The Do-17M / P medium bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, equipped with Bramo-323 radial engines, was created on the basis of the Do-17E / F vehicle. Following this aircraft, the Do-17S / U reconnaissance aircraft was released, on which the water-cooled engine was again installed, as well as the front part of the hull was shortened and a new glazed cockpit of the "bee's eye" type was installed. After 18 pre-production Do-17S / U, an order was issued to build the main Do-17Z model with air-cooled engines; a total of 522 cars were produced. Three additional modifications - Do-17Z-1 with a bomb load of 500 kg, Do-17Z-2 with a more powerful engine and increased bomb load, and the Do-17Z-3 reconnaissance bomber. Other options included the Do-17Z dual-control trainer, the Do-17Z-5 naval reconnaissance aircraft, and the Do-17Z-6 long-range night fighter. (with the bow of the Ju-88C-2 aircraft) and another night fighter - Do-17Z-10 with a modified nose compartment.

Do 17Z-6. Called "Kauts" (Owl), the initial conversion was designated Do 17Z-6. It differed from the original aircraft with three 7.92-mm MG17 machine guns and one MG FF ("Oerlikon") cannon, housed in a new nose cone, which had an 11-mm armored partition. The crew consisted of a pilot, radio operator-navigator and flight engineer. The latter was also responsible for changing the drum-type magazines at the cannon, the lock of which was in the crew compartment. The front of the two bomb bays was used to install an additional 900 liter fuel tank. The rear compartment was retained to accommodate two 250 kg SD250 bombs or ten 50 kg SD50 bombs. Only one Do 17Z-6 was built. The placement of the bow armament was not entirely satisfactory. The other nine Do 17Z-3s, converted to night fighters on the assembly line, had completely different weapons.

Do 17Z-10. Designated as Do 17Z-10 "Kauts II", the improved version had a stationary armament directed forward of four 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns in the upper section of the nose and a pair of cannons MGFF is under them. Machine gun ammo boxes were positioned like submachine gun magazines, and cannon shell drums were manually replaced by a flight engineer. An infrared sensor of the so-called "Spanner-Anlage" type was installed in the windshield. It reacted to the hot exhaust fumes from behind any aircraft. Their presence was recorded on a small screen known as a "Q-tube". Since the sensor could not distinguish between own aircraft and enemy aircraft, it was the pilot's responsibility to decide whether the detected aircraft was a "legitimate" target.

The 3rd Squadron of the 1st Night Fighter Group (NJG1) received Kauz II and was transferred to the 2nd Group (NJG 2), receiving the designation 4 / NJG 1. It began operating from Dylan as a separate unit under the leadership of the Special Command "Schiphol".

Do 17Z-10 4 / NJG1 had some success and, together with I / NJG2, formed at the same time on Ju 88C-2, created a tactic of infiltration into the "circle" of British bombers during the approach. While this tactic resulted in the downing of several aircraft, the biggest result was a side effect: based on its use, many aircraft were badly damaged in hasty landings due to the pilots' urge to land as quickly as possible. The production of the Do 17 was soon discontinued: the Kauts II fighters were actually the last Do 17Z-3 on the assembly line.

Photo	Description
	Drawing Do-17 Z-2
	Dornier Do 17Z

Bibliography

• "Aviation of Luftwaffe" /Viktor Shunkov/
• "Encyclopedia of military engineering" /Aerospace Publising/