Junkers G.38 - WikiHQ

The Junkers G.38 was a large German four-engine transport aircraft that first flew in 1929. Two examples were constructed in Germany. Both aircraft flew as commercial transports 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 The Reich Air Ministry purchased D-2000 for demonstration flights, and took delivery on 27 March 1930. In flight tests, the G.38 set four world records including speed, distance and duration for airplanes lifting a payload.

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

The second G.38 flew successfully within the Deutsche Luft Hansa fleet for nearly a decade. With the outbreak of World War II D-APIS was pressed into military service as a transport by the Luftwaffe. It was destroyed on the ground during the German invasion of Greece, in a Royal Air Force air raid on Athens on 17 May 1941.

Specifications (G.38 1929)

thumb|Junkers G.38 3-view drawing from NACA Aircraft Circular No.116