Preserved German Ju-52 passenger aircraft owned by Lufthansa at Flying Legends 2012
The Junkers Ju 52 (nicknamed Tante Ju ("Auntie Ju") and Iron Annie) was a German trimotor transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Lufthansa as an airliner and freight hauler. In a military role, it flew with the Luftwaffe as a troop and cargo transport and briefly as a medium bomber. The Ju 52 continued in postwar service with military and civilian air fleets well into the 1980s. The heart of Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin-Stiftung's fleet is the Ju 52. With the Ju 52, Junkers went on to become the world's most successful manufacturer of passenger aircraft over many years. From 1932, the Junkers works and various licensees built almost 5000 airplanes that were to serve 30 airlines in 25 countries across the globe. Built at the Junkers works in Dessau, Ju 52 D-AQUI embarked on her maiden flight in 1936. Initially in service with Lufthansa, she then spent almost 20 years alternating between Germany and Norway. 1955 saw her taken out of service in Norway. Too large for a museum in Oslo, she was sold to South America where she was flown in Ecuador from 1957 to 1963. The end of her days now looked imminent. Mustered out to the edge of Quito Airport and exposed to the elements, she fell into oblivion until an American flying enthusiast rescued her in 1969. Later on, spectators were able to admire "Aunt Ju", now known as "Iron Annie", at air shows across the States before being purchased by Lufthansa in 1984 and painstakingly restored. She has once again been in her element since 1986, marking her 50th birthday, and delighting around 10,000 passengers a year.
Size: 5000px × 3750px
Location: Duxford Cambridgeshire England
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: aircraft, german, ju, ju-52, lufthansa, luftwaffe, passenger, preserved, tante
