be steel tubes and quite atypical.



Regards,
Ed

[Peter D Evans]

Hi all...

Originally Posted by edwest

Did anyone notice the landing gear supports in the photo? They appear to be steel tubes and quite atypical.

I don't think that the photo I've reproduced from Luftwaffe Verband does the image any justice Ed. The original image is small and the coarse paper on which it was printed doesn't help. The angle at which this second image is taken also gives us the impression that the main legs appear to be different. An image of a Do17P-1 in William Green's "Warplanes of the Third Reich" [pp119] is also taken from a similar angle and suffers from the same optical illusion. The first image from the eBay link provides us with a much better (and clearer) view of the undercarriage arrangement and from comparison with other Do17's in various books I have looks quite typical for the type...

Cheers

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator