Difference between revisions of "Do 217 N-2"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
<!--''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''-->
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
+
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} German twin-engine fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.39]].
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German twin-engine fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.39]].
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
=== Flight Performance ===
+
=== Flight performance ===
<!--''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Maximum speed, maneuverability, speed and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''-->
+
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
 
|-
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
+
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
|-
+
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 5,500 m)
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
+
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
|-
 
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at ?,000 m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
 
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
+
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run<br>(meters)
+
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
|-
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
 
|-
 
|-
| ? || ? || {{Specs|ceiling}} || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ???
+
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
+
! Stock
 +
| 495 || 478 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.9 || 30.0 || 4.6 || 4.5 || rowspan="2" | 800
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at ?,000 m)
+
! Upgraded
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
+
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
 
|-
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
|-
 
| ? || ? || {{Specs|ceiling}} || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ???
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
====Details====
+
==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="5" | Features
 
! colspan="5" | Features
 
|-
 
|-
! Combat flap
+
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
! Take-off flap
 
! Landing flap
 
! Air brakes
 
! Arrestor gear
 
 
|-
 
|-
| X || X || X || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
+
| X || || || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
+
! colspan="7" | Limits
 
|-
 
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap<br> (km/h)
+
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
|-
 
|-
! +
+
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
! -
 
 
|-
 
|-
| {{Specs|разрушение|конструкции}} || {{Specs|разрушение|шасси}} || ??? || ~?? || ~?
+
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 380 || 270 || ~8 || ~7
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 88: Line 62:
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
+
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
! Ailerons<br>(km/h)
+
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
! Rudder<br>(km/h)
 
! Elevators<br>(km/h)
 
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
 
|-
 
|-
| < ??? || < ??? || < ??? || > ???
+
| < 290 || < 360 || < 360 || > 250
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 109: Line 80:
 
! WEP Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
|-
| ?,??? m || ??? hp || ?,??? hp
+
| 5,000 m || 3,000 hp || 3,330 hp
|-
 
<!--! colspan="3" | Setting 2
 
|-
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp  
 
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
 
|-
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp
 
|- -->
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
<!--''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''-->
+
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
* No armour plating
+
 
* No armour glazing
+
* 8.5 mm steel - bulkhead in front of the cockpit
* Critical components located at front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
+
* 50 mm bulletproof glass - armoured windscreen and cockpit roof
* More fuel tanks located in wings near fuselage
+
* 5 mm steel - a box containing Schrage Musik cannons
 +
* 5 mm steel - plate in the tail
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
<!--''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.''
+
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
{{main|MAC 1934 (7.5 mm)}}
+
{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
* 4 x 7.5 mm [[MAC 1934 (7.5 mm)|MAC 1934]] machine guns (300 rpg = 1,200 total)
+
* 4 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)
-->
+
* 4 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons, Schräge Musik mounted in mid fuselage (200 rpg = 800 total)
<!--=== Suspended armament ===
+
* 4 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (1,000 rpg = 4,000 total)
''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''-->
+
 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''Main article:&nbsp;'''[[:Category:Suspended armaments|Bombs]]'''''-->
+
== 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).'' -->
=== Defensive armament ===
+
 
''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available remove this subsection.''
+
The Do 217 N-2 plays similar to most other heavy fighters, in that it is reliant on delivering a quick knock out punch to an enemy to be effective. However, the aircraft has two unusual traits, which make for different play styles than other heavy fighters. The first is the lack of any form of turret weaponry. This problem makes the N-2 a unique member in the German heavy fighter line, as virtually all other heavy fighters either have a tail gunner or are agile enough to not need one. The second feature is the inclusion of a set of vertical firing cannons, known as Schräge Musik. This weapon package brings a unique benefit to the table. As most bombers lack the ability to fire their turrets directly under themselves, you can fire away with near-complete immunity to retaliation from enemy gunners.
-->
+
 
