Kauz Index

• Do-217 display rod created with concentric styrene plastic tubes, smaller one glued into fuselage base, then inserted into larger one secured to display stand. Copper wire was twisted and superglued between concentric tubes to prevent model swivel. Gentle curve of display pole set by softening pole in hot water for a few minutes and bending to shape. Do 217N-2/R22 Color Profile Drawings - Jexiste.fr

• Rollover : Close-up for cockpit section showing nose radar array and armaments, along with ventral gun mount with twin MG131 machine guns (same type as mounted on top dorsal turret). MG 131 machine gun - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG131

• Ventral & Dorsal guns inherited from its daytime bomber legacy to prevent enemy fighters from attacking aircraft from astern. But in night fighting air combat, these gun mounts seldom served as viable defense deterrent since engagements are often very close proximity which required aggressive aerial maneuvers to shake-off one's pursuer (hence negate any rear gunner accuracy). Thus, posts were eliminated to allow more ammunition, weapon loadouts, fuel, and airborne radar installation. Radar in WW II - http://www.skylighters.org/radar/

• 	Do-217 cockpit interior, pilot station on left (seats removed for photography purposes), radio/navigator on right, dorsal gun post in front of photo, ventral gun post below deck. German WW2 Cockpit photos (in German) | luftarchiv.de Do-217J-1 Cockpit (game simulation) | ketsujin.com
  	Do-217 J-1 "White 51" with BMW 801 radial engines, this is front view of GE+EA aircraft used to test FuG 202 airborne radar. BMW 801 | Wiki
  In-flight photo of GE+EA (its grey squadron code barely visible between German Balkenkreuz insignia). WW2 Colour T-34 m. 42/43 (with Balkenkreuz) | narod.ru German WW2 Balkenkreuz (Balken Cross) insignia used on ground vehicles and aircrafts was a variation of WW1 Imperial Eisernes Kreuz (Iron Cross). Iron Cross | Wiki Symbol was adopted by Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Army Air Service) in April 1918, used until WW1 end in Nov 1918. Post WW1 Germany forbidden to possess airforce or armored forces afterwards, thus ended its usage. Although para-military armor car police force (such as Ehrhardt E-V/4) was permitted to maintain government stability, especially against pro-Communist insurrections such as 1919 Spartacist Uprising in Berlin. Luftstreitkräfte | Wiki Spartacist uprising | Wiki Ehrhardt E-V/4 | Wiki Insignia was formally re-activated in 1935 during Germany's rearmament campaign, and used until WW2 ending in May 1945. To eliminate vestiges to Nazi-era, post WW2 West Germany reactivated WW1-style Balkenkreuz symbol for its armed forces. This was also adopted by remnants of East Germany after its collapse in 1989 and absorption into the unified Germany. East Germany | Wiki
  	Do-217 J-2 with DB 603A Inverted-Vee-12 engines, FuG 212 nose radar set, protruding shoots below nose section for empty cannon shell casing ejection. „@„r„y„p„ˆ„y„‘ 1921-1945 | Avia-hobby.ru J-series was last version with Ventral gun post defending bottom astern arc. Allies called it Belly Gun, but German had their dry-humor by calling it Badewanne (Bathtub) with its elongated shape forcing occupant to laid prone to operate the guns. American B-17 Mary-Alice Belly Gun Post | websitehome.co.uk Ventral Gun Post (on He-111) | warbirdspics.com
  	Dorsal gun turret on Do-217 J-series, another legacy defense armament from its bomber era. It protected top astern arc from enemy attacks. Dorsal Gun Post photo (on He-111 bomber) | pbase.com Both dorsal and ventral guns were removed in final Do-217 N-series. Ventral Gun Post photo (on He-111 bomber) | pbase.com