Dornier Do 217
Variant: Do 217K-2
The next variant, the Do 217 K-2, was a specialised anti-shipping version based on the K-1, the Do 217 K-2 was
intended to carry the Fritz X guided bomb, being fitted with pylon-faired hardpoints to allow carriage of two
Fritz Xs inboard of the engines and the appropriate Kehl guidance system transmitter emplacement. It had
longer-span wings (24.8 m (81 ft 4 1/2 in) compared with 19 m (62 ft 4 in) for the K-1) to give better high
altitude performance when carrying the heavy Fritz-X bombs. 50 were converted from K-1 airframes.
The wing area was expanded by a total of 67 m2, but most of the K-2s internal equipment was the same as the
K-1. The increase in area was to increase high-altitude performance. Some of the K-2s had a rigid tail MG 81Z
which was not especially effective. It was loaded with 350 rounds and controlled by the use of a rear-facing
telescope mounted in the forward section of the canopy left of the pilot. Either the gunners or pilot could
activate the weapon which could be jettisoned in case of an emergency to reduce weight.
Sources:
Gunston, Bill - The Encyclodepia of the Worlds Combat aircraft, 1976, Chartwell Books, Inc., New York
Brown, Eric, Captain - Wings of the Luftwaffe, 1979, Airlife Publishing Ltd., Shrewsbury
Gunston, Bill & Wood, Tony - Hitler's Luftwaffe, 1977, Salamander Books Ltd., London
Donald, David - The Complete Encyclopedia Of World Aircraft, 1997, Brown Packaging Books Ltd., London
Wikipedia - Dornier Do 217
Gunston, Bill - The Encyclodepia of the Worlds Combat aircraft, 1976, Chartwell Books, Inc., New York
Brown, Eric, Captain - Wings of the Luftwaffe, 1979, Airlife Publishing Ltd., Shrewsbury
Gunston, Bill & Wood, Tony - Hitler's Luftwaffe, 1977, Salamander Books Ltd., London
Donald, David - The Complete Encyclopedia Of World Aircraft, 1997, Brown Packaging Books Ltd., London
Wikipedia - Dornier Do 217