Side view of a Dornier 17 illustrates why it earned the "Flying Pencil" appellation.
(Image Credit: Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum)
Side view of a Dornier 17 illustrates why it earned the “Flying Pencil” appellation. (Image Credit: Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum)Work began last week to raise what is believed to be the last surviving example of the Donier Do 17, located on its back in a sand formation 50 feet below the surface, six miles off the shore of Kent, England by the RAF Museum. While several museums and collections have pieces of Dornier 17s in their possession, it is believed that this plane is the only mostly intact example of the craft of which over two thousand were produced.
The Dornier 17, nicknamed “der fliegende bleistift” (the flying pencil) by its pilots for it’s extremely slender fuselage, was originally designed for fast reconnaissance duties but was repurposed by the mid-thirties to be an extremely effective low altitude medium bomber, capable of flying at below tree-top level for surprise bombing runs and was a mainstay of the Luftwaffe during The Battle of Britain.
Sonar imagery shows intact plane, missing bombay door and deployed landing gear. (Image Credit: Port of London Authority/RESON)This particular plane is believed to have force landed in the water in August of 1940, and was quickly covered by the ever-shifting sands of the Goodwin Formation. The plane was discovered by a diver five years ago, and given its rarity and historical significance the RAF Museum is undertaking this daunting retrieval and restoration project. A supporting frame is to be built around the plane which is anticipated take place over the next month, and after it has been lifted and transported to the RAF Museum’s facility in Cosford, the plane will be bathed in citric acid to neutralize the salt water-induced corrosion of the past 70 years in a procedure that is anticipated to take another 18 months.
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
NOW I see why they called this aircraft the ‘flying Pencil’!!!??