Junkers Ju 86

Junkers Ju 86
Swedish Junkers Ju 86 K-4
Type:	Passenger plane and bomber
Design country:	German Empire
Manufacturer:	Junkers
First flight:	November 4, 1934
Commissioning:	1936
Production time:	1935 to 1939
Number of pieces:	about 900

The Junkers Ju 86 was a twin-engine , all-metal - propeller plane the Junkers aircraft factory AG in Dessau (from 1936 Junkers ), which was developed both for civilian and for military use. Junkers and licensees produced a total of around 900 copies of the self - supporting low- wing aircraft in various variants .

Development and production

Ju 86 in formation flight 1937

Ju-86 Swissair in front of today's hall 11 of the Dübendorf airfield

Sectional drawing

Double wing of the Ju 86

Ju 86 in formation flight in 1938

Planning for a twin-engined medium fighter aircraft began in 1932 in the Reichswehr Ministry . In the course of 1933 development contracts were awarded to Heinkel , Dornier and Junkers .

Junkers designed the later Ju 86 as a twin-engine low-wing aircraft with retractable landing gear and double vertical tail and received the order to build four prototypes.

After testing two military prototypes from November 1934, seven A-0 passenger aircraft were built.

In June 1936 series production of the B-series fighter aircraft for the Air Force began. At the end of April 1937 it was stopped by the General Inspector of the Air Force, State Secretary Erhard Milch , because the military version of the Ju 86, contrary to the great expectations of the Junkers Jumo 205 diesel engines used, proved to be a complete failure. The consumption when flying in a formation was higher than expected, the fire safety was not higher than with airplanes with gasoline engines, and the speed achieved was too low for the intended purpose. Junkers had already developed series with gasoline engines for export. Therefore, it made sense to convert the Air Force Ju 86 accordingly. Major General Ernst Udet, head of the technical office in the Reich Aviation Ministry , suggested to Milch that 89 of the 162 aircraft under construction should be completed as A / D series, 50 with gasoline engines and 10 to 20 for export, and the rest should be scrapped. Apparently, however, after the completion of the 89 aircraft on offer, the A / D series did not end, as more than 200 aircraft with diesel engines were built after the production stop. However, preliminary work has already been carried out for converting the series to gasoline engines.

The aircraft of the A / D series built up to that point were retrofitted with BMW 132 petrol engines (conversion to the E-1 bomber). The first copies were delivered in May 1938. In the G series, which started in June 1938, this engine was planned from the start. In addition, these aircraft were given a full view cockpit. In the period from December 1937 to July 1939, only airplanes with gasoline engines were manufactured for the Air Force and for export. A total of 476 Ju 86 A / D with diesel engine and 142 Ju 86 G with gasoline engine and full view canopy were built for the Air Force as series aircraft. Variants E, M, N, P and R are only conversions. 14 aircraft of the Ju 86 M were converted (W.-No. 260-273), of the Ju 86 N probably 23. For the conversion of the A / D series to E, Junkers and ATG received an order for initially 300 aircraft. On June 30, 1938, the first 16 aircraft from this order had already been delivered to the Luftwaffe.

In order to adapt to the intended use, conversions were made continuously during the war: at WFG, the E-1 bomber became the E-2 training aircraft with double control (170 conversions November 1939 to January 1942) as well as other variants E-5 and E-8 (together 57 conversions February to December 1941), E-9, E-12, E-13, E-14 and E-15, whereby the variants from E-9 were probably conversions for the air communication schools. The variant E-10 was a conversion for blind flight training, but cannot be proven.

The Ju 86 G was converted to the height reconnaissance aircraft Ju 86 P, which with a service ceiling of 12,000 m could not be reached by fighter aircraft at the time, the R series in turn was a conversion from the P aircraft. The numbers were small; they were used at the AGrObdL, the 1./(F)100 and the 2./(F)123. On June 30, 1940, 31 P-1s and six P-2s were ordered as conversions from the G version, on December 31, 1940 29 P-1s and nine P-2s were ordered. After the P-3 version had proven to be advantageous, the order was changed to 32 P-3s, which were to be converted from the G, P-1 and P-2 versions. There are 18 conversions to P-1 / P-2 in the period from July 1940 to April 1941 and nine conversions from G to P-3 from April to August 1941. In addition, there were two conversions from P-1 / P-2 to P -3. By November 30, 1942, the 16 R-1s and three R-2s ordered had been delivered by Junkers. The development of the high-altitude aircraft P and R including the preparatory work for the Ju 186 cost Junkers a total of 17.5 million RM by June 30, 1943. A comparison with the development costs of the Ju-86 bombers and commercial aircraft up to 1936 (6.3 million RM) shows the immense effort that was put into the development of the high-altitude aircraft and the conversion of around 40 to 50 machines including the test vehicles.