== Usage in the battles ==
+
The N-2 is, however, undeniably slow, and has crushingly poor manoeuvring. This makes the lack of any form of turret defence all the more noticeable. Caution must be taken to avoid more nimble enemies when possible, as you will be greatly outclassed otherwise.
<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but 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).''-->
+
 
 +
While the aircraft as a whole seems heavily dependent on lumbering up to a high altitude, and then slowly hunting down bombers, there does exist a fun, if unconventional, alternative. The alternative approach is to go about strafing ground targets, while flying upside down. The main reason for upside down strafing is the schräge musik. By flying inverted, you can strafe a large number of ground units in a single pass, while remaining fairly high above the trees. This combines well with the fact that the vertical and forward cannons use the same ammo belts. This tactic can even be put to use around airfields, putting a quick end to anyone on the ground. The only thing to remember when doing this is to always keep a close eye on your altitude. Flying upside down will cause you to fall fairly quickly, so do remember to roll back to right side up in time to avoid crashing.
  
 
===Radars===
 
===Radars===
 
{{main|FuG 220}}
 
{{main|FuG 220}}
 +
 
The Do 217 N-2 is equipped with a [[FuG 220]] search radar, located in the nose of the aircraft; a control box which is part of the radar damage model is located behind the pilot.
 
The Do 217 N-2 is equipped with a [[FuG 220]] search radar, located in the nose of the aircraft; a control box which is part of the radar damage model is located behind the pilot.
 +
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
! colspan="4" | [[FuG 220]] - Target Detection Radar
 
! colspan="4" | [[FuG 220]] - Target Detection Radar
Line 170: Line 129:
 
|}
 
|}
  
===Manual Engine Control===
+
=== Manual Engine Control ===
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
|-
 
|-
! rowspan="2" |Mixer
+
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" |Pitch
+
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" |Radiator
+
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" |Supercharger
+
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" |Turbocharger
+
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 
|-
 
|-
! Oil
+
! Oil !! Water !! Type
! Water
 
! Type  
 
 
|-
 
|-
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not ontrollable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
+
| Not controllable || Controllable<br>Auto control available || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable<br>1 gear || Not controllable
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
===Modules===
+
=== Modules ===
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
!colspan = "1"| Tier
+
! Tier
!colspan = "2"| Flight performance
+
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
!colspan = "1"| Survivability
+
! Survivability
!colspan = "2"| Weaponry
+
! Weaponry
 
|-
 
|-
 
| I
 
| I
| Fuselage Repair
+
| Fuselage repair
 
| Radiator
 
| Radiator
|  
+
|
|  
+
| Offensive 7 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
| II
 
| II
|  
+
|
 
| Compressor
 
| Compressor
 
| Airframe
 
| Airframe
|  
+
| New 7 mm MGs
 
|-
 
|-
 
| III
 
| III
| Wings Repair
+
| Wings repair
 
| Engine
 
| Engine
|  
+
|
|  
+
| Offensive 20 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| IV
|  
+
|
| Engine Injection
+
| Engine injection
 
| Cover
 
| Cover
|  
+
| New 20 mm cannons
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
<!--''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
* Has access to a target detection radar
+
 
* [[FuG 220]] radar is better than the [[FuG 202]] radar found on other German planes
+
* Very deadly nose mounted armament (4x 20mm cannons and 4x 7.92mm MGs) with fast fire rate, great one-second burst mass, destructive damage, flexible belt types and plenty of ammo (200 RPG for the cannons, 1000 RPG for the MGs). This makes it excellent at head-on attacks against any aircraft, especially bombers and attackers.
 +
* Rigid construction that can take a lot of punishment from MG fire. It also barely catches fire.
 +
* Has access to a target detection radar which most planes don't have. Rather useful in clouds or with bad weather / low visibility.
 +
* Decent dive acceleration allowing it to easily dive at more than 500 kph, outrunning slower opponents like the I-16 and F4F.
 +
* Improved ballistic performance of the 20 mm MG 151 over the FF/M allows for firing both the machine guns and cannons at the same time and hit the target accurately.
 +
* The 20mm AP shells, its huge ammo capacity and the 8x 50kg bombs give it ground pounding ability to some extent.
 +
* Its appearance and name are very identical to its bomber variants. The player can sometimes utilise this and lure the unprepared enemy into a surprising head-on
 +
* Schrage Musik can be a devastating surprise, for example upside down strafing. While unconventional, it can be of great fun and effect
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
*
+
 
