Junkers 52/3m transport
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A Ju 52 fully restored preserved at the Brussels Air Museum in Belgium (ex OO-AGU). Copyright Radu Dobrescu - Ro Spotters. -
A restored cockpit of Ju-52. Image copyright by Andreas Mueller - Spotterteam Graz. -
September of 1943, a German paratrooper boarding the Ju 52 that will take him to Leros. (Φωτογραφία Bauer, Bundesarchiv – Bild – 101I-527-2349-04). -
The area where the machine gun was located with the MG 15 machine gun to protect the aircraft. -
The aircraft photographed from the stern to the bow. The position of the machine gun can be seen and the opening in the roof of the fuselage is obvious, where soldiers were usually inside. -
One of the three BMW 132 (nine-cylinder) engines of the aircraft. -
Navigation instruments -
Lighting in the cockpit of the aircraft. The wiring is still visible. -
Metal window cover. -
The diver is in front of the middle engine looking at the flight deck and part of the right engine. Visibility also allows us to see the tail wing. Which means it's over 20 meters, knowing that the length of ju 52 is 19 meters. -
The tail section of the aircraft. -
Video from wreck of Ju 52.
Historical Information and Identification of JU 52
The first team to dive the wreck in 2009 discovered a plaque on which they did not find the aircraft’s identity, either because it had been erased due to the plane being in the water or due to electrolysis, the primary information which was a catalyst to identifying the aircraft came from elsewhere and was completely unexpected. The identity of Kea’s “Divine Son” (the name comes from Tante Ju, a German caressing name given to the Junkers 52 by German pilots and paratroopers) was revealed through the routine entry of a German Dornier 24 (Werknummer 32), which since 13 August 1943 belonged to the German Marine Rescue Squadron 7 (Seenotstaffel 7), based in Faliro.
According to this entry, the rescue Dornier 24 on September 6, 1943, with a crew of Leutnant Pfaffendorf, Oberfeldwebel Becker, Feldwebel Steinbock, Feldwebel Bohnke, Obergefreiter Rausch and Feldwebel Lind, took part in the search and rescue of Junkers 52 (Werknummer) 6590, of I/TG 4, i.e of the First Squadron (I = Erste Gruppe) of the Transport Wing 4 (TG 4 = Transportgeschwader 4) which was based in Kalamaki in the Saronic Gulf. The plane was lost after being ditched at sea in the northwest of Kea, due to problems with the refueling of the engines. Of the passengers of Junkers 52, one was lost and two were injured, the rest were transported safely to Athens. With this information there is no doubt as to the identity of this aircraft. Not only the location but also the fact the propellers of the sunken aircraft are intact, supports the view that during the ditching of the aircraft the engines were not in operation, this is considered to be the main cause of the fall of Ju 52 with the construction number 6590. Transportgeschwader 4 (Transport Wing 4) was founded on May 4, 1943 and consisted of four Squadrons (Gruppe I – IV). The Commander of the Wing (Geschwaderkommodor) was Oberstleutnant Richard Kupschus and the Commander of the First Squadron (Gruppe I), to which the Junkers 52 of Kea belonged, was Major Rüdiger Jakob based in Kifissia. All the officers of the Wing Command Squadron (Geschwaderstab) stayed at the famous Cecil Hotel in Kifissia. The Squadrons I and II (Gruppe I., II.) Of Transportgeschwader 4, together with the Geschwaderstab, were disbanded in October 1944.
The Kea Junkers 52/3m transport three-engine, as is precisely the specific type of aircraft, represents one of the most well-known types of aircraft mass-produced and supported by German military operations during World War II. In Greece this type was used in two large military operations, in the battle of Crete in 1941, and in the battle of Leros in 1943. Except for the first large military operation in Narwik, Norway in 1940, where for the first time paratroopers were dropped on a large scale. The battles of Crete and Leros were the only operations in which German paratroopers were also dropped on a large scale. Especially the battle of Leros was the last operation where the select corps of German paratroopers, the Fallschirmjäger, was used.
