Jump to content

Dornier Do.217N-1 Italeri 1/72


Recommended Posts

I started working on other parts of the model. The tail carriage bay was closed with plasticard to avoid extremely unpleasant gaps:

 

217-046_orig.jpg

 

The horizontal tail plane, supplied in one piece, was re-engraved and riveted. However, its placement on the fuselage leaves some cracks. I still have to decide whether to fill them with plasticard or putty:

 

217-048_orig.jpg

 

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The work of re-paneling from positive to negative is always tedious and long as well as a bearer of pitfalls that force you to re-start again. And in fact for me it is one of those activities that lead me to often make mistakes in tracing and having to start from scratch is something I hate. For paneling I always use templates but in some cases I also use a freehand cutter. With the engraver, however, I try to carry out the same number of passes with the same pressure in order to obtain as much uniformity as possible. For riveting, however, I proceed both with the appropriate tool and with a CMK steel hacksaw blade applying the appropriate pressure. This model is particularly suitable in this sense for numerous squared and/or flat areas:

 

217-049.jpg

 

217-050.jpg

 

Don't be surprised by the scratches visible in the photos: everything will need to be polished before applying primer.

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me again...

Even more impressive work! Nice detail on the turret ring and that vent works well...

On 9/12/2024 at 9:31 AM, Bruno P said:

The horizontal tail plane, supplied in one piece, was re-engraved and riveted. However, its placement on the fuselage leaves some cracks.

 

Regarding that area, I think (if you want to model it) the way in which the whole horizontal tail moves and the covers and fairings that are found there could hide the gaps. That said there are gaps around the fairings.

 

I can't find any decent images yet... I have some of the D0 17 setup and the 217 is very similar.

 

Matt

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Mattlow said:

Regarding that area, I think (if you want to model it) the way in which the whole horizontal tail moves and the covers and fairings that are found there could hide the gaps. That said there are gaps around the fairings.

Hi Mattlow and THANKS again for your kind reply.

About the tail I have two images: the first is a drawing where on the fuselage and around the intersection with the tail plane you can see some features that could make you think of fairings

do-217-1_8_1

 

The second is a photograph of an N2, similar to N1 in that point, in which these fairings are not present:

Dornier-Do-217N2-unk-NJG-unit-Stkz-PE+AW-factory-code-Germany-1943-01

 

I don't have any other decent pictures. Of the two, I trust the photo of the actual aircraft more than the drawing.

Thanks again!!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

 

I think the fairing (well in fact a sheet of metal that covers a gap in the fuselage) has to be there. The whole tailplane changed incidence by a few degrees and the sheet metal covered necessary cut outs in fuselage side.

 

It's really hard to find an image that shows it. I suppose it is slightly possible that the N-1/2 deleted this feature, but I doubt it... It had been on the Dorniers from the 17 onwards..

 

It's not that convincing when I can't find an image... I have manuals but nothing that covers that part of the workings... 

 

I have just found an image of a Do 217N (in the Motorbook Verlag Do 217,317,417 book) where you can see the tailplane is set at the lower incidence. That means it must have variable incidence tailplane and therefore the fairing. It's in a book, I'll photograph it tomorrow and post it...

 

That is if you want to model that feature. I also found the way the fairing on top of the tailplane works is different to the D0 17, so some different panels between moving and non-moving parts.. Quite interesting..

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really thank you, thank you so much Mattlow for your info. If you can post a picture of the fairings it would help me a lot. I honestly didn't know that the tail plane was variable incidence.

Waiting for you

Best regards

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Bruno

 

I've just found this thread - I'm very impressed with your careful and precise work. Excellent!

 

I have a stalled Koster Do217N on the SOD, but I sorted through a fair few references for it some time ago. I'll have a look for pics for you and get back if I find anything helpful.

 

SD

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As said above, the angle of the whole tail could be adjusted by a few degrees and there were fairings attached to the tail in order to fair everything into the fuselage. Asimilar system was already employed on the Do 17/215.

 

As the Do 217 is less well known and documented than its more famous counterparts there are no good photos of this feature, the best I could find was this picture of an early prototype which gives a one an idea of how it works:

Do217-move-tail.jpg

 

Hope this helps!

