Dornier Do 215

The Dornier Do 215 was designed as an export version of the successful Do 17 bomber. Three prototypes were built: The V1 was essentially the same as the Do 17Z ans ws powered by Bramo 323 Fafnir radial engines; The V2 was powered by Gnome-Rhône 14-NO radial engines, while the V3 was powered by Daimler-Benz DB 601 Ba inline engines. With the more powerful engines, the V3 was faster and attracted interest from Sweden, who ordered 18 aircraft.

Due to deteriorating international conditions leading up the Second World War, Germany embargoed the Swedish aircraft and they were used by the Luftwaffe, where they were designated Do 215 B-1.

Two Do 215 B-3 reconnaissance aircraft were sold to the USSR. Hungary operated ten Do 215s, three B-1 and seven B-4s. They were only used for a short time before being relegated to training units towards the end of 1942.

Official figures indicate that 105 Do 215s were produced between 1939 and 1941 by Dornier. The last machines were retired in late 1944.

Click on the links below to go see photos of the different variants and operators.

• Dornier Do 215 A-1
  • Designation of original 18 aircraft built for Swedish Air Force order.
• Dornier Do 215 B-0
  • Three aircraft of A-1 version re-equipped for Luftwaffe with FuG 10 and operated for bomber/reconnaissance duties.
• Dornier Do 215 B-1
  • Renamed remaining 15 aircraft of A-1 version operated by Luftwaffe.
• Dornier Do 215 B-2
  • Rebuilt with sliding cover under bomb bay and equipped with three Rb 50/30 cameras in bomb bay used for reconnaissance missions.
• Dornier Do 215 B-3
  • Two aircraft similar to B-2 sold to Soviet Union.
• Dornier Do 215 B-4
  • Improved reconnaissance version developed from B-2 version and equipped with Rb 20/30 & Rb 50/30 cameras.
• Dornier Do 215 B-5
  • Night fighter version called Kauz III. 20 aircraft converted from B-1 and B-4 versions with Do 17 Z-10 “Kauz II” nose-equipped with IR searchlight for the Spanner infrared detection system. Do 215 B-5s were armed with four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns grouped above the IR light and two 20 mm MG FF cannon in the lower nose. The Spanner system proved to be useless and the Lichtenstein 202 B/C radar was installed on some aircraft starting from the middle of 1942.
• In Hungarian Service
  • In 1942, the Royal Hungarian Air Force received ten used Dornier Do 215 aircraft for use as reconnaissance aeroplanes. These consisted of three B-1 and seven B-4s. They were only used for a short time before being relegated to training units towards the end of 1942.
• Evaluation by the Soviet Union
  • The Soviet Union purchased two Dornier Do 215 B-3 long range reconnaissance aircraft for evaluation. Originally ordered as Do 215B-2s by the Luftwaffe, which had cancelled its order in favour of the Junkers Ju 88 and Heinkel He 177, they were redesignated Do 215B-3s. They were not equipped with either defensive armament of cameras when delivered.