Specifications
Type: Transport aircraft
Crew: Three people (two pilots and one radio operator)
Manufacturer: Junkers
Length: 18.90 meters
Wing Span: (length from the left end to the edge of the right wing): 29.25 meters
Height: 4.50 meters
Wing area: 110.50 square meters
Weight (empty): 6,510 kg
Maximum take-off weight: 10,990 kg
Engines: Three BMW 132 (nine cylinders)
Power: 660 PS each
Maximum speed: 290 kilometers per hour
Autonomy: 1200 kilometers
Maximum height: 6,300 meters
Armament: A 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun, with DT 15 cartridges, 75 rounds, double drum (Kea aircraft)
Capacity: 18 fully armed soldiers
Historical Information and Identification of JU 52
The first team to dive the wreck in 2009 discovered a plaque on which they did not find the aircraft’s identity, either because it had been erased due to the plane being in the water or due to electrolysis, the primary information which was a catalyst to identifying the aircraft came from elsewhere and was completely unexpected. The identity of Kea’s “Divine Son” (the name comes from Tante Ju, a German caressing name given to the Junkers 52 by German pilots and paratroopers) was revealed through the routine entry of a German Dornier 24 (Werknummer 32), which since 13 August 1943 belonged to the German Marine Rescue Squadron 7 (Seenotstaffel 7), based in Faliro.
According to this entry, the rescue Dornier 24 on September 6, 1943, with a crew of Leutnant Pfaffendorf, Oberfeldwebel Becker, Feldwebel Steinbock, Feldwebel Bohnke, Obergefreiter Rausch and Feldwebel Lind, took part in the search and rescue of Junkers 52 (Werknummer) 6590, of I/TG 4, i.e of the First Squadron (I = Erste Gruppe) of the Transport Wing 4 (TG 4 = Transportgeschwader 4) which was based in Kalamaki in the Saronic Gulf. The plane was lost after being ditched at sea in the northwest of Kea, due to problems with the refueling of the engines. Of the passengers of Junkers 52, one was lost and two were injured, the rest were transported safely to Athens. With this information there is no doubt as to the identity of this aircraft. Not only the location but also the fact the propellers of the sunken aircraft are intact, supports the view that during the ditching of the aircraft the engines were not in operation, this is considered to be the main cause of the fall of Ju 52 with the construction number 6590. Transportgeschwader 4 (Transport Wing 4) was founded on May 4, 1943 and consisted of four Squadrons (Gruppe I – IV). The Commander of the Wing (Geschwaderkommodor) was Oberstleutnant Richard Kupschus and the Commander of the First Squadron (Gruppe I), to which the Junkers 52 of Kea belonged, was Major Rüdiger Jakob based in Kifissia. All the officers of the Wing Command Squadron (Geschwaderstab) stayed at the famous Cecil Hotel in Kifissia. The Squadrons I and II (Gruppe I., II.) Of Transportgeschwader 4, together with the Geschwaderstab, were disbanded in October 1944.
The Kea Junkers 52/3m transport three-engine, as is precisely the specific type of aircraft, represents one of the most well-known types of aircraft mass-produced and supported by German military operations during World War II. In Greece this type was used in two large military operations, in the battle of Crete in 1941, and in the battle of Leros in 1943. Except for the first large military operation in Narwik, Norway in 1940, where for the first time paratroopers were dropped on a large scale. The battles of Crete and Leros were the only operations in which German paratroopers were also dropped on a large scale. Especially the battle of Leros was the last operation where the select corps of German paratroopers, the Fallschirmjäger, was used.
Specifications
Type: Transport aircraft
Crew: Three people (two pilots and one radio operator)
Manufacturer: Junkers
Length: 18.90 meters
Wing Span: (length from the left end to the edge of the right wing): 29.25 meters
Height: 4.50 meters
Wing area: 110.50 square meters
Weight (empty): 6,510 kg
Maximum take-off weight: 10,990 kg
Engines: Three BMW 132 (nine cylinders)
Power: 660 PS each
Maximum speed: 290 kilometers per hour
Autonomy: 1200 kilometers
Maximum height: 6,300 meters
Armament: A 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun, with DT 15 cartridges, 75 rounds, double drum (Kea aircraft)
Capacity: 18 fully armed soldiers