Country of origin:

Germany

Description:

Commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Two 442 kw (592 hp) Junkers Jumo 205C-4 six-cylinder twelve-piston two-stroke liquid-cooled compression-ignition (diesel) engines

Specifications:

History:

In the 1930s the German aviation industry was attempting to develop new aeronautical prestige on an international basis and to this end clandestinely developed a series of new designs for the burgeoning services then coming into being in the Third Reich. In 1934 Junkers Flugzeugbau at Dessau received a specification for a new type known as the Ju 86, to be developed as both a commercial transport and as a bomber.

The prototype Ju 86abl (c/n 4901) flew for the first time on 4 November 1934, being designated at the outset to take diesel engines designed and built by Junkers Motorenbau at Kothen. Although not offering a very good power-to-weight ratio, the fuel consumption of the diesel was markedly superior to contemporary petrol engines offering similar power output. As the Jumo 205s were not available when the prototype was flown, it was fitted with two Siemens SAM 22 nine-cylinder radial engines.

The second prototype D-ABUK (c/n 4902) was the Ju 86bal which flew in April 1935, later being delivered to Lufthansa.The third prototype, the Ju 86cb (c/n 4903 – later D-ALAL) flew in March 1935 with the Siemens radials and was later fitted with the Jumo diesels.  After an initial five prototypes were completed, a pre-production batch of 13 Ju 86A-0 and seven Ju 86B-0 transports was built, the last D-ANUV (c/n 016) being converted to 574 kw (770 hp) BMW 132 Dc nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines.

Production of two variants, known as the Ju 86A and Ju 86B with Jumo 205C-4 diesel engines, commenced and the first civil aircraft became D-AHOE. Others were delivered to DLH and Swiss Air Lines. One Ju 86B-0 D-AXEQ (c/n 007) made a notable flight from Dessau to Bathurst in West Africa non-stop in 18 hours 26 minutes, a distance of 5,800 km (3,604 miles) on 22/23 August 1936.

It is well known the Ju 86 was used by the Luftwaffe in the early years of World War II, early plans calling for 12 Gruppen to be formed with 36 aircraft each during 1937. Four Ju 86s were sent to Spain to test their capabilities in the Spanish Civil War. However, the diesel engines proved to be a big problem, not taking too kindly to sudden changes in power settings, and the type became quite unpopular with crews. Serviceability rates became low and, in order to meet these problems, production of the diesel engined aircraft was stopped.  At this time components for a couple of hundred aircraft were in train and these were placed in storage until a decision was made to fit them with radial engines and dual controls, to operate them in the transport role.

The Ju 86 was purchased by the Swedish Air Force, these being fitted with Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial engines, further examples later being fitted with the Bristol Pegasus engine. The airlines LAN-Chile and Lloyd Aereo Boliviano purchased examples.

Production of the bomber version progressed through a number of variants, peak strength of the type reaching 235 aircraft with Luftwaffe units. In 1942 units were formed to provide transportation of supplies to the besieged Wermacht during the disastrous siege of Stalingrad in Russia. Total orders for all variants amounted to some 840 aircraft but only some 400 were completed.

Two further variants were the Ju 86P and JU 86R high altitude bomber and reconnaissance aircraft fitted with 736 kw (986 hp) Jumo 207 diesels with two centrifugal superchargers, the first driven by an exhaust turbine and having an aftercooler between the engine-drive supercharger and the induction gallery. Examples were used to perform reconnaissance flights over the Mediterranean Theatre, the Ju 86P-2 model reaching 11,000 m (36,090 ft), so specially stripped Supermarine Spitfire Vs were modified to combat the high-flying reconnaisance aircraft.

On 15 March 1937 Mr E F R Beinssen took delivery of a Ju 86Z-1 (export designation for the Ju 86C-1) (c/n 86-0952 – VH-UYA – ex D-AGEY) “for re-sale for commercial purposes”. The aircraft was built in 1937 at Dessau and was described as a “Ju 86B-Australien”. On arrival at Darwin, NT, whilst taxiing to the terminal, the port engine failed due to the roller bearings of the blower shaft, which ran at 18,000 rpm, jamming, causing the bearing housing to burst and allowing the front bearing to also fail. A spare engine was shipped from Germany, arriving in April 1937, and the aircraft proceeded to Melbourne,VIC on 24 April for evaluation by a number of Australian airlines.

On 26 April a provisional Certificate of Airworthiness was issued and the aircraft, named ‘Lawrence Hargrave’, flew to Charleville and Brisbane in Queensland. On 14 May it flew to Cootamundra, NSW where it was to commence charter services with Airlines of Australia. On 17 May it departed Sydney, NSW for Brisbane at 8.05 am, arriving at 11 am, a flying time of 2 hrs 40 mins for the 821 km (510 miles). The aircraft continued to Townsville, QLD with a full complement of passengers. On 20 May it left Brisbane for a service to Sydney but near Coffs Harbour, NSW the starboard engine failed about 16 km (11 miles) from the airport. The aircraft landed safely but the engine was badly damaged and another engine was shipped from Melbourne, the passengers continuing their journey on board a Stinson Model A.

It appears the spare engine was installed and the aircraft was flown to Melbourne. No orders for the type were forthcoming in Australia. The aircraft was dismantled and shipped back to Germany on 25 August 1937 on board the ‘SS Lippe’. It was officially struck off the register on 26 September that year. In Germany it again became D-AGEY, still with the name ‘Lawrence Hargrave’ on it, and the tails were painted red with black swastikas. It is believed to eventually have been the personal aircraft of Junkers director, Heinrich Koppenberg.  It became D-ARJF and carried the name ‘Heerbert Norkus’ before being operated by the Luftwaffe in the transport role with the code DD + VL.

The Ju 86 was perhaps ahead of its time and its achilles heel was the unreliability of the diesel engines. Reference was made at the time to its Sperry blind-flying equipment, duplicated altimeters, Telefunken radio, quietness of operation, and “luxurious seats” and a “lavatory” for the ten passengers. At one stage in December 1936 Southern Airlines and Freighters proposed operating services between Adelaide,SA  and Melbourne using seven Ju 86s with diesel engines but none were imported.

Only one Ju 86 is known to have survived, this being an ex-Swedish Air Force machine preserved at Malmstatt.