Tante Ju — Junkers Ju 52

Tante Ju — Junkers Ju 52

39º 47′ 05″ N / 84º 06′ 29″ W

Odd how the nation which developed the first modern fighter design leading into of WW II, the Me 163 rocket fighter and the FW 190 as well as Me 262 just did not develop large cargo carrying aircraft in any number. The design began at the end of the Ford Trimotor’s manufacturing with the Douglas C-47 its contemporary — it was in production from 1931 through 1945 when rockets and jet aircraft were becoming the norm.

Just odd.

Odd, but well liked by flight crews for its abilities regarding getting into and out of rough or unprepared fields — so it was understandable the Ju 52 became known as Tante Ju (Auntie Ju). The Ju 52 has a fully retro look with not one, not four but three engines as well as a corrugated fuselage, fixed conventional gear and its characteristic doppelflügel (second wing). The doppelflügel had ailerons toward the outside and flaps to the inside.

I know of at least one operation where one can fly on a commercially operated Ju 52 — if you are interested then check out Flieger Flab Museum at the Dübendorf Airport and look up JU-AIR 🙂

The Junkers Ju 52 pictured below is on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force which has this fact sheet.

Note the toeing-out angles of the wing mounted engines of the Junkers Ju 52 — photo by Joseph May

Stout wing and stout gear made the Ju 52 relevant even well into WW II, note the access door behind the copilot window — photo by Joseph May

The doppelflügel (second wing) is easily seen with the outer portion the aileron and the inner portion the flap — photo by Joseph May

Corrugated fuselage panels were part of the design to increase torsion resistance — photo by Joseph May

The small cabin door where paratroopers would exit during an airborne insertion — photo by Joseph May

The Junkers Ju 52 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force — photo by Joseph May