DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

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Leebee0
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Joined: Mon 10 Oct 2011, 3:12 pm

DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by Leebee0 »

Hi all

I was invited along by my friends at the RAF Museum Cosford for close up look at the recently raised Dornier Do17.
The aircraft can be viewed by the public but only from a small window at the top of the hydration tunnels.
These pictures were taken from inside each of the hydration tunnels which are not open to the public.

The hydration tunnels

The hydration tunnels are split into two tunnels the left one has the fuselage and the right one contains the wings and undercarriage which are still in one piece. The aircraft is in these to try and stabilise the structure and is sprayed every 10mins or so to help clean up the structure

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History of the aircraft is not complete but here goes with what is known. Most of this info coming from original PoW interrogation reports.

Built as a Do 17Z-2, with two supercharged Bramo ‘Fafnir’ 323P-1 nine-cylinder radial engines; the ultimate, and most numerous, model of the Do 17 produced.
Allotted to 7/KG3 (7 Staffel (Squadron), III Gruppe of KG.3 with fuselage codes 5K+AR. Based at St Trond in Belgium.
Research by the Air Historical Branch and RAF Museum has identified the aircraft lying on the Goodwin Sands as probably being Dornier 17 Z-2 Ser No 1160 of 7 Staffel, III Gruppe/KG3 (7th Sqn of 3rd Group of Bomber Wing 3).
Coded 5K + AR, this aircraft was lost on Monday 26 August 1940 which was part of a formation despatched to bomb Debden and Hornchurch airfields.
Before reaching the target, when flying above clouds, the aircraft became separated from the rest of the formation and lost its bearings. It was then attacked by fighters (Boulton Paul Defiants from 264 Sqn based at Hornchurch in Essex). Both engines were hit as was the cockpit. With at least one of their engines stopped, a forced landing was made on the Goodwin Sands. The identity of the RAF fighter responsible for shooting it down has not been confirmed as it may have been shot down by the escorting German fighters from Jagdgeschwader 3 (Fighter Wing 3).

So here are my shots of the fuselage. It is still upside down and they are unsure if they will ever be able to get it the right way up. It was very hot and steamy inside the first tunnel as can be seen in some of these first shots. Also the smell was pretty bad!

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Ok into the second tunnel which has more bits you can recognise!

A propeller and you can see the original black paintwork starting to show through! I was told that when they arrived none of that was visible so the cleaning process is already working!

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I think this is an engine :question:

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Engine bay and undercarriage

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An identification plate which would have been on the underside but as she is lying upside down it is now on the top.

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Finally just a few random bits that were lying around?

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Well thanks for looking and i hope you have found this interesting it was so difficult trying to keep this down to an acceptable length but that very hard with such a unique project.This is the only known substantially intact Dornier Do-17. A few components from other machines survive, including the rudder, spinner and propeller blade displayed in the Battle of Britain Hall at Hendon.
I have loads more pics and info about this project so if you are interested in finding out anything more please PM me and i will get back to you as soon as i can.

Thanks for looking

Cheers

Lee.

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SKYRAIDER
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Re: DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by SKYRAIDER »

Hi Lee, thanks for posting these, I went up to Cosford last Friday to see this rare aircraft, just looking through the door of the tunnels is fantastic, as you said you can see and read some of the plates on the airframe bits, lets hope is will all turn out ok and it can go on show,
cheers,
Rob

Leebee0
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Joined: Mon 10 Oct 2011, 3:12 pm

Re: DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by Leebee0 »

SKYRAIDER wrote:Hi Lee, thanks for posting these, I went up to Cosford last Friday to see this rare aircraft, just looking through the door of the tunnels is fantastic, as you said you can see and read some of the plates on the airframe bits, lets hope is will all turn out ok and it can go on show,
cheers,
Rob


Thanks Rob

I am sure the airframe will go on show at sometime but at what level of restoration remains to be seen. Talking with the museum yesterday they have already been asked when she is going to fly again! The level of restoration won't be much more than can be seen now. I think the main priority is first to make sure the airframe and wings don't deteriorate any more which I am sure they will do.

Cheers

Lee

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cfan
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Re: DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by cfan »

interesting, thanks for sharing! :smile:

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swingy
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Re: DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by swingy »

Very interesting. thanks for posting.

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ciaranchef
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Re: DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by ciaranchef »

Fantastic, thats so much for posting these, when you say "It is still upside down and they are unsure if they will ever be able to get it the right way up" are they afraid to damage it even more or they will just display it as a wreck? I had read they will try to restore it much as possible? Ciaran
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Leebee0
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Joined: Mon 10 Oct 2011, 3:12 pm

Re: DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by Leebee0 »

ciaranchef wrote:Fantastic, thats so much for posting these, when you say "It is still upside down and they are unsure if they will ever be able to get it the right way up" are they afraid to damage it even more or they will just display it as a wreck? I had read they will try to restore it much as possible? Ciaran


Hi Ciaran

Well this is the million dollar question :smile: As I said earlier in the post someone had already asked "when is she going to fly". The RAF Museum are dedicated to restoring the airframe as much as they can,but they will not rick anymore damage to the airframe so if they can not get the airframe the right way up it will remain as it is. It will then after a two year clean up it will go on display at Hendon as a wreck in the two separates parts. Only time will tell.

Cheers

Lee.

Mike
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Re: DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by Mike »

Thanks for posting these fascinating pictures.

I understood that there was never any intention to do any restoration on the airframe, but to stabilize and conserve it to prevent further deterioration, and then display it in 'as found' condition.

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Brevet Cable
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Re: DORNIER Do 17Z Werke nr.1160 (Pic Heavy)

Post by Brevet Cable »

As the discussion on this aircraft on the Key Publishing Forum , the ID hasn't been established yet......RAFM have just assumed all along that it is 1160.
The ID plate in the photo is apparently only a part number plate , not an aircraft number ID plate.
If you look at the photo posted towards the bottom of page 31 on the Key thread { http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthre ... ead/page31 } you'll see a photo of one of the main frame sections......have to agree with the poster's opinion -- the first number of the W.Nr. definitely looks like a 6 not a 0 !!
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