Junkers G 31
The Junkers G 31 was a three -engine, low-wing blank out transport and cargo aircraft of the German manufacturer Junkers from the late 1920s. She was an enlarged version of the Junkers G 24 and could carry up to 16 passengers.
History
The first flight took place in early September 1926 instead of the first prototype, the G 31 ba, which the registration D -1073 and the serial number was 3000. The Junkers initially used L -5 engines proved to be too weak, so the central engine by a BMW VI was replaced. The crew sat in an open cockpit. The aircraft was later, as the last three series models, to New Guinea, where it was first used in the Bulolo Gold Dredging & Co, then in the Guinea Airways as VH - URQ.
When II.Internationalen Flight Meeting 1927 in Dübendorf ( Switzerland ) succeeded to the Junker pilots Waldemar Roeder to win with a 31 G victory in the Alps flight competition. He lay back 632 kilometers and crossed the Alps at an altitude of 4,000 meters.
Overall, only 13 aircraft of this type were produced. The German Luft Hansa began their machines on the routes Berlin - a Vienna - London, Hamburg - London, Berlin - Königsberg, Berlin - Malmö, Berlin - Paris and Berlin. A G 31 of ÖLAG it operated the route from Vienna to Berlin.
To a serious accident, it came with the D- 1473 ( works number 3005 ). The " Rhineland " fire on December 11, 1928 during an emergency landing in Letzlingen near Stendal. The only passenger could easily save injured pilot Gustav Dörr, his board and his radio operator mechanic Müller organ died in the blaze.
Construction
The G 31 G 24 predecessor was like a three -engined all-metal aircraft with Wellblechbeplankung.
Overall, the machine could accommodate as airliner 16 passengers, the crew consisted of three persons. The passenger compartment was divided into three compartments with a central corridor. There was a laundry room and a small kitchen on board. How often then usual, the compartment windows were rolled down. The seats could be turned into ten superposed beds. In 1928 took place at the Lufthansa first time the use of a steward, of the name "Flying dining car " earned this type. Then there were two pilots, a radio operator and a machinist.
The cargo version is provided with a side hatch could carry loads of up to 3,200 kilograms. As an Air Ambulance it offered space for a caregiver and up to 17 wounded.
Versions
- G 31 ce: Wnr. 3001, D -1137, successively equipped with different engines.
- G 31 en: Wnr. 3002, D -1310 " Hermann Koehl ," later D- ADIN and 3003, as A 46 " Austria ", later OE -LAG, at the Austrian airline. In addition to the closed cockpit, this version recorded by 3 Gnôme -Rhône Jupiter VI radial engines each with 375 kW from. Also the Wnr. 3004, D -1427 " Germany " DLH, belonged to this group of airplanes.
- G 31 fi: Wnr. 3005, D- 1473 " Rheinland ". Instead of Gnôme -Rhône now manufactured by Siemens under license Jupiter version, also with 375 kW was installed at the same time changed dimensions of the machine. The span was here 30.30 m, the wing area of 102 m2 and the length of 17,30 m.
- G 31 fo: Wnr. 3006, D -1523, " Nordmark ", later D- ADAR and Wnr. 3007, D- 1770 " Prussia ", later D- ABAR, Wnr. 3008, D- 1722 "Brandenburg", later D- ABIL and Wnr. 3009, D- 1786 " Westmark ", later D- ADUR. As engines now BMW Hornet were selected, each with 404 kW, which were equipped with metal propellers.
- G 31 ho: The mid-engine was now a Pratt & Whitney Hornet.
- Type G 31 go: This version corresponded to the G 31 fo, but again had an open cockpit and cargo aircraft as a large hatch in the fuselage. Three pieces of the Wnr. 3010, 3011 and 3012, were as VH - UOW, UOU and UOV in the years 1930/31 to the company Bulolo Gold Dredging & Co. in New Guinea.