Dornier Do 17: boeken - historie, techniek en inzet

Dornier Do17 : The 'Flying Pencil' in the Luftwaffe Service

Designed both as a military and civil aircraft, the Dornier Do 17 'Flying Pencil', so called because of its slender fuselage, was one of three twin-engined medium bombers in service with the Luftwaffe at the start of the Second World War. Its service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, mainly in the reconnaissance role, so impressed the Luftwaffe that high priority was allocated to the aircraft as both a bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.

The Do 17 was loved by its crews. It served over Poland, France and the Low Countries, Britain, the Balkans, Greece and the Soviet Union, often without escort and against increasing and improved fighter opposition. Despite a comparatively light bomb-load and limited range, the ultimate version, Do 17Z, possessed good manoeuvrability and during the Luftwaffe's campaign against England in 1940, it was preferred for low-level attacks on British airfields and installations, though its lack of protection made it vulnerable.

Though production ceased in October 1940, the sleek Do 17 could be found on the strength of Luftwaffe units to the end of the war operating as a glider tug, night reconnaissance platform, research aircraft and trainer.
In this book Luftwaffe historian, Chris Goss, recounts the operational history of the Do 17, perhaps the least understood and often forgotten of the Luftwaffe's medium bombers.

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Dornier Do 17 the Luftwaffe's 'Flying Pencil' : Rare Luftwaffe Photographs from Wartime Collections (Air War Archive)

For the first three years of the Second World War, the Dornier Do 17 was the Luftwaffe's principal light bomber. Designed to be fast enough to outrun contemporary fighter aircraft, the Dornier helped to spearhead Germany's Blitzkrieg as Hitler's armies raced through Poland and then France and the Low Countries.

Until its withdrawal to secondary duties in 1941, the Dornier Do 17 served in every theatre of war involving German forces. This included the invasion of the Balkans and Greece as well as the battle to capture Crete. After suffering heavy losses at the hands of Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain, the Do 17 was employed in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

The Do 17 was withdrawn from frontline service later in 1941 but continued to be used by the German Air Force in various roles until the end of the war, including seeing service as a glider tug and in the defence of the Reich in 1944 as a night fighter.

In this compilation of unrivalled images collected over many years, and now part of Frontline's new War in the Air series, the widespread deployment of the Dornier Do 17 is portrayed and brought to life.

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Dornier Do 17 in the Battle of Britain - The 'Flying Pencil' in the Spitfire Summer

During Britain's desperate struggle for survival that in the summer of 1940, the Dornier Do 17 played a prominent part in raids designed at neutralising the RAF's ability to resist and the British people's will to fight back.
Having been built to outrun contemporary fighters when introduced into the Luftwaffe in 1937, it had become the Luftwaffe's main light bomber, and for the attack against Britain, three bomber wings, KG 2, KG3 and KG77, were equipped with the Do 17.
But by 1940, the Do 17 was nearing obsolescence and, with its weak defensive armament, it fell prey to Fighter Command's Hurricanes and Spitfires.

Its vulnerability was starkly revealed on 18 August 1940, when eight Dorniers were shot down and nine damaged in attacks on RAF Kenley, and on 15 September - Battle of Britain Day - when twenty were shot down and a further thirteen damaged.
On that day, Sergeant Ray Holmes rammed his Hurricane into a Do 17 that was reportedly aiming for Buckingham Palace. Part of the bomber's wreckage fell to earth near Victoria Station.

In this comprehensive pictorial record of the Do 17, the bomber's role throughout the period of the Battle of Britain is displayed in the author's unique collection of British and German photographs.
These photographs, coupled with first-hand stories from those who flew and those who fought against the Do 17, bring those desperate days and dark nights back to life in the manner which only contemporary images and accounts can achieve.

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Dornier Do 17 Units of World War 2 (Osprey)

Initially designed as a high-speed mail aeroplane and airliner, the Do 17 first made an appearance as a military aircraft in the Spanish Civil War, both as a bomber and in reconnaissance roles.
In the early stages of World War II, it, together with the Heinkel He 111, formed the backbone of the German bomber arm over Poland, France, Belgium and the Low Countries, and saw action in almost every major campaign in this period.

However, by the start of the Battle of Britain, the Do 17's limited range and small bomb load meant that it was ripe for replacement by the Ju 88. Though it performed well at lower altitudes, the model suffered heavy losses during raids, particularly during the Blitz and were increasingly phased out.

This fully illustrated study uses detailed full-colour artwork and authoritative text from an expert author to tell the full operation story of one of Nazi Germany's best light bombers from the early years of World War II.

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