ICM #72305 1/72 Do 215B -4 Reconnaissance Plane

ICM #72305 1/72 Do 215B -4 Reconnaissance Plane The Dornier Do 17Z fast bomber elicited interest from foreign air forces. In July 1937, Dornier therefore prepared a pre-series Do 17 Z-0 as a demonstrator for export customers. It was given the civil registration D-AAIV. While this aircraft was essentially identical to the production Do 17Z, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium assigned the designation Do 215 to the export version. The V1 prototype retained the 9-cylinder Bramo 323 Fafnir radial of the Do 17Z.The second prototype (Do 215 V2) was equipped with Gnome-Rhône 14-NO radial engines. It safely completed testing, but did not attract export orders because it did not offer a notable performance increase over the Do 17Z. Dornier therefore equipped the V3 prototype with the 1,175 PS (1,159 hp) Daimler-Benz DB 601Ba inline engines. The V3, which first flew in the spring of 1939, showed a noticeable improvement in flight performance compared to the earlier prototypes.Series production of the Do 215 A-1 began in 1939. The order, intended for the Swedish Air Force, was stopped in August 1939 due to the political situation. The 18 extant aircraft were embargoed and pressed into Luftwaffe service upon the outbreak of World War II.Some modifications were made and the resulting aircraft were redesignated Do 215B. This was the standard production version. Between 92 and 105 (depending on sources) were produced between 1939 and 1941.The Luftwaffe initially operated the Do 215 as a bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft equipped with the Rb 20/30 and Rb 50/30 cameras were used for long-range reconnaissance missions, primarily at the Ob.d.L (Oberkommando der Luftwaffe). Later aircraft operated as night fighters. The last of the Do 215s were retired in late 1944, along with most of the rest of the Luftwaffe bomber fleet.