01 Dornier 217.jpg

This is a later version of the Dornier DO 217 M with the high powered inline engines with 4 bladed props. Some details suggest a night fighter and some a day fighter. It has a tubular exhaust flash hider for night flying. This would sheild the exhaust stacks that glow red hot at night. It also has the hypnotic spirals on the prop spinners. A gunner shooting at a moving aircraft has to factor in some lead - shoot ahead of the target. What the spirals do is to draw the gunners attention directly to the aircraft, distracting him from leading the target. It's said that they were initially very effective at throwing off the aim of allied gunners. The Dornier has a lighter paint scheme on the underside which also suggests daylight usage.