Junkers T.21
| Industry | Aerospace, Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 5, 1895 in Germany |
| Headquarters | Germany |
| Products | Aircraft |
The Junkers J 21—marketed under the designations T 21 and H 21—was a reconnaissance aircraft developed in Germany during the early 1920s. It was manufactured in the Soviet Union at Junkers' Fili facility specifically for use by the Soviet Air Force.
Design and development
Constructed entirely from metal, the J 21 featured a parasol-wing monoplane configuration, equipped with fixed tailskid landing gear. The crew arrangement included tandem, open cockpits for the pilot and observer. Junkers built two prototype units in Dessau; the second prototype incorporated a wing with a smaller surface area. Although it did not meet the Soviet performance requirements, production commenced at Fili in August 1923, where it was designated Ju 21 (Юнкерс Ю 21).
The production variants upgraded the initial BMW III engine to a more robust BMW IV powerplant and installed machine guns for both crew members. Efforts to enhance its lackluster performance by experimenting with L2 and L5 engines resulted in only slight improvements. Its capabilities barely exceeded those of the World War I-era de Havilland DH-9A, which it was intended to replace; as a result, the Ju 21 was soon overtaken by licensed-built DH-9As known as the Polikarpov R-1.
Additionally, the aircraft underwent evaluation at the Reichswehr secret training facility in Lipetsk, but due to inadequate performance, it was rejected in favor of the Heinkel HD 17.
Variants
- J 22 (T 22): A single-seat fighter derivative resembling the J 21 but featuring a lowered wing to minimize drag, repositioning of the cockpit behind the gunner’s station, and a more rounded rudder design. Its maiden flight occurred on 30 November 1923. No mass production or sales followed.
- J 28: A two-seat fighter variant powered by a 400 hp BMW VI engine. This model did not enter production.
Operators
- Imperial Iranian Air Force (from 1925)
- Soviet Air Force