Ultimately, the Ju 86 turned out to be the least successful second-generation medium bomber, especially since the Do 17 was also built in large numbers as a long-range reconnaissance aircraft. However, the export numbers of the Ju-86 fighter planes were considerably higher than those of the He 111 and Do 17.

Construction figures of the Ju 86 including conversions :

version	JFM	Henschel	Blohm & Voss	ATG	TOTAL
Prototypes	4th				4th
A-0	7th				7th
B.	10				10
C.	6th				6th
A / D	215	94	75	92	476
E-1	(200)			(100)	(300), possibly only about 230
E-2					(170)
E-5 / E-8					(57)
G	72			70	142
K	133				133
M.					(14)
N					(23?)
O	3				3
P-1	(9)				(9)
P-2					(> 9)
P-3					(> 11)
R-1					(16)
R-2					(3)
Z	38				38
TOTAL	488	94	75	162	819

Military operation

In the experimental bomber squadron 88 of the Condor Legion probably five Ju took off in February 1937 86 D. At the beginning of the use walked two aircraft lost (23 February 1937 and 9 March 1937). After another loss, the remaining two aircraft were ceded to the National Spaniards in 1937 ; the bomber units were converted to Heinkel He 111 .

By July 1939, the Ju 86s were withdrawn from the combat units and were only used by schools or other units. On March 1, 1940 there were 575 Ju 86s in the Luftwaffe, 362 on January 31, 1944, and 177 on September 30, 1944. This indicates that in the course of 1944 there were 20 exports to Romania and Hungary as well a large number of Ju 86s was scrapped after a more powerful trainer aircraft, the Siebel Si 204, was available.

According to their experience in Spain, the Air Force itself did not use the Ju 86 in combat, but only as a transporter and high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. Ju 86 were used as high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft over the Soviet Union as early as 1940 (see: Command Rowehl ); these provided important information for the later bombing of strategic facilities and airfields during the attack on the Soviet Union . If necessary, transport groups could be set up from the schools' holdings. During the supply of the Demyansk boiler , the aircraft was used by the mixed KGr.zbV 6, 7 and 8. With two total losses and six damages, the losses remained low. In the Battle of Stalingrad , probably 70 Ju 86s were deployed by KGr.zbV 21 and 22. 34 aircraft were lost, and another seven remained missing. In addition, eleven damages must be expected. After the Soviet attack on Tazinskaya airfield on December 24, 1942, in which 14 Ju 86s were reported as lost, the model was rarely used because the two transport groups were largely worn out. Overall, the number of missions flown remained low, as the aircraft was unsuitable for transport missions under the local conditions.

Otherwise, the Ju 86 was mainly used at C schools or the air communication schools for radio equipment and radio measurement training for on-board radio operators. It was only used to a small extent by the blind flight schools from the end of 1942.

export

The pattern was approved for export from the start in order to generate urgently needed foreign exchange. Before the war, 171 aircraft were exported. Of the three aircraft ordered by Manchukuo but no longer delivered, two were handed over to DLH as Ju 86 O in June 1941 and one to Gauleiter Josef Terboven in May 1941 . In Sweden, SAAB built another 16 aircraft under license from 1939 to 1941.

