During World War Two the twin-engined Junkers Ju 88 would develop into the Luftwaffe’s most important multirole combat aircraft. The aircraft was designed as a so-called Schnellbomber (Eng “fast bomber”) in the idea that it would be too fast for the fighters of its time. Although initially its development and early operations were plagued by technical problems, once those were dealt with the Junkers Ju 88 became one of the most versatile combat aircraft of WW2. It served as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance plane, heavy fighter and was even transformed into a flying bomb at the end of the war. Between 1936 and 1945 more than 15,000 Ju 88s in different variants rolled off the assembly line.
Ju 88 A-5
This Junkers Ju 88 A-5 is only partly original. It was salvaged in 1986 from lake Toernetraesk in Sweden where it had made an emergency landing on the ice in the spring of 1945 and sank when it melted. The aircraft’s nose, cockpit and parts of the wings and fuselage have been reconstructed in a simplified way. Ju 88 A-5 with designation – Werk Nr. 0886146 with Stammkennzeichen (Eng. Registration number) of CV+VP.
JU 88 A-5 Technical details
The A-5 variant was introduced in 1941 and featured several key improvements over its predecessors.
Powered by two Daimler-Benz DB 601A inline engines, each producing 1,100 horsepower, the Ju 88 A-5 had a top speed of around 500 km/h (310 mph) and a range of 1,000 km (620 miles). The aircraft had a wingspan of 18.5 meters (60.7 feet) and a length of 15.3 meters (50.2 feet), making it a relatively large and robust aircraft.
The primary armament of the Ju 88 A-5 included a 7.92mm MG81 machine gun in the nose and rear, along with the option to carry a 2,000 kg (4,400 lbs) bomb load internally, with bombs of various sizes, including conventional and high-explosive types. It could also be fitted with underwing racks for additional bombs or external fuel tanks.
The Ju 88 A-5 was used extensively during the Battle of Britain, the Eastern Front, and in the Mediterranean theater. Its adaptability and survivability made it one of the most successful and feared aircraft of the Luftwaffe.
