Agree totally Poltava it will fill a much needed gap. I hope Gio (
and Ranwers team?) can make a slot for this.
Much needed bomber 1941-1944 western and Italian fronts.
(especially bomber for western front 1941-1943) 
Dornier Do217 E
The first bomber unit to receive the Dornier Do 217E was II Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 40 (II/KG 40) in March 1941, followed by KG 2 later that year. At first these units, based in the Netherlands, were used to carry out minelaying and anti-shipping operations over the North Sea. On the night of 24/25 April 1942, however, Dornier Do 217s of KG 2 took part in an attack on the city of Exeter, the first raid of what was to become known as the Baedeker Blitz. KG 2's Dorniers were heavily deployed during the
Baedeker raids, against British provincial cities which were less heavily defended than London, which continued until July that year. The Do 217 squadrons had little time to recover as on 19 August 1942 the Allies launched an amphibious raid on
Dieppe in Northern France, with KG 2 launching almost its entire strength of 80 aircraft in response, losing 20 over Dieppe. It continued to see service as a night bomber, and in anti-shipping roles to mid 1944 alongside the later Do217K and M versions.
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Dornier 217 J
Deliveries of the Dornier Do 217J-1 started in March 1942, with night-fighter pilots being unimpressed, considering the type to have poor manoeuvrability and speed. The J-1 was relegated to the training role by summer that year, replaced by the radar equipped J-2 in front-line units. Despite the aircraft's faults, the Do 217 was widely used, being used by 11 night-fighter Gruppen, although it did not completely equip any unit, usually being operated in conjunction with the more popular Messerschmitt Bf 110. The Luftwaffe deployed the Do 217 night-fighter over Italy and the Eastern front as well as in direct defence of Germany, but the type had beed phased out of service by mid-1944.
Bomber + nightfighter
= 
Cheers
Author
Topic: S. B. C. DO217K1 to E series (Read 39167 times)
