Junkers Ju 52, Duxford 2012 ©Nigel Key
ROLE
Transport / Medium Bomber / Airliner.
FIRST FLIGHT
13 October 1930.
The Ju 52 is a transport aircraft designed by Ernst Zindel and manufactured by Junkers.
The aircraft was skinned with corrugated duralumin for strength which was unusual at the time.
The Ju 52 has a low cantilever wing with a narrow control surface running along the trailing edge, the inner section being the flap and the outer section being the aileron.
The fuselage is of rectangular section with a passenger door on the port side, just behind the wing, which also functioned as a loading hatch.
The main landing gear and tailskid, or tailwheel on later models, is also fixed. Some aircraft were also fitted with floats or skis.
The Ju 52 was originally designed to have one engine, however to obtain sufficient power it was changed to three engines.
As a military transport aircraft, the Ju 52 could carry up to 18 fully equipped soldiers or 12 stretchers when used as an air ambulance.
Supplies could be air dropped through two double chutes and supply canisters could be dropped by parachute. Paratroopers could be deployed through the side doors.
The Ju 52 also had a tow coupling built in to the tail skid which could be used to tow up to two gliders.
PRODUCTION
The Junkers Ju 52 was produced from 1931 to 1952, with 4,845 built.
ENGINE
3 x BMW 132T’s, producing 2490 hp.
Press play to hear the Ju52
ARMAMENT
2 x MG 15 7.92mm machine guns
3,307 lb (1,500 kg) Bomb load
Originally the Ju 52 was used as a 17 seat airliner or a Utility aircraft by various civil operators in the 1030’s.
During the Second World War, the Ju 52 was used by the Luftwaffe as a troop and cargo transport and occasionally a medium bomber.
After the war, the Ju 52 had a lengthy service life with numerous military and civilian operators with large numbers still in use by the 1980s.
Crew - 2 |
Passengers - up to 17 |
Length - 62ft 0in (18.9m) |
Wingspan - 95ft 11.5in (29.25m) |
Height - 18ft 2.5in (5.55m) |
Empty Weight - 12,610lb (5,720kg) |
Max. Weight - 23,149lb (10,500kg) |
Max. Speed - 171 mph (275 km/h) |
Range - 808 miles (1,300 km)* |
*with auxiliary tanks |