The Dornier Do 215 was a light bomber / aerial reconnaissance aircraft and later a night fighter, produced by Dornier originally for export, but in the event most served in the Luftwaffe.
Variants
Do 215 V1
Dornier Do 17 Z-0 used as first prototype of Do 215 and crashed during trials.
Do 215 V2
Dornier Do 17 Z-0 (D-AIIB) equipped with Gnome-Rhône 14-cylinder radial engines and used as second prototype of Do 215.
Do 215 V3
Third prototype of Do 215, equipped with Daimler-Benz DB 601Ba inline engines.
Do 215 A-1
Designation of original 18 aircraft built for Swedish Air Force order.
Do 215 B-0
Three aircraft of A-1 version re-equipped for Luftwaffe with FuG 10 and operated for bomber/reconnaissance duties.
Do 215 B-1
Renamed remaining 15 aircraft of A-1 version operated by Luftwaffe.
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.
Do 215 B-3
Two aircraft similar to B-1 sold to Soviet Union.
Do 215 B-4
Improved reconnaissance version developed from B-2 version and equipped with Rb 20/30 & Rb 50/30 cameras.
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.
Specifications
Crew
4
Length
15.8 m (51 ft 10 in)
Wingspan
18 m (59 ft 1 in)
Height
4.56 m (15 ft 0 in)
Wing area
55 m2 (590 sq ft)
Airfoil
Root
NACA 2218
Tip
NACA 2209
Empty weight
5,775 kg (12,732 lb)
Max take-off weight
8,600 kg (18,960 lb)
Fuel capacity
1,550 l (410 US gal; 340 imp gal) in two wing tanks + optional 875 l (231 US gal; 192 imp gal) auxiliary tank in the bomb bay
Powerplant
2 × Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engines, 820 kW (1,100 hp) each
Propellers
3-bladed constant-speed propellers
Performance
Maximum speed
385 km/h (239 mph, 208 kn) at sea level
405 km/h (252 mph; 219 kn) at 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
470 km/h (290 mph; 250 kn) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
Cruise speed
410 km/h (250 mph, 220 kn) at 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
Combat range
380 km (240 mi, 210 nmi) with standard fuel and 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bomb-load
Ferry range
2,448 km (1,521 mi, 1,322 nmi) with 875 l (231 US gal; 192 imp gal) auxiliary tank
