Do 17 Z-7
| This page is about the German twin-engine fighter Do 17 Z-7. For other versions, see Do 17 E-1 and Do 17 Z-2. |
Contents
Description
The Do 17 Z-7 is a rank I German twin-engine fighter with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB) and 1.3 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.53 "Firestorm".
General info
Flight performance
Speed and acceleration are both decent. However, its manoeuvrability is a big weak spot. When turning, you can expect a relatively slow turn time, and the wings tend to rip off of in hard banking manoeuvres.
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 423 | 410 | 8500 | 35.6 | 37.2 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 350 |
| Upgraded | 475 | 448 | 32.5 | 34.0 | 15.7 | 10.0 | ||
Details
| Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 620 | 350 | 500 | 400 | 300 | ~5 | ~2 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 290 | < 300 | < 300 | > 308 |
| Compressor (RB/SB) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Setting 1 | ||
| Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
| 1,600 m | 815 hp | 1,118 hp |
| Setting 2 | ||
| Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
| 4,300 m | 780 hp | 1,070 hp |
Survivability and armour
- 8.5 mm Steel - Fore-cockpit plate
- 8.5 mm Steel - Pilot's seat
- 58 mm bulletproof glass in front of pilot
- 6 mm Steel - Belly gunner's plate
- 8.5 mm Steel - Rear cockpit plate
- 6 mm Steel - Rear gunner's upper plate
- 6 mm Steel - Rear gunner's window frame
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
|
Armaments
Offensive armament
The Do 17 Z-7 is armed with:
- 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose-mounted (400 rpg)
- 3 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (1,000 rpg = 3,000 total)
Suspended armament
The Do 17 Z-7 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 10 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (500 kg total)
- 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)
Defensive armament
The Do 17 Z-7 is defended by:
- 1 x 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun, dorsal turret (750 rpg)
- 1 x 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun, ventral turret (375 rpg)
Usage in battles
The Do 17 Z-7 is the first twin-engine heavy fighter that is unlocked in a long line of German "Zerstörer" (German for "Heavy fighter") aircraft. Like all of its successors, the Do 17 Z-7 is a full-bred Boom & Zoom fighter, through and through. This means the Do 17 should, under any circumstances always strive to maintain an altitude advantage over enemy aircraft. Utilise the potential energy to dive on them and make a high speed pass while firing, then quickly make an escape. There is however, a couple of caveats for the Do 17 Z-7 that is worth considering when flying it. For starters, its energy retention and climb rate are mediocre at best. Immediately making a 2nd pass will generally be a bad idea, as it will attract a lot planes with ample opportunity to return fire. Instead, utilise the high air speed from the dive to gain as much horizontal distance from enemy planes as possible before starting to climb. Also, remember to never commit to chasing after a specific plane since the plane will lose too much speed and energy in doing so. Pick out a target from high altitude, roll over and dive down in a vertical position as soon as possible, in order to maximize the altitude-speed trade off. When at first possible moment get a gun solution on the target, and once the solution is lost, level the plane out and speed away at high speed, potentially destroying other players that may cross the path along the way with the same principle.
The Do 17 Z-7's primary source of damage comes with its single 20 mm MG 151 cannon. While not spitting as much lead downrange as the Bf 110's dual MG FF/M's do, it makes up for it by having access to the MG 151's Air targets belt, which contains a lot more minengeschoß, which is highly effective against unarmoured planes, which the Do 17 Z-7 will regularly face. While the MG 15's also can do some damage to biplanes, any aware fighter pilot will be able to move away from the gun sight and end up on the Do 17's tail, if solely using the machine guns.
Counter-tactics
The best way to deal with this plane is to fly fast and aim for the engines. Don't tail right behind the plane because then the gunner will have an easy target. If tailing behind the plane, dip down a little bit, the gunner at the top won't be able to hit the plane this way and the gunner at the bottom is pointed down to much. At this battle rating, there are a lot of newer players, who most likely haven't put crew xp into the gunners vitality. If the gunners are taken out, then the plane is a flying duck. Avoid a head-on at all cost, it has armour at the front and a 20 mm cannon which will shred any plane to bits. This plane cannot turn fight, if it's behind tailing the plane, then simply turn sharply to one direction. If in a bomber it's best to aim for the engines and not the cockpit, the cockpit has 58 mm of armour angled, it would be difficult for bullets to go through and snipe the pilot.
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Not controllable | Controllable Auto control available |
Not controllable Not auto controlled |
Not controllable Not auto controlled |
Separate | Controllable 2 gears |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Exclusively nose-mounted armament, resulting in very little need for convergence
- Can take a lot of machine gun fire before going down
- Armed with an 20 mm MG 151, capable of using the air targets belt, giving the plane absolutely devastating firepower
- 2 x rear gunners for covering both above and below the aircraft
- Defensive armament is quite effective for its BR (high fire rate combined with deadly AP-T belts)
- Easy to put out a fire by diving
- Can be mistaken at a distance for its bomber counterpart, allowing enemies to think they can engage you head-on
Cons:
- Mediocre climb rate at best when upgraded
- Slow even when upgraded (Hurricanes will be able to outrun it in level flight)
- Horrible roll rate
- Overall poor handling characteristics
- Lousy energy retention
- Best performs as a Boom & Zoom aircraft, although its poor flight characteristics makes it inefficient at it
- Defensive armament has poor coverage and does not produce enough stopping power to reliably fend of attacking enemies
- Tends to burst into flames
- Engine overheats are common
History
The Dornier Do 17 was designed in the early '30s and were mainly used against Poland, England, France and the Netherlands. It was produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke. Only a few Dornier's remain today. In total there were 2,139 built. They were built as light bombers. Other countries that used the Do 17 were Yugoslavia, Finland, and Spain.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
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
| 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 |