Exports of the Ju 86 (combat and civil aircraft) :

country	1936	1937	1938	1939	TOTAL FIGHT	SUM CIVIL
Bolivia	1		3		3	1
Chile			16		12	4th
Japan		1			1
Manchukuo			10	4th		14th
Portugal			10		10
Sweden	1	4th	36		40	1
Switzerland	1					1
South Africa		5	10	3	1	17th
Hungary		9	57		66
TOTAL	3	19th	142	7th	133	38

In South Africa, military reasons were decisive for the procurement of 17 civil aircraft (and one fighter aircraft): There the widespread misconception that a civil aircraft could simply be made into a bomber was a factor. The South African Air Force used the converted Ju 86 Z-7 passenger aircraft with the 11th and 12th Squadron in the East Africa campaign from 1940 to 1941 against Italy. The Ju 86 was used for coastal surveillance in South Africa and when bombers were deployed in Ethiopia, it was withdrawn from the front line in late 1941 when real combat aircraft were available. On May 1, 1941, only eight of the original 15 aircraft of the 12th Squadron SAAF were left . By the end of the fighting in Ethiopia, there were at least two other casualties. In air traffic, the remaining aircraft were no longer used after 1941, as the South African Airways modern Lockheed Lodestar were available.

German Lufthansa

In total, the DLH received 17 aircraft of the type. The equipment with diesel engines was planned from the beginning. The V2 and V4 were launched as prototypes for the traffic version. The first flights of civil aircraft took place on March 22, 1935 (V2) and on August 24, 1935 (V4). However, Lufthansa was only assigned the V4 for testing in August or September 1935, while the V2 remained with the manufacturer until June 1936 to be used in the type testing. The V4 was purchased after its probation, while the V2 remained in the ownership of the RLM.

The first five series aircraft Ju 86 B with Jumo 205 C received the DLH in June and July 1936. The sixth aircraft of the B series, the D-ANUV, was converted by Junkers into a test vehicle for the BMW 323 P and did not go live until January 1938 to the DLH. Another six aircraft, this time from the C series, were delivered to DLH from May to July 1937. These were also equipped with diesel engines. Outwardly, the only difference between the two series was the modified tail, similar to the bomber series A and D. All aircraft were designed as high-speed airliners for ten passengers. Because the bomber fuselage was used, the aircraft had no development potential when it became clear in the mid-1930s that the need for passenger seats was increasing. It also turned out to be problematic that the speed of the Ju 86 with diesel engines did not significantly exceed that of the Ju 52 / 3m. These problems meant that the use of the Ju 86 at DLH was limited to 17 aircraft.

After the series for the Luftwaffe was converted to BMW 132 engines from April 1937, Lufthansa also showed interest in the version with a petrol engine. As a result, in 1937 she ordered the W.-Nr. 0246 with BMW 132.

At the beginning of the war, the DLH fleet consisted of 13 Ju 86s (6 B, 6 C, V24). The two prototypes V2 and V4 were lost in accidents in November 1937 and June 18, 1937, respectively. Originally, the RLM intended to use the Ju 86 as a touring aircraft in the Air Force in the event of war. Because of the diesel engines, however, this was refrained from and only ten of the existing aircraft were taken over by the DLH at the beginning of the war. These were assigned to schools. Due to the Air Force's lack of interest in aircraft with diesel engines and Lufthansa’s shortage of aircraft, DLH chartered the ten aircraft that had been handed in back in January or February 1940. As early as March 1940, the aircraft were used again in regular service, first in freight and mail traffic, and from May 1940 also in passenger traffic. In June 1941, the DLH received two more Ju 86 O with gasoline engines, which were originally intended for Manchuria, but could no longer be transferred after the Barbarossa operation began. A total loss occurred on April 28, 1943 when the D-AUME crashed on a workshop flight in Prague and both crew members were killed. This was the only fatal accident involving a Ju 86 in the ten years of service with Lufthansa.

The aircraft was used in scheduled service until April 1945. In total, the DLH Ju 86 flew around 9.4 million kilometers in scheduled traffic, which makes up 10% of the scheduled traffic between 1936 and 1945. From 1937, only the Ju 52 / 3m had a higher share of scheduled traffic, whereas the DC 3 also flew more kilometers during the war.

Prototypes

The dummy was ready in April 1934, and on November 4, 1934, the first prototype Ju 86 V1 with the serial number 4901 took off for its maiden flight. It was a bomber variant, equipped with two nine-cylinder radial engines of the Siemens-Halske SAM 22B type (also referred to as Sh 22 ; see: Siemens & Halske Sh 14 ), each with a take-off power of 550 hp (404 kW).

