The Do215 began life as a re-designated version of the Do17 intended for export. The Swedish Government ordered 18 DO215A-1 bombers but before any were delivered an embargo was placed on their export and they were instead modified for use by the Luftwaffe as reconnaissance aircraft. The Do215 retained the pencil like fuselage of the Do17, nicknamed ‘The Flying Pencil’ but featured 2 in-line Daimler Benz engines giving a marked improvement in performance. The Dornier Do215 B-5 Kauz III was a dedicated night fighter featuring IR searchlight in the nose, FuG 202 Lichtenstein BC radar, 4 x 7.62mm machine guns in the upper nose and 2 x 20mm MG FF cannons in the lower nose. The aircraft modeled was the personal machine of Gruppenkommandeur Helmut Lent and served with Stab II/NJG 2, in Leeuwarden during the Summer of 1942.
Scale 1:72
