History:
Manufactured at the Oberpafenhoffen Plant in Munich German on 2 June 1959 as SN (CN 391)as a Do27-B3. Retained at Dornier until delivery in Oct. 1959 HFInstKP 307 (HEERESFLIEGERINSTANTSETSUNGSKOMPANIE) Aviation Repair Company at Niedermendig and serialized as PL+425. Later served with HFst 301(renamed HFB 300 in 1962 and in 1971 HFB 301)as Serial PP+105. Converted to a Do27-B5 model (Dual Controls with Reconnaissance Camera Ventral Doors) and re-serialized as PX+220 in May 1967. HEER changed the Serial No. system and it became 56+83 in Nov. 1967. Was surplussed in 1972, purchased by the CIA, given a N number for one day, and flown by a French pilot to Israel. It was converted to a standard DROR (Sparrow) configuration, by replacing ARC44/45 tube radios with ARC-51 and ARC 131 transistorized type and installation of the APX-72 IFF transponder and upgrade of the Gyro Compass. The aircraft was assigned to the FLYING CAMEL (100) SQDR (Still exists today) as IAF Serial 061. It flew on the front lines doing gunnery spotting during the October 1973 Yom Kippur War. Two of the type were shot down by Egyptian (Russian made) Shoulder Fired Surface to Air Missiles in that conflict. Countermeasures against that threat were installed – a 4 tube IR Flare Dispenser system. Israel surplussed the type in 1982 and 13 were shipped to Blaine WA. Of those, only a few survive;this is one of 2 still airworthy in the US. Great effort was made in the restoration of IAF #061 to retain most of the original instrumentation and avionics suite.
Registration Number | Date of Manufacture |
N780AX | October 1959 |
Aircraft Role | Nickname |
Utility/Reconnaissance/Gunnery Spotter/Comm Relay | DROR–Sparrow (Israel)/ Flying Pig (German) |
Aircraft Type: | Wingspan: |
DORNIER Do-27-B5 | 40′ |
Overall length: | Empty weight: |
38′ | 2100 lbs |
Gross weight: | Fuel capacity: |
4040 lbs | 54 Gal |
Oil capacity | Engine type: |
12 Qts | BMW (Lycoming Licensed) GO480-B1A6 |
Propeller type: | Max Speed |
Hartzell 2 blade, Vari-pitch | 180 Knots |
Rate of Climb | Cruise Speed |
1000 Ft/Min (typical) | 100 knots |
Service Ceiling | Number of Crew |
12,000 | 3 |
Armament | Bomb Load |
4 tube Flare Dispenser / Flare Gun | |
Number Built | Number Surviving |
625 Do27’s; Estimates 38 as IAF DROR’s | less than 70 Do27’s; 2 airworthy as IAF DROR’s |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Restoration Images
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Top |
Printable QR Codes for: Isreali 1973 Yom Kippur War Veteran DROR (Sparrow):
Please read before printing the Avery style labels
Top
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.