Dornier Do 17 Country: Germany Type: Light bomber Manufacturer: Dornier Service: 1937 - 1945 First Flight: 23 November 1934 Production: 1994

The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift ("flying pencil"), was a light bomber produced by Dornier. It was designed as a Schnellbomber, a light bomber, which in theory, would be so fast that it could simply outrun defending fighters. It was used in the first three years of World War II with some success by the Luftwaffe. The type was popular among its pilots as a manoeuvrable low altitude light bomber, capable of surprise bombing attacks. Its sleek and thin airframe made it harder to hit than other German bombers, as it presented less of a target. The Dornier was used in every major campaign in significant numbers until the end of 1941, when its limited bomb load and range became too much of a problem, and its effectiveness and usage was curtailed. The Do 17 continued in Luftwaffe in various roles until the end of the war, as a transport, test and trainer aircraft, while a significant number of Do 17s were sent to other nations. A small production run of an updated version known as the Do 215 was also produced for export, but ended up in Luftwaffe service. The successor of the Do 17 was the Dornier Do 217.

General characteristics

• Crew: 4 (pilot, bomb aimer/gunner, two gunners)
• Length: 15.80 m (51 ft 9…� in.)
• Wingspan: 18 m (59 ft 0…� in.)
• Height: 4.56 m (14 ft 11½ in.)
• Wing area: 55 m (590 ft)
• Empty weight: 5,209 kg (11,480 lb)
• Loaded weight: 8,578 kg (18,872 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 8,850 kg (19,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 x BMW Bramo 323P Fafnir 9-cylinder radial engines, 750 kW (1,000 hp) each