World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
19 Nov 2010 06:41:48 PM

A Junkers Ju 88D-1 was delivered into Allied
hands, by a Rumanian defector, who flew it
to Cyprus in July 1943 and turned it over to the British, who flew it to Egypt and turned
the bomber over to the USAAF.

The bomber was flown to Wright Field, and was used for test and evaluation during WWII.
In 1946 it was placed in storage and later
shipped to the Air Force Museum in 1960 it is
now on display in its original Romanian marking, at the USAF Museum Dayton,Ohio USA

Junkers built 16,000 Ju 88s in a dozen variants used as a Bomber, Torpedo bomber
Reconnaissance aircraft, Night fighter and
Heavy fighter.

MISTEL

Many Ju 88s were coverted into flying bombs
packed with high explosive warheads of four tons the pilot of a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 or
Messerschmitt 109 would control both of the
aircraft.
The fighter would release the bomber and aim
it at the target. Many of these converted
bombers were not war weary aircraft, but
brand new.

Besides the Luftwaffe, it was also used by
Bulgaria, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy,
Romania and Spain.
Captured aircraft were tested by the USA,
USSR and England.

Finland retired the last Ju 88 in 1948
France retired its Ju 88s in 1951
Spain retired its Ju 88s in the late 1940s

2.  Bill says:
29 Nov 2010 08:09:28 AM

Founded by Hugo Junkers in 1892, he built his
first all-metal aircraft in 1908. During WWI
Junkers designed the single-seat all-metal fighter the Junkers J-1.

After WWI he created Junkers Flugzeugwerke AG, designed the Junkers G-38 and continued to design and build aircraft engines.
In 1923 Junkers Motornbau GmbH, or Jumo Junkers was formed to design and manufacture
aircraft engines.

After Hitler took power in 1933, Hugo Junkers
in opposition to Hitler, was forced to sell
off the majority of his company shares, and
abandon all his patent rights to the Nazis.
Put under arrest in 1934 Junkers died in 1935
the company was nationalized and became the
most prominent of German aircraft companies.

During WWII Junkers had factories in Germany,
France and Czechoslovakia. After WWII the
company was absorbed by Messerschmitt in
1975, and the name Junkers disappeared.

3.  Bill says:
29 Nov 2010 11:37:41 AM

Junkers Flugzeugwerke AG
AG means Aktiengesellschaft, Joint Stock Co.

After WWII many Junkers aircraft continued to be operated by post-war air forces the Junkers Ju 52 Transport was built in Spain,
France and Czechoslovakia and used for years after WWII.

4.  Bill says:
8 Jan 2011 04:22:59 PM

The mistel concept used by the Germans wasn't
a new idea. During the dark period of 1940 when Britain might be invaded by Germany,
The RAF came up with a solution to meeting
the German landing force in the channel or on the beaches.

PROJECT DAISY CUTTER:

The British investigated the use of a bomber
packed with explosives, controlled by a fighter attached piggy back.
Over the target the fighter would release the bomber aiming for German warships, troop
transports, supplies and troops that are on the beach.

SECRET PROJECTS ESTABLISHMENT (SPE)

Tests were carried out at the Secret Projects
Establishment,(SPE) facility was located at
Upper Mudderick Wallop, Scotland.
The test aircraft were the Hawker Hurricane
fighter, and the Bristol Blemheim twin-engine
bomber.

Tests carried out proved this concept However
the aircraft were slow in the air and
difficult to control, if attacks were made they would have to be carried out night adding to the difficulties contolling the aircraft. The project was abandoned in 1940-
1941.