Luftwaffe II./NJG 2, Leeuwarden, Holland, Summer 1942
Limited Edition

The Do215 began life as a redesignated version of the Do17 intended for export. The Swedish Government ordered 18 DO215A-1 bombers but before any were delivered an embargo was placed on their export and they were instead modified for use by the Luftwaffe as reconnaissance aircraft. The Do215 retained the pencil like fuselage of the Do17, nicknamed ‘The Flying Pencil’ but featured 2 in-line Daimler Benz engines giving a marked improvement in performance. The Dornier Do215 B-5 Kauz III was a dedicated night fighter featuring IR searchlight in the nose, FuG 202 Lichtenstein BC radar, 4 x 7.62mm machine guns in the upper nose and 2 x 20mm MG FF cannons in the lower nose. The aircraft modeled was the personal machine of Gruppenkommandeur Helmut Lent and served with Stab II/NJG 2, in Leeuwarden during the Summer of 1942.

Dornier Do 215B-5

Designed as an export version of the Do 17 fast bomber, the Dornier Do 215 first flew in 1938. Called “The Flying Pencil” because of its narrow fuselage, several prototypes of the Do 215 were tested and subsequently improved upon until the design was deemed ready for production in 1939. The first order was for the Swedish Air Force, but the order was halted upon the outbreak of WWII and the aircraft were diverted into service with the Luftwaffe. Though intended originally for export, most of the 105 Do 215s produced between 1939 and 1941 became German bombers, reconnaissance aircraft or night-fighters.