Junkers W 34

Junkers W 34

Picture - Canadian Airways CF-ARI

Role: Transport
Manufacturer: Junkers

Junkers W 34 was a German-built, single-engine, passenger and transport aircraft. Developed in the 1920s, it was taken into service in 1926. The passenger version could take a pilot and five passengers. The aircraft was developed from the Junkers W 33. Further development led to the Junkers Ju 46.

Production and service

One Junkers W 34 be/b3e managed to break the then current altitude record on May 26, 1929 when it reached 12,739 meters (41,402 feet). That aircraft carried the markings D-1119 and it was equipped with a Bristol Jupiter VII engine. The airplane was flown by Friedrich W. Neuenhofen.

Picture - Swedish Junkers W 34 SE-BYA was flown by the Swedish Air Force 1933-1953 as the Trp 2A and Tp 2A ambulance aircraft. Stockholm Arlanda March 1968.

The Junkers W 34 was manufactured in many different versions. The total production numbers for the civil market were around 1,000, a further 2,024 his and haus were built under license for the RLM and Luftwaffe. The unit price was between RM 65,000 and 70,400.

On January 31, 1944, the Luftwaffe still had 618 W 34hi's and 516 W 34haus in service, the majority were used by flight schools.

The Junkers K.43, nicknamed the "Bush Bomber", was used extensively during the Chaco War (1932-1935) fought between Bolivia and Paraguay. See external links.

The Colombian Air Force used the W 34 and K-43 in the Colombia-Peru War in 1932-3.

The Swedish Air Force operated three W 33/34 between 1933 and 1953 in the transport and air ambulance roles, initially with the military designation Trp 2 and Trp 2A, eventually changed to Tp 2 and Tp 2A. One of these are preserved today in civilian colors as SE-BYA.

Production

W 34 hi Junkers (105 aircraft built), Henschel (430), ATG (94), Dornier Wismar (58), HFB (69) and Weser (221). W 34 hau Henschel (329), Arado Brandenburg (205), ATG (105), Dornier Wismar (93), HFB (192) and MIAG Braunschweig (73).

Versions

W 34 a 331 kW Gnx´me-Rhx´ne engine, speed: 190km/h, wingspan: 17.75 m and length 11.10 m W 34 be 375 kW Gnx´me-Rhx´ne engine, speed: 230km/h, wingspan: 17.75 m, length: 10.70 m W 34 be/b3e 441 kW Bristol Jupiter VII engine and was used for attempts to try breaking the world altitude record W 34 ci 405 kW Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine, speed: 245km/h, equipped with cabin windows W 34 di like the W 34 ci, the engine was license produced by BMW. W 34 f 331 kW Gnx´me-Rhx´ne engine, speed 190km/h, wingspan 18.48 m, length 11.10 m, enclosed cockpit, ailerons were lengthened; the export version had a cargo door W 34 f experimental aircraft with floats W 34 fa passenger aircraft for export W 34 fx¤ export aircraft W 34 fo export aircraft with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine W 34 fy Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine W 34 fao 397 kW Siemens Sh 20 engine, only one was produced for tests with autopilot W 34 fei 441 kW Siemens Sh 20 U engine, only one was produced as a maritime test aircraft W 34 fg Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar Major engine W 34 fue Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine, later rebuilt as a maritime aircraft. W 34 fi 405 kW Hornet manufactured by Pratt & Whitney or BMW (under license); wingspan: 18.48 m, length 10.27 m, speed 260km/h. The aircraft had an enclosed cockpit and low-pressure tires. W 34 gi 405kW BMW Hornet, only one machine was produced in 1933 for tests W 34 hi 485 kW BMW 132A/E, the aircraft could take 6 passengers and was equipped with improved radio- and direction finders. This version was mostly used by Luftwaffe to train pilots and radio operators. W 34 hau similar to hi, but it had a 526kW Bramo 322 H engine. The type was mostly used by Luftwaffe to train its pilots and radio operators. K 43 military W34, available in many of the above mentioned versions.

Operators

Argentina

Argentine Air Force

Australia

Royal Australian Air Force

Bolivia

Bolivian Air Force

Brazil

Syndicato Condor - Servix§os Aéreos Condor

Canada

Royal Canadian Air Force
Canadian Airways

China

Chinese Nationalist Air Force

Colombia

Colombian Air Force
SCADTA(Avianca)

Independent State of Croatia

Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovak Air Force

Finland

Finnish Air Force

Germany

Luftwaffe

Norway

Royal Norwegian Air Force

Papua New Guinea Portugal

Portuguese Army Aviation (Aeronx¡utica Militar) operated W 34L aircraft.
Forx§as Aéreas da Armada operated K 43W aircraft.

Spanish State

Spanish Air Force

Sweden

Swedish Air Force

South Africa

South African Airways operated 2 aircraft.
South African Air Force

Specifications (W 34hi landplane)

Data from

General characteristics

Crew: 8: pilot, co-pilot, 6 passengers
Length: 10.27 m (33 ft 8¼ in)
Wingspan: 17.75 m (58 ft 2¾ in)
Height: 3.53 m (11 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 43.0 m² (462.8 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,200 kg (7,056 lb)
Powerplant: 1x— BMW 132 radial engine, 660 hp (492 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 265 km/h (143 knots, 165 mph)
Cruise speed: 233 km/h (126 knots, 145 mph)
Range: 900 km (487 NM, 560 mi)
Service ceiling: 6,300 m (20,670 ft)
Climb to 1,000 m (3,300 ft): 3.2 min

Armament

1-2x 7.92 mm machine guns (top)
1x 7.92 mm machine gun (belly)
8x 50 kg bombs (400Kg total)

Grant, Robert S. "Metal Marvels: Junkers W33s and W34s in the Canadian Bush". Air Enthusiast Number 110, March/April 2004. Stamford Lincs, UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143 5450. pp.70-75.
von Rauch, Georg. "A South American Air War...The Leticia Conflict". Air Enthusiast Number 26, December 1984-March 1985. Bromley Kent UK: Pilot Press. ISSN 0143-5450. pp.1-8.
Smith,J.R. and Kay, Antony. German Aircraft of the Second World War. London:Putnam, 1990. ISBN 85177 836 4.

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Source: WikiPedia