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Junkers G.38

From Alfawiki
Junkers G.38
Company typeTransport aircraft
IndustryAviation
Founded1929
FounderHugo Junkers
ProductsAircraft

The Junkers G.38 was an extensive German four-engine transport aircraft that took to the skies for the first time in 1929. Only two units were manufactured and utilized commercially throughout Europe prior to World War II. During the 1930s, its design was licensed to Mitsubishi, which produced six military bomber and transport versions designated as the Ki-20.

The G.38 featured a crew complement of seven, including onboard mechanics capable of performing engine maintenance during flight thanks to its thick wing root structure, which allowed access to all four engines.

Design and development

Throughout the 1920s, Hugo Junkers focused on developing large-scale commercial aircraft. Despite early challenges caused by post-WWI restrictions—such as the loss of the JG1 prototype—he progressed with designs like the transatlantic J.1000 and the G.40 seaplane mail carrier. These projects culminated in the creation of the land-based G.38, financially supported by the Reich Air Ministry (Reichsluftfahrtministerium), facilitating its construction.

The initial prototype—3301 (D-2000)—achieved its maiden flight on 6 November 1929, powered by a combination of two Junkers L55 V-12 and two L8 inline-6 gasoline engines, delivering a total output of 1470 kW (1971 hp). The Reich Air Ministry purchased this aircraft for demonstration purposes, taking delivery on 27 March 1930. The G.38 established four world records involving speed, distance, and endurance while carrying a 5000 kg payload. On 2 May 1930, Luft Hansa commenced scheduled and chartered commercial flights with the aircraft.

In terms of construction, the G.38 adhered to Junkers' typical approach: a cantilever wing supported by multi-tubular spars combined with stressed corrugated duraluminium skinning. It incorporated a biplane tail assembly with three rudders designed to lessen control forces. The fixed landing gear featured double tandem main wheels initially enclosed within large spats. Its notable "double wing" configuration included full-span movable flaps that also functioned as ailerons on the outer sections.

On 2 February 1931, Junkers enhanced the D-2000 by installing two L8 and two L88 engines, raising total power to 1764 kW (2366 hp) and increasing passenger capacity from 13 to 19.

At its launch, the G.38 was recognized as the largest landplane worldwide. Passenger areas were appointed with luxury aimed at rivaling Zeppelin operations run by DELAG. A distinctive feature was passenger seating within the wings themselves—measuring 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) thick at the root—with forward-facing windows providing views typically reserved for pilots. The aircraft housed three separate cabins accommodating eleven passengers each, supplemented by smoking lounges and washrooms.

Operational history

Starting on 1 July 1931, Luft Hansa initiated scheduled service between Berlin and London using aircraft configured for up to 13 passengers. This London-Berlin route was temporarily suspended in October 1931 to retrofit the D-2000 with an additional deck that expanded seating capacity to 30 and increased cargo space. The D-2000’s powerplants were upgraded to four L88 engines generating 2352 kW (3154 hp), and its registration was changed to D-AZUR.

A second G.38 (factory number 3302, c/n D-2500, later registered as D-APIS) featured a double-deck fuselage capable of seating 34 passengers—six accommodated within wing leading edges and twenty-two across two fuselage levels. Luft Hansa operated D-APIS on a scheduled Berlin-Hanover-Amsterdam-London route under the name General Feldmarschall von Hindenburg.

In 1934, D-2000/D-AZUR received Jumo 4 engines delivering a combined output of 2208 kW (2960 hp). Both aircraft remained in service simultaneously until 1936 when D-AZUR was lost in a test flight crash near Dessau; although destroyed beyond repair, the pilot survived.

D-2500/D-APIS continued flying with Deutsche Luft Hansa for nearly ten years before being requisitioned as a Luftwaffe transport during World War II. It was ultimately destroyed while on the ground during an RAF bombing raid in Athens on 17 May 1941.

Users

In Media and Entertainment

The G.38 was featured in the 2013 semi-fictional movie The Wind Rises, directed by Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, appearing alongside Hugo Junkers.

Literature


Additional Reading

External Resources

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