Do 217 K-1

This page is about the German frontline bomber Do 217 K-1. For other versions, see Do 217 (Family).

Do 217 K-1

Do 217 E-4

Do 217 M-1

Do 217 K-1

Do 217 E-4

Do 217 M-1

Germany

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.3	4.7	5.3

Class:

Bomber

Frontline bomber

Torpedo bomber

Research:46 000

Purchase:155 000

Show in game

Description

The Do 217 K-1 is a rank IV German frontline bomber with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB/SB) and 4.7 (RB). It was introduced in Update 1.29.

The Dornier Do 217 K-1 is a night bomber variant of the Do 217 E, it has improved performance but trades its frontal 20 mm cannon for an extra 7.92 mm MG turret.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 4 000 m515 km/h

Turn time30 s

Max altitude9 000 m

Engine2 х BMW 801 D

TypeRadial

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight17 t

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	490	473	9000	31.3	32.4	10.4	10.4	800
Upgraded	546	515		28.8	30.0	15.8	12.8

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	300	N/A	351	270	~7	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 290	< 360	< 360	> 280

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
700 m	3,180 hp	3,689 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,400 m	2,720 hp	3,155 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew5 people

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear300 km/h

• 8.5 mm Steel plates behind the pilot.
• 8.5 mm Steel plates in front of dorsal gunner.
• 5 mm Steel plate under ventral gunner.
• 8.5 mm Steel plate in front of ventral gunner.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB1 994 → 2 524

RB5 418 → 6 859

SB9 556 → 12 097

Total cost of modifications40 200

77 700

Talisman cost1 400

Crew training45 000

Experts155 000

Aces820

Research Aces440 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

100 / 250 / 450 %

160 / 160 / 160 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 1 600 Cost: 3 100 145 Radiator Research: 1 600 Cost: 3 100 145 Compressor Research: 1 800 Cost: 3 500 165 Wings repair Research: 2 500 Cost: 4 800 230 Engine Research: 2 500 Cost: 4 800 230 Engine injection Research: 4 400 Cost: 8 500 400	Airframe Research: 1 800 Cost: 3 500 165 Cover Research: 4 400 Cost: 8 500 400	mg_turret_belt_pack Research: 1 600 Cost: 3 100 145 ITC PVC I Research: 1 600 Cost: 3 100 145 Flamm C 250 Research: 1 600 Cost: 3 100 145 mg81_turret_new_gun Research: 1 800 Cost: 3 500 165 ITC PVC II Research: 1 800 Cost: 3 500 165 Flamm C 500 Research: 1 800 Cost: 3 500 165 mg131_turret_belt_pack Research: 2 500 Cost: 4 800 230 SC 2000 Research: 2 500 Cost: 4 800 230 mg131_turret_new_gun Research: 4 400 Cost: 8 500 400

Armaments

Suspended armament

List of setups (11)

Setup 14 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb

Setup 228 x 50 kg SC50JA bomb

Setup 38 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb

Setup 42 x 500 kg SC500K bomb
2 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb

Setup 54 x 500 kg SC500K bomb

Setup 62 x 1000 kg SC1000L2 bomb

Setup 74 x 1000 kg SC1000L2 bomb

Setup 82 x F5W torpedo

Setup 94 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb

Setup 104 x Flam C 500 incendiary bomb

Setup 118 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb

The Do 217 K-1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 4 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 26 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,300 kg total)
• 8 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 2 x 500 kg SC500K bombs + 2 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (1,500 kg total)
• 4 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 2 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 4 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (4,000 kg total)
• 2 x F5W torpedoes

Defensive armament

2 х Turret13 mm MG 131 machine gun

Ammunition1000 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

Turret2 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun

Ammunition4000 rounds

Fire rate1597 shots/min

2 х Turret7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun

Ammunition750 rounds

Fire rate1597 shots/min

The Do 217 K-1 is defended by:

• 1 x 13 mm MG 131 machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)
• 1 x 13 mm MG 131 machine gun, ventral turret (1,000 rpg)
• 2 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine guns, nose turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
• 1 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (750 rpg)

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Combined	Not controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Can perform both level and dive bomber effectively
• Defensive armament is often underestimated by foes
• Amazing maximum payload of 4,000 kg
• Very easy to fly and to land
• Can carry torpedoes
• Good energy retention
• Fast aircraft, becomes even faster with upgrades installed and with an empty payload
• Airframe can withstand high speed
• Manoeuvrable just like its heavy fighter variants

Cons:

• Defensive armament is unreliable and will not deter foes from attacking you
• Not very durable
• Rudder locks beyond 500 km/h
• Carrying the 4,000 kg payload will add external pylons which will increase drag and reduce speed, flight performance, and climb rate
• Torpedoes cannot be launched at high speed
• Stock payload is terrible
• Only one pilot
• Lacks any offensive armament of the E variants
• Cramped cockpit and poor pilot protection
• Tail design creates blind spots to the already underwhelming defensive armaments

History

In-game description

Dornier Do 217 K-1 medium twin-engine bomber

In the late summer of 1942, full-scale production of a new bomber variant, called the Do 217 K-1, was started. Its creation was prompted by the designers' wish to improve visibility from the pilot's station. Whereas the Do 217E had a projection in front of the windscreen of the pilot's cockpit, a new streamlined forward section of the crew cockpit was developed for the Do 217K; it had no projection and was shared by the pilot and the navigator. The crew cockpit became more spacious, and visibility was improved.

In addition to the modified crew cockpit, the Do 217Ks had more powerful BMW 801D fourteen-cylinder, air-cooled engines with a takeoff power of 1,700 hp.

The defensive armament was also changed from that of the Do 217 E-4. The designers rejected a 20 mm fixed cannon which fired on course. The navigator's mobile turret had a twin 7.92 mm Mauser MG 81Z machine gun (with 500 rounds). Instead of obsolete MG 15s, the cockpit's side blisters had two (or, after the plane was upgraded, four) 7.92 mm Mauser MG 81 belt-fed machine guns with 750 rounds each.

The upper DL 131 electric turret and the lower WL 131 turret with large-calibre 13 mm Rheinmetall-Borsig MG 131 machine guns were left unchanged.

Now the Do 217K's maximum bomb capacity could reach 4,000 kg. In 1944, field modification kits were developed for the Do 217 K-1, allowing the installation of four ETC 2000/XII bomb racks that could be placed on the wing surface both on the outside of the nacelles (R10) and between the nacelles and the fuselage (R15). It was expected that this variation of suspended armament would let the aircraft carry four LTF5b torpedoes.

Originally, aircraft of the Do 217K variant were developed as night bombers. Their task was to carry out night raids over Great Britain where area-type targets would be bombed from horizontal flight. However, if needed, the R25 field modification kit could be used for the Do 217 K-1, giving it a tail ribbon braking parachute for dive bombing.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Do 217 K-1 from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

Dornier Aircraft Corporation (Dornier Flugzeugwerke)
Fighters	Do 17 Z-7
	Do 217 J-1 · Do 217 J-2 · Do 217 N-1 · Do 217 N-2
	Do 335 A-0 · Do 335 A-1 · Do 335 B-2
Bombers	Do 17 E-1 · Do 17 Z-2
	Do 217 E-2 · Do 217 E-4 · Do 217 K-1 · Do 217 M-1
Jet Aircraft	Alpha Jet A**
Helicopters	◄UH-1D*
	*Licensed
	**Jointly manufactured with Dassault Aviation