 +
* Extremely poor maneuverbility. Turn time is more than 27 second even when upgraded, meaning it might get out-turned by attackers like the IL-2, A-20G or even bombers like the B-25.
 +
* Control surfaces tend to lock up at more than 500 kph. Due to this, when diving it might not be able to pull up in time, or cannot pull the lead properly.
 +
* No defensive firepower makes it totally defenseless against any chasers.
 +
* Poor climb rate and energy retention makes it hard to intercept high-flying bombers.
 +
* Poor roll rate makes it hard to respond to offensive / defensive maneuvers (eg. scissors). The I-16 now becomes a deadly opponent due to its superior roll rate.
 +
* The fixed angle of the Schrage Musik makes it very hard to use, thus severely limiting its value in most scenarios.
 +
* Its poor flight performance makes it thoroughly difficult to effectively combat other fighters
 +
* Is a big target which is easy to get hit.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
 +
 
 +
=== In-game description ===
 +
Dornier Do 217 N-2 night twin-engine fighter.
 +
 
 +
In December 1942, the Do 217 N-2 night fighter was launched into full-scale production. Originally, planes of this variant were not equipped with defensive turrets, their bomb door was sealed shut, and no bomb release system was installed.
 +
 
 +
A more advanced FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1 radar was mounted on the aircraft, different from the FuG 202 in its smaller weight, its modified antennas which provided lower aerodynamic resistance, and its enhanced accuracy. The effective detection range of the new radar was 100 to 2,000 m.
 +
 
 +
The above-mentioned measures helped significantly reduce the aircraft's takeoff weight, even though its armor had been reinforced (with an additional armor plate under the pilot's seat). The Do 217 N-2's speed and ceiling were higher than those of the N-1 variant.
 +
 
 +
As on the Do 217 N-1, a Schräge Musik mount could be installed on the aircraft.
 +
 
 +
During full-scale production, some aircraft received an even more advanced FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar. This radar was able to operate when the British used passive radar interference, that is, fragments of metal foil scattered in the air by British bombers to blind German radars.
 +
 
 +
Some Do 217 N-2s had a FuG 227 Flensburg radio direction finder tuned to the operating frequency of the British Monica radar which was installed in the tail section of RAF bombers to warn when German night fighters appeared. The use of the FuG 227 enabled German night fighters to reliably detect Allied bombers within a distance of up to 100 km and then pursue them.
 +
 
 +
In addition, one more radio direction finder, the FuG 350 Naxos Z, could be mounted on the Do 217N to detect British bomber units. It allowed the detection, within a distance of up to 50 km, of signals from the British H2S blind bombing radar system, which was installed on pathfinder aircraft flying in front of the bomber units.
 +
 
 +
The Do 217 N-2's production was discontinued in December 1943. A combined total of 364 Do 217s night fighters were built, including 130 Do 217Js and 234 Do 217Ns.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|MNacjyimuCQ|'''The Shooting Range #95''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 12:02 discusses the Do 217 N-2.}}
  
== Read also ==
+
== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
''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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
<!--''ETC.''-->
 
  
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
+
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 +
{{AirManufacturer Dornier}}
 
{{Germany twin-engine fighters}}
 
{{Germany twin-engine fighters}}

Revision as of 10:46, 22 August 2020

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
do_217n_2.png
Do 217 N-2
Research:5 600 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:22 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game
This page is about the German twin-engine fighter Do 217 N-2. For other uses, see Do 217 (Family).

