Junkers G.38

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_G.38

The Junkers G.38 was a large German four-engined transport aircraft which first
flew in 1929. Two examples were constructed in Germany. Both aircraft flew as a
commercial transport within Europe in the years leading up to World War II.

During the 1930s, the design was licensed to Mitsubishi, which constructed and
flew a total of six aircraft, in a military bomber/transport configuration,
designated Ki-20.

The G.38 carried a crew of seven. Onboard mechanics were able to service the
engines in flight due to the G.38's blended wing design, which provided access
to all four power plants.

Structurally the G.38 conformed to standard Junkers' practice, with a
multi-tubular spar cantilever wing covered, like the rest of the aircraft in
stressed, corrugated duraluminium. The biplane tail, found in other large
aircraft of the time, was intended to reduce rudder forces; initially there were
three rudders with only a central fixed fin. The undercarriage was fixed, with
double tandem main wheels that were initially enclosed in very large spats. The
wing had the usual Junkers "double wing" form, the name referring to the full
span movable flaps which served also as ailerons in the outer part.

The G.38, during its early life, was the largest land plane in the world.
Passenger accommodation was sumptuous by today's standards and was meant to
rival that found on the competing Zeppelin service offered by DELAG. The plane
was unique in that passengers were seated in the wings, which were 1.7 m (5 ft 7
in) thick at the root. There were also two seats in the extreme nose. The
leading edge of each wing was fitted with sloping windscreens giving these
passengers the forward-facing view usually available only to pilots. There were
three 11-seater cabins, plus smoking cabins and wash rooms.


Role
Transport

Manufacturer
Junkers

First flight
6 November 1929

Primary users
Lufthansa
Luftwaffe

Number built
2

Variants
Mitsubishi Ki-20

On 1 July 1931 Lufthansa initiated regularly scheduled service between Berlin
and London on flights carrying up to 13 passengers. This London-Berlin service
was halted in October 1931 to retrofit the aircraft and expand the passenger
cabin of the D-2000. Construction lasted from this time until the summer of
1932, during which a second deck was built within the D-2000's fuselage—enabling
an increased cargo capacity and seating for up to 30 passengers. Additionally
the D-2000's engines were again upgraded to four L88s, giving a combined power
total of 2352 kW (3154 hp). Also at this time the D-2000's certificate number
was changed to D-AZUR.

Meanwhile, a second G.38—factory number 3302 and c/n D-2500, later changed to
D-APIS—was built with a double deck fuselage and capacity for 34 passengers. Six
passengers were carried three per wing in each leading edge, the remaining 22,
on two levels, in the fuselage. Lufthansa used D-APIS on a scheduled service
covering the cities Berlin, Hanover, Amsterdam, and London. This aircraft was
named the General Feldmarschall von Hindenburg.

Both planes were in service simultaneously until 1936, when D-AZUR crashed in
Dessau during a post-maintenance test flight. Lufthansa had to write off this
aircraft due to the extensive damage, but test pilot Wilhelm Zimmermann survived
the crash, and there were no other casualties.

The second G.38—marked D-2500 and later D-APIS—flew successfully within the
Lufthansa fleet for nearly a decade. With the outbreak of World War II the
D-2500/D-APIS was pressed into military service as a transport craft by the
Luftwaffe. It was destroyed on the ground during an RAF air raid on Athens on 17
May 1941.

Specifications (G.38 1929)

General characteristics
Crew: 7
Capacity: 30 (D-2000/D-AZUR) and 34 (D-2500/D-APIS) passengers
Length: 23.21 m (76 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 44 m (144 ft 4 in)
Height: 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 290 m2 (3,100 sq ft)
Empty weight: 14,920 kg (32,893 lb)
Gross weight: 24,000 kg (52,911 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 21,240 kg (46,826 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Junkers L55 V-12 water-cooled piston engines inboard
Powerplant: 2 × Junkers L8a six-cylinder, water-cooled, in-line piston engines,
308 kW (413 hp) each at take-off, outboard
Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed pitch propellers outboard, 4-bladed wooden
fixed pitch propellers inboard

Performance
Maximum speed: 225 km/h (140 mph; 121 kn)
Cruise speed: 175 km/h (109 mph; 94 kn)
Range: 3,460 km (2,150 mi; 1,868 nmi)
Service ceiling: 3,690 m (12,110 ft)





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