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combat aircraft: «Junkers» Ju.52 / ZM – strange, but useful

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

If you read the memoirs of the Second World War, then the bulk of the memories will be like a completely outdated low-speed three-engine aircraft. In fact, the devil is in the details, and under the Junkers Ju.52 label is a little more, than an old fixed gear aircraft.

Let's go in order.

I will not sin at all against the truth, said, that Aunt Yu became one of the first multi-purpose aircraft in the world.

Yes, details - a strong and difficult thing. And the thing is in the numbers after the usual abbreviation.

Corrugated Sheathing, fixed gear, slow and unpretentious - that was that plane, which we are accustomed to think about, how about Ju.52. more precisely, about Ju.52 / Зm. Three-engine version (there was a single-engine).

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

Strange and somewhat archaic design, Nevertheless, this plane made so much, that it’s hard to compete with many real combat aircraft.

Our story began in 1933 year, when the Ju.52 / 3m-ge modification appeared, which became the first really large-scale. Engines from Pratt and Whitney were replaced by BMW-132A-1. In general, actually licensed «Hornet» from the same Pratt and Whitney power 660 l / sec.

Ju.52 / 3m-ge had maximum speed in 290 kmh. it, of course, was minuscule, but for the civilian model maximum speed was not so important, but here, that the plane was easily converted into a transport or bomber, was very valuable.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

It played a role, because, not yet starting commercial sales, Junkers company received an order to convert the aircraft into a bomber.

October 1933. The newly formed air commissariat is creating the so-called auxiliary bomber squadron. This can generally be called the formation of the Luftwaffe bomber aircraft, and the Luftwaffe itself.

At all, according to the initial plan, it was planned to arm the entire bomber aircraft with a Dornier Do.11, and the Junkers Ju.52 was only considered as an interim solution.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful «Dornier» Do.11

But it turned out like this, that Dornier couldn’t teach her to fly her plane, he went into a series with delays and problems, so much so, what by the reporting date 1 Martha 1933 years the bomber squadron had three Do.11c, but "Junkers" Ju.52 was 24.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

It happened, that the Junkers was ready to rivet 52nd at a completely Stakhanov pace, what happened in practice.

And everything turned out to be very simple. Converting the transport Ju.52 / 3m-g3e into a bomber was a very simple matter. The hatch just cut through the top of the fuselage, and an open turret with one MG-15 machine gun was installed in it.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

To protect against attacks from below, there was partially retractable in flight «basket» with another MG-15. This shooting point could be pulled into the fuselage by half by hand.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

The “basket” point was attached to the glazed cabin of the scorer, which was located between the bomb bay. There were three bomb bays: two in front and one in back. Each bomb bay contained a DSAC / 250 cassette on 10 bombs by 50 kg or two bombs 250 kg.

In this way, the bomb load was 1500 kg. Fuel supply in 2475 l provided tactical range in 500 km at cruising speed 245 km / h at an altitude of 1000 m.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

clear, that all these alterations rolled back very easily, to transport version.

The transport variant Ju.52 / 3m-g3e was the first to take part in the hostilities. Of course, it was spain. 20 "Junkers" committed in July-August 1936 of the year 461 sortie, having flown from Africa to Spain 7350 infantry man, artillery guns and machine guns. Airplanes committed 461 flight, often overloaded. Yet 5455 the man was transported to 324 flights in September. And in October they transported more 1157 people in 83 flights.

Hitler rightly remarked: «Franco must erect a monument to Ju. 52. This plane owes the victory of the revolution in Spain«.

While the transport "Junkers" drove from Africa replenishment in the army of Franco, their bomber counterparts were baptized. First use occurred on August 14: Ju.52 / 3m-g3e bombed Getafe airport near Madrid.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

A 27 and 28 August the goal of Ju.52 / 3m was Madrid, and it turned out to be a very difficult situation. It turned out like this, that Ju.52 / 3m with bombs flew to Madrid at the same time, and Ju.52 / 3m with passengers, as Lufthansa continued to operate passenger flights to Spain.

In general, the combat use of Ju.52 / 3m-g3e and g4e showed, that the plane was successful. And the real large-scale construction began and in parallel the modification of the aircraft.

Ju.52 / 3m-g5е became even more universal. The plane received a rear wheel instead of a “crutch”, winter ski gear and floats. Defensive Arms Changed, instead of the "basket", which greatly degraded aerodynamics, set up two MG-15 machine guns per side, and the "basket" was removed. Ju.52 / 3m-g5е received BMW-132T-2 engines with power 830 HP, which exhaust gases were used in the anti-icing system.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful «Yunkyers» with company floats «Heinkel»

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful Winter option

Well, of course, Luftwaffe leadership was waiting for the moment, when all these innovations can be effectively applied. And waited. In the operation "Weserubung" "Junkers" showed themselves just fine, having thrown six companies of paratroopers to Norway, one landing battalion and three infantry battalions. Additionally, the aircraft carried six companies of aerodrome maintenance personnel, air force headquarters, infantry regiment headquarters and more 168 tons of fuel.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

Among other things,, By the beginning of the active phase of World War II, Ju.52 / 3m mastered the profession of a minesweeper. At the base of Ju.52 (g4e models, g5е, g6е, g7e and g8e) six squadrons were formed «mine seekers», for the designation of which the letters MS were used in the specifications.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

Most Ju. 52 / 3m (MS) was equipped with a large duralumin ring on the struts under the wing and the fuselage. The winding in the ring was powered by an auxiliary motor, providing current to 300 ampere. Other Ju.52 / 3m (MS) were equipped with KK-Gerat containers with 30 small charges for trawling acoustic mines. Most minesweeper squadrons were equally divided between.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

It applied like this: three Ju.52 / 3m with magnetic windings flew in formation «wedge». Behind them flew Ju.52 / 3m with subversive charges. Flight speed was usually 200 kmh. The height depended on the depth of the sea. The optimal distance to the mine was 40 m, so that, if the depth was 30 m, then the planes flew at altitude 10 m. The application has shown high efficiency of such trawling, but losses started right there, as the enemy began to “educate” the Junkers pilots.

