Do 217 J equipped with FuG 212 Lichtenstein BC antenna array deployed in the Nachtagd role on Sicily 1942/43 with Englandblitz Wappen on offer here
Leading Nachtjagd ace Paul Zorner in his memoir "Nächte im Bomberstrom" (296 Verlag) has some choice words for the Dornier Do 217 he flew in NJG 3 - " ein Klotz " being one of the more polite terms he employs ( a 'brick' ). As he points out his loaded and tanked up Do 217 'fighter' weighed a "large truck heavier" than a fully loaded Junkers Ju 88 and climbed at all of 6 metres/second (IIRC) - at least half the rate of the Ju 88. He recalls a combat with an RAF Wellington during which he almost got shot down. After struggling home he went straight to his Kommandeur to tell him that he would never fly the 'old cow' in combat again! According to Gebhard Aders, Dornier night-fighters achieved their last successes during August and October 1943 when they were - believe it or not - deployed on day light operations against USAAF B-17 bombers. Their fixed armament of 4 x MG151/20 cannon and 4 x MG17 machine guns furnished a certain amount of firepower in frontal attacks - if it could be brought to bear...
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