Dornier 17 codes help.

[mobydog]

I have been asked to produce a display as follows.

A deep box frame to contain some fragments of a Dornier 17z shot down in 1940 and a scale model of same aircraft.

I will be using the new Airfix tooling but need a little help on markings etc as I have no knowledge of WWII Luftwaffe codes etc.

So. This is the aircraft shot down in Billericay on 15/9/1940. A plane of the 4/3KG work number 3294.

My question is what would it's markings have been? Standard camo also? Anything else I should consider?

Any advice gratefully received.

Andy

[Stew Dapple]

Hi Andy,

Luftwaffe Crash Archive has this listed as Wn.3294 5K+DM ('D' in white) of 4/KG.3 but lists the crash site as Gladstone Road, Laindon Hills (as it would have been noted in the RAF Crash Report). The aircraft crashed in flames and most of the wreckage buried, but it is quite safe to assume that it would at this stage of the battle still be in the Black Green/Dark Green/Light Blue (RLM 70/71/65) scheme.

Note that this aircraft's staffel-mate the 5K+JM which was shot down the same day in Kent was reported as having 'pink strips' on the wingtip and rudder, so that might apply to the 5K+DM also.

Cheers,

Stew

[mobydog]

Many thanks Stew

[Graham Boak]

The pink stripes are believed to be temporary formation markings for the large daylight formations common at this time. I agree it is likely that both aircraft would carry the same on that day, but the markings could perhaps be different on other days. It would be legitimate to model the aircraft without them - just not for when it was shot down, perhaps. They do add extra interest.

Paul Lucas did an article in Model Aircraft Magazine on the subject of these stripes, and I believe it is also to be found in (EDITED after post 5) Aviation Workshop's booklet on the Battle of Britain. I don't know of any other source that goes into the same level of detail.

Edited March 9, 2015 by Graham Boak

[Starfighter]

Hi Andy,

If you can get hold of the "On Target " special on the Battle Of Britain, which is published by the Aviation Workshop they discuss the use of formation stripes, etc. in some detail. Although there is no picture of the Dornier you wish to model there are similar aircraft shown. Also, it's an excellent book for Battle Of Britain schemes, covering RAF, German, French, Italian aircraft of the period, so well worth investing in. HTH

[Super Aereo]

The "On Target" special on the BoB is an interesting booklet but please note that there are several errors in the profile representation of the Italian aircraft.