Jumo 205

On March 22, 1935, the second prototype Ju 86 V2 with the serial number 4902 took off as a passenger aircraft on its maiden flight. It was also initially equipped with Siemens engines, but before its first flight it was converted to Junkers Jumo 205 opposed piston diesel engines , each with an output of 600 hp (441 kW). This prototype was the model aircraft of the civil B-series.

Based on flight experience with the prototypes, it was found that their wings showed structural weaknesses, which is why they were changed.

The fifth prototype Ju 86 V5 had these changes and, as a bomber with the D-AHOE approval, became the model aircraft for the later A series. It also became the first aircraft in the pilot series of seven Ju-86 bombers of the Ju 86 A-0 variant ordered by the RLM. These machines were given to the KG 152 between May and November 1935 for test purposes.

Prototype of the Ju 86 :

V no.	W. no.	Admission	engine	date	for var.	comment
V1	4901	D-AHEH	Jumo 5 C	November 4, 1934	Bomber prototype
V2	4902	D-ABUK	Jumo 205 C	March 22, 1935	Airliner	Type testing until June 1936, then DLH
V3	4903	D-ALAL	Hornet S 30	June 16, 1935	Bomber prototype
V4	4904	D-AREV	Jumo 205 C	August 24, 1935	Airliner	Aug./Sept. 1935 to DLH
V5	6001	D-AFUI	Jumo 205 C	November 1935	A.	Pilot series
V6	6002	D-ANAY	Jumo 205 C		A.	Pilot series
V7	6003	D-AROE	Jumo 205 C	July 1936		Pilot series
V8	6004	D-AVEE	Jumo 205 C			Zero series, crash May 15, 1936
V9	6005	D-AXII	Jumo 205 C	December 1935		Pilot series
V10	6006	D-ABOO	Jumo 205 C			Pilot series
V11	6007	D-AHOE	Jumo 205 C	March 1936		Pilot series
V12	55	D-ADAA	BMW 132 F.	September 1936	E.
V13	52	D-AKEN	BMW 132 F.	February 1937	E.	Crash October 11, 1937
V14	121		(Jumo 207)	(December 1937)		planning
V15	99		Jumo 205 C	January 1937		Later Jumo 207A
V16	152	D-ACAR	BMW 132 F.	July 1937	G	Break November 1937
V17	66		Jumo 205 C	(December 1937)		Later Jumo 207 C
V19	257		BMW 132 F.	(December 1937)	G	Replacement for V16
V20	259		BMW 132 F.	(January 1938)	G	Replacement for V16
V24	246	D-AUME	BMW 132 M.	July 1938	O	Testing at the DLH, crash April 18, 1943
V25	16	D-ANUV	BMW Hornet		B.	later Bramo 323 P-1, testing at the DLH
V26	974	D-ASOE	Jumo 205 D		C.	from February 1942 Jumo 207 C, testing at the DLH
V27	5154	LP + IM			P	01/24/1940 Ruhland crash, owner JFM
V28	5156			1940	P-1	first sample Ju 86 P
V29	279				P-1	second sample Ju 86 P
V30	5097				P-1	third pattern Ju 86 P
V31	284				P	June 28, 1941 to Hirth for the installation of on-board unit Ju 288
V32	291	SA + DV			P
V33	433				P	BAL April 21, 1941
V35	396				P
V36	421				P
V37	5161				P-1	later converted into P-3
V38	444				P-5	September 8, 1941 to DVL
V39	5132				P-5
	293		Jumo 207 B-3		P-3, R-1
	294				G-1	to Hirth for the installation of on-board unit Ju 288

Source: Documents from the Federal Archives / Freiburg Military Archives

Military series

Ju 86 A-1

Series production of the Ju 86 A-1 began in spring 1936. The fuselage front was equipped with a so-called Vela pulpit. The maximum speed reached was 280 km / h, the weapon load was 800 kg. Tests showed problems with flight stability. Therefore the hull was changed again and the fuel capacity increased. These changes resulted in the Ju 86 D-1 version.

Ju 86 D-1

Version with modified hull and increased fuel capacity, which were later also used in the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War. The armament consisted of a total of three MG 15, caliber 7.92 mm, and a bomb load of 1000 kg.

