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n 4 August 2018, one of those tragedies whose cause single engine and after several aircraft were completed and seems inexplicable took place in . On that flying, the company determined more power was required. date, Ju 52/3m HB-HOT operated by Since there was not a single powerplant with sufficient OJU-AIR literally fell out of the sky while transiting horsepower, Zindel decided to make the aircraft a tri-motor — through a mountain pass. All 17 passengers and the crew of three much like Ford’s similar product. Eight single-engine Ju 52s died in a crash that will probably have some form of impact on had been built when the tri-motor took over the production companies operating vintage military aircraft on experience line. It was given the new designation of Ju 52/3m to denote flights. First, let us examine the history of the Ju 52 and the com- its three engines. Depending on cus- pany that has been successfully operating the type for decades. tomer specifications, it could be fitted with different powerplants but the CREATION OF A TRI-MOTOR type would mainly become AN UNEXPLAINED CRASH HAS SHAKEN THE VINTAGE AIRCRAFT COMMUNITY Toward the end of the Great War, aeronautical devel- associated with the BMW BY MICHAEL O’LEARY opment was moving forward 132 radial of 770-hp. The ill-fated Ju 52/3m HB-HOT being escorted by Clay Lacy in his United Air Lines DC-3 during RIMOWA’s successful 2012 tour of the USA.

As a point of interest, the BMW 132 was an improved variant of the Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Hornet. The Germans had signed a licensing agreement with P&W to build the Hornet and then went on to improve the radial in order to obtain more power. The radial was a great success for and was used in a number of designs besides the Ju 53/3m (which was the main user). On at a very impressive rate 10 August 1938, a Focke-Wulf Kondor but one of the most important advancements was under- fitted with four BMW 132s flew from to New York taken by Germany’s Professor and his pio- in 24-hours 57-minutes. Hitler and his staff took great neering utilization of corrugated duralumin metal for air- interest in this flight because the bombardment of New craft construction. Junkers’ company began using this York City and other points on America’s east coast was metal as the main construction material for a series of being considered as part of the new German battle plan. advanced (for the time) aircraft. The use of corrugated metal construction for aircraft skin SUCCESS WITH THE resulted in strong, weatherproof machines that were a huge Even though Germany was straddled with a huge num- technological jump from the era’s wood and fabric biplanes. ber of restrictions because of its participation in the Great Germany’s defeat in the Great War did not put an end to War, the national of Luft Hansa (initially two Junkers and his pioneering aircraft. The factory continued words, but eventually merging into one) quickly became a building and developing on their concept and constructed Ju 52/3m operator and found the 17-seat to be numerous single-engine transports that found acceptance reliable and capable of turning a good profit. Because of its with the newly-emerging airline industry. The Junkers J-6 popularity and relatively benign flight characteristics, it and later W.33 had proven to be rugged workhorses and the picked up the nickname Tante Ju — Auntie Ju. factory started to consider designing a larger variant to meet Other airlines noted the utilitarian nature of the the demand of expanding global aviation. machine that was ideal for expanding route structures as During 1930, a Junkers design team led by Ernst flying by air gained more popularity. Numerous European Zindel created a design that would become the Ju 52. airlines ordered the aircraft and, at the same time, Using the pioneering construction techniques, the Ju 52 Germany was heavily investing in Latin American aviation was a big, rugged transport. However, it was fitted with a — the Nazis viewed the area as a ripe breeding ground for

20 WARBIRDS INTERNATIONAL/October-November 2018 warbirdsintlnow.com 21