The Junkers Ju 52 Story

The single-engine Junkers Ju 52 first flew in 1930. Designed and built by the Junkers Aircraft Company of Dessau, Germany, the Ju 52 was originally intended as a cargo aircraft. An upgraded model, the Ju 52/3m, was powered by three engines, excelling as an 18-seat airliner. By the late 1930s, hundreds of the safe and reliable Ju 52/3m were serving with airlines in more than 20 countries, including the prewar British Airways. It was used as a bomber by the reestablished Luftwaffe, particularly in the Spanish Civil War. During the Second World War, the Ju 52/3m was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe transport squadrons. Affectionately known as Faithful Old Annie and Iron Annie, the Ju 52/3m was used during the invasions of Norway, the Low Countries, Crete as well as the resupply of Stalingrad and Rommel s Africa Corps. In all, more than 5,000 were built. After the war, production continued in France and Spain. Amazingly, captured Ju 52/3ms were rebuilt postwar and briefly operated as airliners on domestic routes in Great Britain! Today, about 50 Ju 52/3ms survive, with less than ten flying. The Junkers Ju 52/3m is one of the most significant transport airplanes in the history of aviation."

“"...provides a competent and wide-ranging general history along with possibly unique and detailed coverage of foreign civilian and military use, foreign production and preserved aircraft...Jan Forsgren's authoritative and wide-ranging text covers all Ju 52 variants - illustrated with some 150 photos including 44 in colour - and includes chapters on projected replacements and survivors with appendices listing the extensive French and Spanish production."”

-- "Luftwaffe Blog"
"This book covers the complete story of the Junkers 52 from its predecessors that led to its development all the way through to the surviving examples today. It is a comprehensive and detailed look at where the Junkers 52/3m came from, its extensive use with both civilian and military operators and contains a lot of details of of its usage around the world from 1932 to 1982. It is quite surprising to learn just how widely used the Junkers 52/3m was and that its wartime use with the Luftwaffe is just one chapter in its story."-- "Model Builder International"

Jan Forsgren has an MA in History. He has had five books published previously, including two in English; 'Swedish Fortresses' and 'Messerschmitt Bf 108', both for MMP, as well as hundreds of aviation-related articles for various aviation magazines, including 'Aeroplane', the 'Aviation Historian' and 'FlyPast'. He has also written articles on the Air Forces in South East Asia that are available on For Fonthill, he has written 'Sinking the Beast: the 1944 RAF Lancaster Raids Lancaster Raids'.

The single-engine Junkers Ju 52 first flew in 1930. Designed and built by the Junkers Aircraft Company of Dessau, Germany, the Ju 52 was originally intended as a cargo aircraft. An upgraded model, the Ju 52/3m, was powered by three engines, excelling as an 18-seat airliner. By the late 1930s, hundreds of the safe and reliable Ju 52/3m were serving with airlines in more than 20 countries, including the prewar British Airways. It was used as a bomber by the reestablished Luftwaffe, particularly in the Spanish Civil War. During the Second World War, the Ju 52/3m was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe transport squadrons. Affectionately known as Faithful Old Annie and Iron Annie, the Ju 52/3m was used during the invasions of Norway, the Low Countries, Crete as well as the resupply of Stalingrad and Rommel s Africa Corps. In all, more than 5,000 were built. After the war, production continued in France and Spain. Amazingly, captured Ju 52/3ms were rebuilt postwar and briefly operated as airliners on domestic routes in Great Britain! Today, about 50 Ju 52/3ms survive, with less than ten flying. The Junkers Ju 52/3m is one of the most significant transport airplanes in the history of aviation."

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