Description

GarageImage Do 217 N-2.jpg


The Do 217 N-2 is a rank II German twin-engine fighter with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB), 2.7 (RB), and 3.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.39.

General info

Flight performance

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 5,500 m)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 495 478 9000 28.9 30.0 4.6 4.5 800
Upgraded ___ ___ __._ __._ __._ __._

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 + -
700 300 N/A 380 270 ~8 ~7
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 290 < 360 < 360 > 250
Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
5,000 m 3,000 hp 3,330 hp

Survivability and armour

  • 8.5 mm steel - bulkhead in front of the cockpit
  • 50 mm bulletproof glass - armoured windscreen and cockpit roof
  • 5 mm steel - a box containing Schrage Musik cannons
  • 5 mm steel - plate in the tail

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Do 217 N-2 is armed with:

  • 4 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)
  • 4 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons, Schräge Musik mounted in mid fuselage (200 rpg = 800 total)
  • 4 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (1,000 rpg = 4,000 total)

Usage in battles

The Do 217 N-2 plays similar to most other heavy fighters, in that it is reliant on delivering a quick knock out punch to an enemy to be effective. However, the aircraft has two unusual traits, which make for different play styles than other heavy fighters. The first is the lack of any form of turret weaponry. This problem makes the N-2 a unique member in the German heavy fighter line, as virtually all other heavy fighters either have a tail gunner or are agile enough to not need one. The second feature is the inclusion of a set of vertical firing cannons, known as Schräge Musik. This weapon package brings a unique benefit to the table. As most bombers lack the ability to fire their turrets directly under themselves, you can fire away with near-complete immunity to retaliation from enemy gunners.

The N-2 is, however, undeniably slow, and has crushingly poor manoeuvring. This makes the lack of any form of turret defence all the more noticeable. Caution must be taken to avoid more nimble enemies when possible, as you will be greatly outclassed otherwise.

While the aircraft as a whole seems heavily dependent on lumbering up to a high altitude, and then slowly hunting down bombers, there does exist a fun, if unconventional, alternative. The alternative approach is to go about strafing ground targets, while flying upside down. The main reason for upside down strafing is the schräge musik. By flying inverted, you can strafe a large number of ground units in a single pass, while remaining fairly high above the trees. This combines well with the fact that the vertical and forward cannons use the same ammo belts. This tactic can even be put to use around airfields, putting a quick end to anyone on the ground. The only thing to remember when doing this is to always keep a close eye on your altitude. Flying upside down will cause you to fall fairly quickly, so do remember to roll back to right side up in time to avoid crashing.

Radars

Main article: FuG 220

The Do 217 N-2 is equipped with a FuG 220 search radar, located in the nose of the aircraft; a control box which is part of the radar damage model is located behind the pilot.

FuG 220 - Target Detection Radar
Maximum
Detection
Range
Guaranteed
Detection
Range
Max Azimuth
Scan Angle
Max Elevation
Scan Angle
5,000 m 5,000 m ±35° -55°/+20°

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Not controllable Controllable
Auto control available
Not controllable
Not auto controlled
Controllable
Not auto controlled
Combined Not controllable
1 gear
Not controllable

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
I Fuselage repair Radiator Offensive 7 mm
II Compressor Airframe New 7 mm MGs
III Wings repair Engine Offensive 20 mm
IV Engine injection Cover New 20 mm cannons