Since the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine appreciated the work of minesweepers, measures were taken to strengthen defensive weapons. Instead of the top machine gun, a circular rotation tower with a MG-151/20 cannon was installed, and the side MG-15s were replaced by large-caliber MG-131. Minesweeper has become a very "toothy" plane.

But the gun did not go as standard. We decided to, that will be bold. And in the modification of Ju.52 / 3m-g8e, instead of the top MG-15 machine gun, the MG-131 was installed.

At all, for the re-equipment of Ju.52 / 3m in solving various problems, seven standard "sets of field conversion" were used, which could be installed in operational parts.

That is, the aircraft could be changed to fulfill specific tasks, and the use of such a set was indicated by an additional letter:

  • E - the aircraft was equipped for loading, container fastening and unloading / discharge.
  • F - landing aircraft.
  • H - training aircraft.
  • N - cargo plane.
  • R - connected plane.
  • S - ambulance.
  • St - aircraft for the transport of technical personnel.

AT 1942 year in the series went Ju.52 / 3m-g9e, glider tow. Take into account the experience of European landing operations, significantly reinforcing the landing gear and standardly putting the towing system itself. Another subspecies in the already decent list of “professions”.

The finest hour "Aunt U" has arrived in January 1942 of the year, when the Red Army surrounded the 100,000th Wehrmacht group near the town of Demyansk. For, to establish a supply of surrounded troops, German command took away planes even from Rommel in Africa, what involuntarily accelerated the collapse of the corps "Africa".

But, Nevertheless, the Germans managed to create an air bridge and for the period from 21 February to 18 in May, eleven air transport groups committed 14 445 departures, transported 24 303 tons of cargo, 3142 tons of fuel, 15 445 man and evacuated 22 093 wounded.

We can not say, that everything was smooth and smooth. Yes, our army then did not have experience in such operations, because Demyansky boiler can rightly be set off the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe.

but 265 aircraft, lost Luftwaffe during the operation, - this is also a lot. It is worth noting, that the proper conclusions by our command were made, and when the Germans set out in the same way to help the encircled Paulus army in Stalingrad, you know it yourself, how did it end.

The losses of the Luftwaffe near Stalingrad are estimated at about 500 aircraft, of them 266 were exactly Ju.52 / 3m. It’s very difficult to recover from such losses..

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

Nevertheless, Ju.52 / 3m reached the end of the war as a transport and landing aircraft, especially, that its production went on increasing, thanks to, that in French enterprises they began to collect it in decent quantities. German Command Connects Amio Concern, and the process has begun.

Thanks to the work of the French, the Ju.52 / 3m assembly in 1943 year rose to 900 aircraft, and 321 the car was made in France and about 30 Hungarian allies gathered.

The latest production version of Aunt Yu, Ju.52 / 3M-g14е, was put into production in late autumn 1943 years and was released until the middle 1944 g. It was the last modification of the aircraft., further production ceased.

Total from the beginning 1939 It had been issued 3225 military aircraft, and the total release of Ju.52 / 3m was 4845 copies.

Compared to fighters, which were produced by tens of thousands, That's not a lot. Nevertheless, the aircraft became the main means of delivery of goods by air for the Third Reich. North Africa, Demyansk, Stalingrad, Crimea, Kamyanets-Podilsky, where the 1st Wehrmacht tank army got into the bag, Breslau ... In general, "Aunt Yu" has become a kind of symbol of last hope for surrounded German soldiers. And the farther towards the end of the war, this happened more often.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

The last case of the massive successful use of Ju.52 / 3m was an offensive operation in the Ardennes, “Watch on the Rhine”. The weather was not the most favorable, nevertheless, the Junkers were able to throw airborne assaults in the rear of the US troops.

clear, that at the end of the war the pilots were not the same, that in the beginning, and the landing was thrown over a larger territory, what was planned. Nevertheless, in the process of reaching their paratroopers, they were able to "make a noise".

In general, Ju.52 / 3m went through the war “from bell to bell”. And became the same paradox, as In 2, because it did not meet any requirements of the time. And yet, even then, the aircraft brought tangible benefits.

Characteristics of Ju.52 / Zm-g7e:

Wingspan, m: 29,30
Length, m: 18,90
Height, m: 5,55
wing area, m2: 110,00

Weight, kg
- empty aircraft: 6 500
- normal take-off: 10 500

engines: 3 x BMW-132T-2 x 830 l. from.
full speed, kmh: 285
Cruising speed, kmh: 250
practical range, km: 1090
The maximum rate of climb, m / min: 175
Service ceiling, m: 5 900
Crew, people: 3
Payload: 18 passengers / landing or 1500 kg of cargo

weaponry:
- one 7.92 mm MG-15 machine gun or 13 mm MG-131 on the upper turret
- one MG-15 above the cockpit
- two MG-15 or MG-131 in the side windows
— 10 bombs by 50 kg bombs or 2 bombs 250 kg.

surprising, looking at LTH, how "Auntie Yu" was able to fly through the whole war, and not even as a target, but bringing real benefits. by the way, our plane also worked after the war.

combat aircraft: «Yunkyers» Ju.52 / Зm - strange, but useful

After the end of the war, the aircraft was produced in France (to 1947 of the year) and Spain (to 1952 of the year), It was released about 1000 machines, who worked until the 70s of the last century.

/Roman Skomorokhov, topwar.ru/

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