Junkers Ju 252

Junkers Ju 252 V2 BH+DC, Werknummer 2520002. The aircraft is fitted with an improved rudder, differentiating it from the Ju 252 V1. The distinctive Trapo-Klappe rear loading ramp has been lowered, lifting the aircraft to a horizontal position for loading. The aircraft is framed by two Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters.

The Ju 252 V2 made its maiden flight with Flugkapitän Hans-Joachim Matthies on 1 August 1942. The V2 was unarmed, and it underwent aerodynamic modifications to its wing tips in 1943. In late summer of 1943, the V2 was operated as a Junkers company aircraft in order to transport aircraft parts for the manufacturer.

The Ju 252 V2 was one of only 15 Ju 252 built before production of the type - originally intended to replace the venerable Junkers Ju 52 both as a passenger aircraft and military transport - was cancelled in favour of the Ju 352 which was designed to use a larger amount of non-strategic materials.

Exact location (allegedly the Netherlands) and date of photo currently unknown. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Indulgent Retrospection: Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52

Bruno Lange, Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, Mainz, Germany, 1976, ISBN 3-87341-019-2. Illustrated, softcover, published in German & English.

Cover image © by Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, 1976.

Bruno Lange's Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52 [Aunt Ju - Everything On The Ju 52] was a compact little bilingual compendium of essential information on the iconic Junkers Ju 52 transport. In spite of its rather limited page-count and dimensions (111 pages, 19 x 14 cm), it was actually a fairly comprehensive summary of elemental facts on what was arguably Germany's most important civilian and military transport of the 1919 to 1945 era. Moreover, Lange's small book was a manifestation of a wider shift from a somewhat cursorily – at times even simply sensationalist – coverage of vintage German aircraft to a reliance on original documents and far more thorough research. Some of the other protagonists who spearheaded this shift at the time have often been mentioned in entries featured in this blog: Karl R. Pawlas, Heinz Redemann, Heinz Birkholz, Karl Kössler, and numerous others.

Much like Heinz Birkholz's publications at the time, Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52 features both German and English text, which makes it appealing to an audience far beyond German-speaking countries. Lange begins his documentation with an account of the Ju 52's development history, including a section on the early single-engine version of the aircraft. And even this short section on the single-engine Ju 52 is quite detailed; Lange lists eight subtypes with dedicated brief descriptions. The text then covers the subsequent Ju 52/3m (again with a surprisingly extensive list of subtypes), details on the export of the aircraft, special flights, and accidents.

Lange continues with details regarding the bomber and transport versions of the Ju 52 and then sheds light on the engines and airscrews utilized by the aircraft. Once again, both of these chapters feature lists and descriptions of the relevant aircraft and engine subtypes. The 67-page text section of the small book then concludes with a look at further developments of the Ju 52 and the (then) surviving examples of the aircraft.

The second part of Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52, comprising another 44 pages, contains a collection of often exceptional photos (with brief captions) and reproductions of period documents that serves to illustrate some of the points of the preceding text. These photos remain interesting even now, 44 years after the publication of Lange's book.

All in all, Bruno Lange created a competent, condensed, and handy primer on the Ju 52; it could be viewed as an initial gateway to a more serious study of the aircraft. If one used Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52 in concert with, for example, Karl Kössler's equally condensed and competent Transporter - wer kennt sie schon!, also published in 1976, it was indeed possible to quickly gain a proficient basic understanding of the development and operational use of the Ju 52.

Messerschmitt Bf 109

The original, handwritten inscription on the back of this photo reads: Ein Jäger (Me 109) wird getankt. Im Hintergrund Fernbomber. [A fighter (Me 109) is being refueled. In the background long-range bombers.]

The Bf 109 E being tended to here was assigned to 5./JG 53, and the photo was possibly taken in Brittany while the Staffel was operating separately from the rest of the Group, in the early autumn of 1940. The first digit of the Bf 109's two-digit number, a "1", can just be recognized, and the aircraft displays a yellow cowling and rudder.

The aircraft in the background are, from left to right, a Junkers Ju 88 with markings overpainted in black, a Junkers Ju 52/3m, and a Focke-Wulf Fw 200. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection; additional identification in accordance with information posted by Dr. Jochen Prien at luftwaffe-research-group.org, in September 2014.)

Junkers Ju 52/3m

Junkers Ju 52/3mge D-ASIS, Werknummer 4074, Wilhelm Cuno, of Deutsche Lufthansa (top and detail enlargement at center), pictured on the apron of Berlin-Tempelhof airfield, before the airport's complete transformation by Ernst Sagebiel. As D-ASIS was built in 1935, the photo was taken in the second half of the 1930s, although the exact date currently remains unknown to me.

The aircraft seen protruding from the hangar at left (detail enlargement at bottom) is likely Ju 52/3m D-AQIT (the "T" appears to be partially obscured by the tailplane), Werknummer 5112 (Stammkennzeichen DD+MG), Major Dincklage, of the Regierungsstaffel [government squadron]. This would make it the personal aircraft of German Labour Front leader Dr. Robert Ley.