Ju 86 E

• Ju 86 E-1

This variant was created by converting the existing Ju 86 A and D to the BMW 132 F engines that developed 650 hp (478 kW). Larger tanks were installed to compensate for the increased fuel consumption.

• Ju 86 E-2

like the Ju 86 E-1, but with a BMW 132 N with 665 PS (489 kW), top speed 380 km / h

• Ju 86 E-3

like Ju 86 E-2, but with 2 × BMW 132 N-1 radial engines, each with 870 hp (640 kW) output

• Ju 86 E-4

only minor changes compared to E-3

• Ju 86 E-5

Training bombers, with additional tanks, other equipment like E-2

• Ju 86 E-6

corresponded to the Ju 86 E-1, but had two additional seats

• Ju 86 E-7

largely corresponded to the Ju 86 E-5

Ju 86 G

Ju 86 with full view pulpit

Due to the Vela cockpit, the Ju 86 pilot could not see the area in front of his aircraft on the ground. The entire bow section was then fitted with glass panes. This was the last series of the Ju 86 to be delivered between June 1938 and April 1939. It had a range of 650 km, but could only carry 400 kg of bombs.

Ju 86 P

3 side elevation of the Ju 86 P

These three prototypes were made from converted Ju 86 G-1s. The aim was to create a powerful reconnaissance and sturgeon bomber that would bind fighter planes. The bow was replaced by a pressurized cabin that could hold two crew members . The BMW 132 radial engines were replaced by the Jumo 207 diesel engine, which was specially developed for high altitudes . The machine gun armament was completely removed.

The tests were very successful. About 40 Ju 86 G were converted to this P standard. In the case of the series machines, the span was also increased to 25.60 m. The service ceiling was around 12,000 m.

The Royal Air Force noticed this with its radar and soon had special Spitfire fighters for interception at high altitudes; on the other hand, the machines were able to fly largely undisturbed over the USSR .

• Ju 86 P-1

Altitude bomber with a bomb load of around 1000 kg. Equipped with two 2-stroke opposed piston diesel engines Jumo 207 A-1, each 880 PS (647 kW).

• Ju 86 P-2

Reconnaissance aircraft for high altitudes, three line cameras instead of bomb suspensions , otherwise like Ju 86 P-1

Ju 86 R

To further increase the combat value of the Ju 86, the wingspan of the R series was increased to 32 m, the aerodynamics were further refined and the more powerful Jumo 207 B-3s, each with 950 hp (698 kW), were installed

• Ju 86 R-1

Reconnaissance aircraft for very high altitudes. Two row cameras were integrated into the fuselage. Service ceiling 15,000 m.

• Ju 86 R-2

Bomber for very high altitudes. Instead of the serial cameras, 1000 kg bombs could be carried as an external load.

Ju 86 K (export version)

Three-sided view of the Ju 86 K

• Ju 86 K-1

Two machines of this variant were delivered to Sweden and one to South Africa. Powered by 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornets with 758 PS (558 kW). Swedish name B 3.

• Ju 86 K-2

Variant for Hungary. The radial engines used, Gnôme-Rhône Mistral Major, were manufactured under license in Hungary. A total of 66 copies were built for Hungary.

Detail of the Ju 86 K-4 in the Swedish Aviation Museum

• Ju 86 K-4

Variant for Sweden, of this variant 18 were delivered, they were equipped with Bristol Pegasus VI engines with 740 HP (544 kW) each. The Swedish designation was B 3A.

• Ju 86 K-5

Building on the assembly of the Ju-86-K-4 variant, the license was built. In contrast to the K-4, Bristol Pegasus XII engines with an output of 880 hp (647 kW) were used. The Swedish designation was B 3B.

• Ju 86 K-6

Variant for Chile equipped with Pratt & Whitney radial engines, twelve built.

• Ju 86 K-7

Variant for Bolivia and Chile equipped with radial engines Pratt & Whitney Hornet, ten machines built.

• Ju 86 K-13

This is a license production from SAAB in Sweden . Two series were produced:

• • new aircraft with the Swedish designation B 3C and licensed Bristol Mercury  XXIV of 980 PS (720 kW).
  • seven aircraft with the Swedish designation B 3D and in Poland manufactured under license Bristol Mercury XIX of 905 HP (665 kW).

Machines of this type were used in the shooting of the film The Devil's General in 1955 .