 

Cheers

Markus

 

 

Edited by Shorty84
  • Like 1
  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found these

 

Do 217N 1

 

 

 

Do 217N 2

 

 

Do 217N 3

 

Source

 

IMG_0944

 

and some expired eBay auctions show some helpful detail

 

Do 217 N-2 Nachtjager

 

do217N -07-220412

 

And finally this Do217N-2 found abandoned at Straubing in 1945. According to my references this machine was eventually attached to a Wekusta unit for weather forecasting! This was to be my chosen scheme for my Koster conversion

 

Do217N~2 SO+QY Straubing 1945

 

Do 217N wreck (Airfoil aircraft)

 

SD

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

THANKS, really thanks so much you all!!!!

The image provided by Shorty84 is quite clear regarding the configuration of the horizontal tail plane.

Thanks again!

Edited by Bruno P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The machine gunner/radio operator station, located in the upper turret, was protected by armour:

 

217-051_orig.jpg

 

217-052_orig.jpg

 

The armor that embraces the end part of the canopy fairing was made with a sheet of lead which is malleable and therefore lends itself to being modeled on such a curved surface. The remaining armor was instead made with adhesive aluminium. From the photos of the real aircraft you can also notice a relief (I don't know if it is armor or not) that continues longitudinally towards the tail for a certain stretch. The round access panels to the underlying tanks were placed on it.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As construction continued I moved on to the wings and in particular to the undercarriage bays.

The work began with a detail of the bottom of the same:

 

217-053.jpg

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great stuff!

 

Sorry, I got distracted from answering with a photo, but that which has been provided is as good as what I could find. It is quite different from the 17/215.

 

This is going to be a very nice 217 when you've finished...

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Mattlow said:

Great stuff!

 

Sorry, I got distracted from answering with a photo, but that which has been provided is as good as what I could find. It is quite different from the 17/215.

 

This is going to be a very nice 217 when you've finished...

 

Matt

Thanks so much Matt!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having decided to represent the open airbrakes, thanks to the 72114 set from Extra Tech, the relevant parts were removed from the lower wings:

 

217_053

 

after which the areas that would otherwise remain uncovered on the upper wings were closed:

 

217-056.jpg

 

The previously detailed parts of the undercarriage compartment skies were glued onto the lower wings and the rear space which would otherwise show an unwanted void was closed:

 

217-055.jpg

 

217-059.jpg

 

The walls of the gear bays were also briefly detailed with 0.3x0.3mm plasticard bars:

 

217-057.jpg

 

The half wings have not yet been glued together so the closure with very thin plasticard (0.2mm) between the upper and lower ones is still missing.

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before closing the wings I "boxed" the part of the gear bay intended to accommodate the wheel in order to avoid visibility of unwanted empty spaces:

 

217-060.jpg

 

I then created the slats by placing the Extra Tech 72114 photoetched parts on very thin plasticard shapes (0.1 mm) and detailing the corresponding lower part of the upper wing:

 

217-063.jpg

 

217-064.jpg

 

Finally, I finished the gear bays with the bulkhead, the one on which the engines are then mounted, detailing it a little even with some riveting (which I fear does not appear in the photos) and, again with Extra Tech photo-etchings, I detailed the hatches:

 

217-062.jpg

 

217-065.jpg

 

Overall view:

 

217-061.jpg

 

  • Like 11
  • Thanks 1
  • Love 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, javlin said:

How you guys do your magic like this in 1/72 just befuddles me .....most excellent!!:worthy:

You need a surgeon's fingers..............

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Flamingo said:

This is phantastic!

 

As a child I built an Airfix 217E, oob, and I was proud of the gloss paint!

 

Regards Joachim

Thanks so much Joachim!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now begins a long and tedious phase of remaking the panels, negative rather than positive as proposed by the kit, as already done for the fuselage. On the port wing there is also the landing light which is brought flush with the surface. I correct mistakes (and I make them since I'm unable) with cyanoacrylate which will then be sanded and re-traced.

 

217-066.jpg

 

  • Like 6
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The wings were negative paneled and riveted. Some panels were added because they were absent and others eliminated because they were imaginary.

Before:

 

217-067.jpg

 

217-069.jpg

 

After:

 

217-070.jpg

 

217-068.jpg

 

On the upper surfaces the round panels are still missing: the smaller inspection ones and the larger ones for refueling the tanks.

The surfaces now need to be polished and washed in warm water to remove all dust. The riveting may now appear a little "heavy" but when finished it should be barely noticeable.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...