The last surviving Dornier

Acording to ‘The Captive Luftwaffe’ (Kenneth West), there were two! The first was Do 217M-1 (c/n 56158), AM 107, which is said to have been earmarked for post-war exhibition but was scrapped at 71 MU Bicester in about 1956. The second was Do 217M-1 (c/n 56527), AM 106, which is said to have been exhibited at the RAE in October/November 1945 but there is no mention of its fate. There is a photograph of this latter aircraft in the book. There is no mention in the book of Do 217 c/n 56156. Maybe this was a typographical error in your post, Peter?

An even better source is Phil Butler’s seminal work on captured Axis Powers aircraft “War prizes”. He lists two such Do217s that survived in the UK post war namely:

w/n 56527 (Allocated Air Ministry identity AM106) which was coded U5+HK of I/KG2. It was flown to Farnborough not flown again, then noted there later in the scrap compound on 15 Dec 1946

w/n 56158 (Allocated Air Ministry identity AM107) which was coded U5+.. of KG2. Phil explains it was flown into Farnborough on 13 Oct 1945 and test flown then flown in the display of German aircraft held on 4 November. It was test flown again later then went to 6MU Brize Norton then to 47MU at Sealand to be packed for museum storage after which it went to 3MU Stanmore Park and was there until 18 December 1955; but after a review due to space limits its wings and some other components were sent to Bovingdon for fire practice, the rest of the aircraft was scrapped.

Tim

The title to the thread is, perhaps, rather misleading. What about all the post-war Dorniers? What about Do 335 VG+PH in the Smithsonian?

WNr yes… locations… no 😉

Bovington? The tank museum?

Mark

..but we have different Wk Nr and different location. 🙂

WNr yes… locations… no 😉

The Lancaster remained in RAF service long after the Berlin Airlift, into the early 50s in the GR3 maritime recce or PR3 versions. PA474 was in RAF service until 1952, when she went to Flight Refuelling then the College of Aeronautics

Yes the lancs remained at TR for some years after, before being broken up there. The Late Sir Alan Cobham. Pioneered Air to Air refueling. Flight Refueling ltd. Based at Tarrant Rushton. Dorset.

I bet Farnborough would have. Mind you, they may well have destroyed these as well due to lack of interest. I remember that most airworthy Lancs finished up at Tarrant Rushton and used on the Berlin Airlift. After which they were broken up for scrap using excavators, very sad sight according to an eye witness. They only realized just in time that they should keep one for old times sake. Hence the BBMF City of Lincoln still flying today.

The Lancaster remained in RAF service long after the Berlin Airlift, into the early 50s in the GR3 maritime recce or PR3 versions. PA474 was in RAF service until 1952, when she went to Flight Refuelling then the College of Aeronautics

Acording to ‘The Captive Luftwaffe’ (Kenneth West), there were two! The first was Do 217M-1 (c/n 56158), AM 107, which is said to have been earmarked for post-war exhibition but was scrapped at 71 MU Bicester in about 1956. The second was Do 217M-1 (c/n 56527), AM 106, which is said to have been exhibited at the RAE in October/November 1945 but there is no mention of its fate. There is a photograph of this latter aircraft in the book. There is no mention in the book of Do 217 c/n 56156. Maybe this was a typographical error in your post, Peter?

I too would be interested in the location and photographs of any surviving parts…

I have what I’m fairly certain is a DO217 control yoke out in the garage. It came from the Mag Elektron scrap compound in the early ’80s. I wonder if it might be from the lost (last surviving) Dornier?

Great minds… and all that Mark 😉

Pete

..but we have different Wk Nr and different location. 🙂

Mark

Great minds… and all that Mark 😉

Pete

The Do217 was AirMin107, a Do217M-1, WNr.56156 and coded U5+?? of KG2. It was packed for museum storage in Sept’46 and transferred to No.3 MU at Stanmore Park, where she remained until 18th Dec’55 when its wings and some other components were transported to Bovington Airport for fire-fighting practice and the rest of the aircraft was sold for scrap. [Source, pg100 of “War Prizes” by P.Butler, Midland 1994]

I too would be interested in the location and photographs of any surviving parts… 🙂

Cheers
Pete

Dornier 217 Wr Nr 56158. Was at Stanmore Park until December 1955, then bits transferred to Bovingdon for fire-fighting practice and the remainder sold as scrap.

Mark

The Air Britain Hampden file (p 204) features two photos of the Hampden (P1310), in a dismantled state. The first photo’s location (by Peter Corbell) is not captioned, the second photo (by Arthur Pearcy) is at Bovingdon in December 1955 and captioned “presumably P1310” after arrival from Bicester.

Yes, there still is in the Grahame White building. I saw it yesterday.

Found my photograph…..that has to be a Whitley!

I’m certain there is a photograph of said Dornier 217 in the book “War Prizes, The Album”. I’ll have a forage for it later…

Regards;
Steve

There is (or was) an architect’s model of the, presumably proposed, RAF Hendon Museum on display at the museum…

…and parked out on the grass in front of it…..is a Whitley bomber?

I’ve got a photograph somewhere.

Yes, there still is in the Grahame White building. I saw it yesterday.

Rob

Good to know I’m not going daft(er).

Does anyone have photographs?

I have a feeling there was an image of the Dornier or Hampden fuselage at Bicester(?) in Air Pictorial late 1950’s early 1960’s.

Best I can do.

Mark

Or even 66 years of hindsight 🙂

I understand what you are saying, but some wartime aircraft were saved for preservation – ‘S for Sugar’ for example at the RAFM. Given the importance of the ‘Dambusters’ mission and its success against all odds, I would have thought that Gibson’s airframe would have been earmarked for preservation.

Re the famous Lancasters of 617 sqdn, I believe that the Germans DELIBERATELY shot some of them down.

No sense of heritage. What would they be worth today..

I would suggest a question asked with the benefit of 64 years of hindsight…………

Planemike

Or even 66 years of hindsight 🙂