Junkers (Aircraft)

The Junkers engine GmbH and the Junkers Flugzeugwerke AG were farms of the German businessman, inventor, designer and pioneer of aircraft construction Hugo Junkers in 1919 founded the Junkers aircraft plant in Dessau AG. In Magdeburg in 1913, he opened an engine factory that existed only until 1915. The Junkers engine GmbH with headquarters in Dessau was founded in 1923.

In the era of National Socialism in mid 1936 Junkers aircraft factory and engine were pooled for Junkers aircraft and engine Werke AG.

First World War and the early 1920s

By 1915 he developed with the Junkers J 1 is the first all-metal aircraft, which was manufactured in 1895 founded his company Junkers & Co., Factory for hot water and heating appliances. Since this aircraft was quite difficult, however, and therefore as a fighter was not a great success, was then built as an infantry aircraft of all-metal Junkers J 4 sesquiplane also in larger numbers. In October 1917, the aircraft division of Junkers & Co. was forcibly merged with the Fokker Schwerin Aeroplanbau in the Junkers - Fokker Werke AG ( Jfa ) based Dessau under pressure from the military authorities.

After the First World War and the laying of Anthony Fokker aircraft factory in the Netherlands the Jfa were renamed in April 1919 in Junkers Flugzeugwerke AG. This built in the same year, the Junkers F 13, the first all -metal aircraft in the world. Since the Treaty of Versailles, initially a building ban on aircraft foresaw that still included performance limitations even after easing in 1922, Junkers tried, like other German aircraft companies also continue the aircraft in branch organizations or through partnerships abroad. The Junkers Flugzeugwerke therefore founded in 1922 in Fili near Moscow branch operation " Junkers works in Dessau, Central Russia " and in 1924 in Sweden AB Flygindustri. In Russia, Junkers Ju 20 and Ju 21 were designed and built. The agreement with Soviet Russia was designed for thirty years but was terminated after only four years on the part of the USSR and Junkers had to finish 1926 with a loss of 10 million Reichsmark cooperation.

Junkers Aviation AG

1921 owned airline was founded, the Junkers Aviation AG, with routes for example, in Turkey, Persia and South America. The Junkers aircraft proved themselves by their robustness and flight stability in many areas. So, for example, should the Persian crown jewels will be exhibited in London, and it was a means of transport used. A continuous rail link was not available, threatened on the streets many robberies, which is why the Shah personally transport in two Junkers F 13 from Tehran to London and ordered back, which was also carried out without problems. Also crossed during this period, two F 13 was the first aircraft the Andes. The Junkers air traffic AG was the most important airline in the world at that time.

However, the aviation business (4 in an F 13) was because of the few passenger seats uneconomical, so the Junkers air traffic AG was more dependent on government subsidies. After the failed Russian operations against the German Empire demanded the assumption of debt, the assignment of the shares of the Junkers air traffic AG. Junkers had to meet this demand and so the Junkers air traffic AG was merged in January 1926 with the German Aero Lloyd to Deutsche Luft Hansa.

The late 1920s and the 1930s

The first three-engine aircraft was the Junkers G 23 of 1925. 1929 was the four-engined Junkers G 38, which had passenger cabins in the wings. The best known aircraft of the Junkers Junkers F 13 and the Junkers Ju 52/3m (also called " Tante Ju " called ).

In April 1928 Hermann Koehl, Ehrenfried Günther Freiherr von Hünefeld and James Fitzmaurice managed in a Junkers W 33, the first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic from east to west.

The Junkers engine developed in the 1920s, the first flight of diesel engines. It was six -cylinder two-stroke opposed-piston engines.

In the early 1930s came the Junkers works in financial difficulties, which led to the bankruptcy in 1932. After the Nazis came to power in 1933, Hugo Junkers was forced to write the privately held patents on its businesses and 51 % of its shares in the company to the Reich Air Ministry (RLM) compensation leave. The management of the investment was made by the extra founded as Tarngesellschaft by the RLM Aviation Kontor GmbH. At the same time Hugo Junkers was banned from his works, and was placed in his summer residence in Bavarian Zell under house arrest. After Junkers ' death in 1935 his widow and heiress Therese Junkers the remaining shares for a payment of about 30 million RM gave also the aviation Kontor GmbH. Under the leadership of the new Junkers Director-General Heinrich Koppenberg Junkers engine GmbH and Junkers aircraft factory AG were merged on July 5, 1936 to the Junkers aircraft and engine Werke AG and expanded in the course of armament of the Armed Forces as one of the biggest arms of the German Empire.