Alternatively, the aircraft might be Ju 52/3m D-AQII, although a look at the spacing of the letters of the registration seems to make this appear unlikely. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection, with thanks to Christian M. Aguilar and Armin W., via luftwaffe-research-group.org, for further information)

[Entry amended February 2, 2020]

Cologne Airport, 1937, Part 3

Selected images of the newly rebuilt Cologne airport, originally published in Moderne Bauformen - Monatshefte für Architektur und Raumkunst [Modern Construction Design - Monthly Magazine For Architecture And Interior Art], volume XXXVI, issue no. 6, June 1937, Julius Hoffmann Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany.

Top: air traffic control tower and grosse Flugzeughalle [large aircraft hangar]. Enlargement of bottom right portion of image shows, once again, Junkers Ju 52/3m D-ANEN, Werknummer 5072, Fritz Puetter. The aircraft is in the process of being serviced, as evidenced by the open cowling of the starboard engine.





Top: front view of the large aircraft hangar and control tower. The building was shielded from the wind by the forward position of airport's main building. Subsurface refuelling stations were located in front of the hangar, underneath the apron.

Bottom: Enlargement of the bottom right corner of the above image reveals Junkers W 33 f D-OTAQ (originally D-2009), Werknummer 2580, Bosporus, operated by Deutsche Lufthansa. (Additional aircraft identity confirmation courtesy of the LEMB Stammkennzeichen Database Project)

Cologne Airport, 1937, Part 2

Selected images of the newly rebuilt Cologne airport, originally published in Moderne Bauformen - Monatshefte für Architektur und Raumkunst [Modern Construction Design - Monthly Magazine For Architecture And Interior Art], volume XXXVI, issue no. 6, June 1937, Julius Hoffmann Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany.

Top: according to the original photo caption, these are "festive" passenger facilities in the main building. The two towers of the Kölner Dom [Cologne cathedral] were visible through the glass doors.

Centre: apron with air traffic control tower, grosse Flugzeughalle [large aircraft hangar], operations building, main building, and observation area. The entire assembly stretched across a distance of 400 m.

Bottom: enlargement of bottom left portion of the same image reveals Junkers Ju 52/3m D-ANEN, Werknummer 5072, Fritz Puetter, operated by Deutsche Lufthansa. Aircraft features aerodynamic fairings around its landing gear. (Additional aircraft identity confirmation courtesy of the LEMB Stammkennzeichen Database Project)

Junkers Ju 52/3m Floats

Design and interior struture of floats for the Junkers Ju 52/3m transport, as featured in Das Flugzeug - Dritte Auflage [The Aircraft - Third Edition], edited by Theo E. Sönnichsen, published by Richard Carl Schmidt & Co., Berlin, Germany, 1942.

Top image shows struts [Schwimmergestell], floats [Schwimmer], and bracing wires [Verspannungskabel].

Centre image shows light alloy float with a water displacement of 9500 litres [Leichtmetallblech-Schwimmer mit 9500 Ltr. Wasserverdrängung]. Details include wooden grating [Holzrost], frames [Spanten], bay for provisions [Proviantschacht], manholes [Mannlöcher], nautical horn cleat [Seehaltegriff], anchor [Grundanker], and mooring rope [Halteleine].

Lower image shows cross section of float [Schwimmerquerschnitt] with waterline. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL), Berlin-Adlershof, 1936, Part 3

Selected images of new facilities of the Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL) [German Research Institute for Aviation] in Berlin-Adlershof, originally published in Moderne Bauformen - Monatshefte für Architektur und Raumkunst [Modern Construction Design - Monthly Magazine For Architecture And Interior Art], volume XXXV, issue no. 10, October 1936, Julius Hoffmann Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany.

Top: the large DVL aircraft hangar at Berlin-Adlershof. The utilizable interior of the building measured 70 m wide by 40 m deep. A Junkers Ju 52/3m can just be seen parked on the apron.

Centre: magnified detail view of the above photo, showing Junkers Ju 160 B-0 D-UBON, Werknummer 4217, assigned to the German air ministry (RLM).

Bottom: another magnified detail view of the above photo. In spite of the somewhat deficient quality, it is possible to identify the aircraft in the rear as Junkers F 13 ge D-ONYX (formerly D-1563), Heidelerche [wood lark], Werknummer 2031, assigned to the DVL. The aircraft nearest to the camera, D-OHOT, is likely a Junkers W 33. (Additional aircraft identity confirmation courtesy of the LEMB Stammkennzeichen Database Project)

Junkers Ju 52/3m Wrecks, Part 2

Heavily damaged Junkers Ju 52/3m ??+BK, location and exact date unknown. Lower photo is an enlargement of the extreme left portion of the main picture and shows what seems to be a destroyed Henschel Hs 129 B ground attack aircraft, displaying an uncharacteristically bright camouflage scheme (likely winter camouflage or an extremely faded and dusty standard 70/71 scheme). (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

[Entry amended February 26, 2020]

Junkers Ju 52/3m Wrecks, Part 1

The only two images (previously unpublished) that depict aircraft from a photo album once compiled by a German soldier to commemorate his military service. According to the extremely sparse information that can be gathered from the album, these two Junkers Ju 52/3m wrecks were likely photographed in Norway, in 1940.

The forward fuselage and wing center section of the aircraft in the top photo appear burned. The aircraft in the lower photo (and, perhaps, also the one in the top photo) seems to have crashed. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

[Entry amended February 26, 2020]