World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
20 Feb 2009 08:15:44 AM

Above photo: Ju 88V-44 (NF+KQ) prototype became the pattern aircraft for all Ju-188 series and was redesignated the Ju 188V-1. 1,076 Ju 188's would be produced, serving on all battle fronts date 1942

2.  BILL says:
1 Jun 2009 05:14:47 PM

After World War II France operated a number of Junkers Ju 88 G-6, Ju 88 R-1 and Ju 188's, well into the 1950's.

3.  Bill says:
13 Jan 2011 01:33:40 PM

Added to my previous comment dated
20 Feb 2009

Another Junkers aircraft not listed is the
Ju 390 Long-range heavy bomber also intended to be a heavy transport and maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.
The prototype flew in October 1943 and was
powered by six BMW air-cooled radical engines.

LONG-RANGE FLIGHT:

It was rumored that a Ju 390 flew from its base in Bordeaux, France, to within 12 miles of New York City, and returned the round trip
would have taken 32 hours However, no documents have beed discovered to verify the mission.

The Ju 390 would have been armed with 2x20mm cannons in turrets, 1x20mm in the tail, 2x13mm in waist positions, 2x13mm in gondola and could also carry the Fritz X guided bomb or similar weapon. Two prototypes were built
no production aircraft were ordered.

LOOK INTO THE FUTURE:

Another idea was to carry a parasite fighter
a Messerschmitt Me 328 for defense, with the Ju 390.
This concept would later be tested with the Post-War, Convair B-36 Peacemaker tests were carried out with Republic F-84 Thunderjet and the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin. The parasite
fighter concept was not used by the USAF.

4.  Bill says:
14 Jan 2011 07:22:48 AM

THE "URAL BOMBER" THAT NEVER WAS:

The Junkers Ju 89 could have been developed
into the 4-engine bomber the Luftwaffe needed
However, General Walther Wever, who believed
in the longe-range strategic bomber was killed in a air crash and with him his idea
for the bomber.
The project was abandoned and the Luftwaffe
developed twin-engine tatical bombers, that was to prove costly later on. Two prototypes
were built and later used as transports the
German airline Lufthansa expressed interest
in the Ju 89 as a airliner, and the aircraft was developed into the Junkers Ju 90.

5.  Bill says:
14 Jan 2011 07:41:56 AM

The Junkers Ju 90 was developed from the
rejected Ju 89 "Ural Bomber".

Junkers used the wings and tail but designed designed a wider-passenger fuselage to carry 40 passengers.
Eighteen aircraft were built and used by the Luftwaffe and Lufthansa.
Two Ju 90s survived the war and were captured
by the Allies both were scrapped afterward.

6.  Bill says:
14 Jan 2011 08:36:05 AM

ANOTHER JUNKERS GIANT:

Developed from the Junkers Ju 290 this plane was to replace the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor.

The Ju 290 was used as a long-range patrol, reconnaissance and anti-shippng bomber, in
this role it was armed w/20mm & 15mm weapons and could carry anti-shipping missiles.
They were used to fly supply missions to the 6th Army at Stalingrad.

LONG-RANGE FLIGHTS:

Sixty-five aircraft were built during the war. The Ju 290 was also used for special missions, the aircraft were to fly cargo and personnal to Japan, but the flights were never carried out.
In 1944 the idea was revived for flights to Japan, but again, never carried out.
The aircraft were transferred to KG200 for special missions.

LAST FLIGHTS:

On April 5, 1945 the last mission of a Ju 290
was flown by Lufthansa to Barcelona, Spain
the aircraft was interned by the authorities.

April 21, 1945 the aircraft was turned over to the Spanish Government, and transferred to ths Spanish Air Force.
The Air Force used the Ju290 until a landing accident retired the plane in 1957.

One Ju 290 was captured at the end of the war by the USAAF, and flown from France to Wright-field, Dayton, Ohio the aircraft was tested and later scrapped in 1946.

One aircraft was built from assemblies left in Czechoslovakia, by Letov, as the Ju 290/
Letov-L 290, and used into the 1950s.

7.  Bill says:
14 Jan 2011 01:21:46 PM

The Junkers Ju90 was also used in Special Missions. One Ju90B was assigned to
Special Detachment ZG.76 Sonderkommando Junck
named after its commander Werner Junck.

The Ju90 operated in Iraqi markings in support of Bf 110s that also flew in Iraqi markings, against the British in 1941.

FAILED COUP:

The Germans supported the insurgent uprising against British rule in Iraq, the insurgent attempt failed, the Germans withdrew their support, along with the Italians.