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Very deadly nose mounted armament (4x 20mm cannons and 4x 7.92mm MGs) with fast fire rate, great one-second burst mass, destructive damage, flexible belt types and plenty of ammo (200 RPG for the cannons, 1000 RPG for the MGs). This makes it excellent at head-on attacks against any aircraft, especially bombers and attackers.
  • Rigid construction that can take a lot of punishment from MG fire. It also barely catches fire.
  • Has access to a target detection radar which most planes don't have. Rather useful in clouds or with bad weather / low visibility.
  • Decent dive acceleration allowing it to easily dive at more than 500 kph, outrunning slower opponents like the I-16 and F4F.
  • Improved ballistic performance of the 20 mm MG 151 over the FF/M allows for firing both the machine guns and cannons at the same time and hit the target accurately.
  • The 20mm AP shells, its huge ammo capacity and the 8x 50kg bombs give it ground pounding ability to some extent.
  • Its appearance and name are very identical to its bomber variants. The player can sometimes utilise this and lure the unprepared enemy into a surprising head-on
  • Schrage Musik can be a devastating surprise, for example upside down strafing. While unconventional, it can be of great fun and effect

Cons:

  • Extremely poor maneuverbility. Turn time is more than 27 second even when upgraded, meaning it might get out-turned by attackers like the IL-2, A-20G or even bombers like the B-25.
  • Control surfaces tend to lock up at more than 500 kph. Due to this, when diving it might not be able to pull up in time, or cannot pull the lead properly.
  • No defensive firepower makes it totally defenseless against any chasers.
  • Poor climb rate and energy retention makes it hard to intercept high-flying bombers.
  • Poor roll rate makes it hard to respond to offensive / defensive maneuvers (eg. scissors). The I-16 now becomes a deadly opponent due to its superior roll rate.
  • The fixed angle of the Schrage Musik makes it very hard to use, thus severely limiting its value in most scenarios.
  • Its poor flight performance makes it thoroughly difficult to effectively combat other fighters
  • Is a big target which is easy to get hit.

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

In-game description

Dornier Do 217 N-2 night twin-engine fighter.

In December 1942, the Do 217 N-2 night fighter was launched into full-scale production. Originally, planes of this variant were not equipped with defensive turrets, their bomb door was sealed shut, and no bomb release system was installed.

A more advanced FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1 radar was mounted on the aircraft, different from the FuG 202 in its smaller weight, its modified antennas which provided lower aerodynamic resistance, and its enhanced accuracy. The effective detection range of the new radar was 100 to 2,000 m.

The above-mentioned measures helped significantly reduce the aircraft's takeoff weight, even though its armor had been reinforced (with an additional armor plate under the pilot's seat). The Do 217 N-2's speed and ceiling were higher than those of the N-1 variant.

As on the Do 217 N-1, a Schräge Musik mount could be installed on the aircraft.

During full-scale production, some aircraft received an even more advanced FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar. This radar was able to operate when the British used passive radar interference, that is, fragments of metal foil scattered in the air by British bombers to blind German radars.

Some Do 217 N-2s had a FuG 227 Flensburg radio direction finder tuned to the operating frequency of the British Monica radar which was installed in the tail section of RAF bombers to warn when German night fighters appeared. The use of the FuG 227 enabled German night fighters to reliably detect Allied bombers within a distance of up to 100 km and then pursue them.

In addition, one more radio direction finder, the FuG 350 Naxos Z, could be mounted on the Do 217N to detect British bomber units. It allowed the detection, within a distance of up to 50 km, of signals from the British H2S blind bombing radar system, which was installed on pathfinder aircraft flying in front of the bomber units.

The Do 217 N-2's production was discontinued in December 1943. A combined total of 364 Do 217s night fighters were built, including 130 Do 217Js and 234 Do 217Ns.

Media

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

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
  • other literature.


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

Germany twin-engine fighters
Messerschmitt  Bf 109 Z-1
  Me 410 A-1/U2 · Me 410 B-1/U2
Dornier  Do 17 Z-7 · Do 217 J-1 · Do 217 J-2 · Do 217 N-1 · Do 217 N-2
Focke-Wulf  Ta 154 A-1
Junkers  Ju 88 C-6 · Ju 388 J