Civil series

Ju 86 B-1

Cabin of a Ju-86 B-1

Fast airliner for ten passengers and two to three crew members. Equipped with the Jumo 205 diesel engine. A total of six aircraft were delivered to Lufthansa in 1936.

Ju 86 C-1

Compared to the B-1 variant, this type had the enlarged fuselage already mentioned in the military variant, a greater range and the improved Jumo 205 C-3 engine.

Ju 86 Z (export version)

The civil export versions were given the variant number Z.

• Ju 86 Z-1

A total of six were delivered with the Jumo 205 C-4, two of them in 1936 to Swiss Air Lines and four to the Chilean LAN (Línea Aérea Nacional) in 1937/38.

• Ju 86 Z-2

Like the variant Ju 86 Z-1, but with radial engines BMW 132 H-1. The two at Swiss Air Lines were converted to this standard after the Jumo 205 did not satisfy there. The machines that went to Chile were also converted by 1939. 17 machines were delivered to the MAC in Manchuria in 1938/39 .

• Ju 86 Z-3

Variant with two engines Rolls-Royce Kestrel , delivered to South Africa in 1937.

Ju 86 Z-5 Two with Pratt & Whitney Hornet engines with 875 HP (644 kW) each delivered to South Africa.

• Ju 86 Z-7

Like version Z-7 with Hornet S1E-G. Some machines to South Africa, three were delivered to Bolivia in 1937 and one to Sweden as a mail plane.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Ju 86 D-1	Ju 86 R	Ju 86 Z-2
use	four seat medium bomber	Altitude scouts and bombers	civil export versions
length	17.87 m	16.46 m	17.60 m
span	22.50 m	32.00 m	22.50 m
height	5.06 m	4.70 m	k. A.
Wing area	82 m²	k. A.	82 m²
Wing extension	6.2		6.2
Empty mass	5,150 kg	6,700 kg	5,200 kg
Max. Takeoff mass	8,200 kg	11,530 kg	8,200 kg
Engines	two diesel engines Junkers Jumo 205 C-4, each 600 PS (447 kW)	two diesel engines Junkers Jumo 207 P, each 900 PS (662 kW)	two radial engines BMW 132 D with 845 hp (621 kW) each
Top speed	325 km / h (at an altitude of 3,000 m)	420 km / h (at an altitude of 9,000 m)	375 km / h
Cruising speed	k. A.	k. A.	315 km / h
Minimum speed	k. A.	k. A.	101 km / h
Service ceiling	5,900 m	15,000 m	6,900 m
Range	1,500 km	1,570 km	1,000 km

Armament

• One movable 7.92 mm MG 15 each in the bow of the fuselage, the back of the fuselage and an extendable gunner position on the underside of the fuselage
• up to 800 kg (16 × SC 50 in a vertical drop box) in the bomb bay , up to 1,000 kg bombs externally.

operator

 Australia

 Bolivia

 Chile

 China

 German Empire

 Japan

 Manchukuo

 Portugal

 Romania

 Sweden

 Switzerland

 Spain

 South Africa

 Hungary

See also

• List of Wehrmacht aircraft

literature

• Friedrich König: The History of the Air Force. (= Landser Bibliothek. Vol. 3, ZDB -ID 1175798-x ) Erich Pabel Verlag KG, Rastatt 1980.
• Wolfgang Wagner: Hugo Junkers aviation pioneer - his aircraft. (= Die deutsche Luftfahrt. Vol. 24) Bernard & Graefe, Bonn 1996, ISBN 3-7637-6112-8 .

Web links

Commons : Junkers Ju 86  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

• Luftarchiv.de: Ju 86
• Air Force Resource Center: Ju86

Individual evidence

1. ↑ cf. Olaf Groehler : History of the Air War 1910 to 1980. Military Publishing House of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin 1981, p. 196.
2. ↑ according to Olaf Groehler: Geschichte des Luftkriegs 1910 to 1980. Military publishing house of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin 1981, p. 353 42 Ju 86s were lost.
3. ^ Janusz Piekałkiewicz: Air War 1939–1945. Südwest-Verlag, Munich 1978, ISBN 3-517-00605-X , p. 121
4. ↑ Source: Documents from the Lufthansa archive, Cologne.