Valkyrie Junkers planes

[Simon Beck]

I just saw Valkyrie last night and was impressed with
the film overall, even though there was mainly only
very fleeting glances at anything aeronautical.

The Junkers 52 aircraft were on screen for some
key scenes and in the audio commentary Tom
Cruise said he flew one around.

Where did the two Junkers aircraft come from
and were they original Junkers or CASA ones?

[Warbird Kid]

I find it interesting to the disposition of currently surviving JU-52's...


One over here. (USA)

The rest over there. (Europe)

[JDK]

There's only one Junkers Ju 52 - in the Western Canada Aviation Museum. The three engine beasties (which WCAM's was converted from) are all Junkers Ju 52/3m models - /3m for tri-motor.

Off the cuff, I don't recall which Junkers was used in the Cruise movie, but the Swiss are still operating their three German built examples, IIRC, there's a German built flyer at La Ferte Alais in France, plus another in Germany (not sure of the origin without checking) and the Lufthansa example 'D-AQUI' which is again an ex German example, known in the US for many years in Cadin's hands as 'Iron Annie'. I think the South African Airways example is also currently airworthy.

There are numerous others preserved, many ex- French 'Toucans' and Spanish CASA examples.

[old iron]

I believe the Western Canadian Aviation Museum Ju.52 is actually a three-engine that was rebuilt maybe 20 years ago to the single engine configuration. So not an original Ju.52, if I am correct. Can anyone confirm that?

And if that is correct, does that make the Ju.52 a reproduction? What is the right term for an aircraft, not original but adapted from an old and original craft of another type?

[rcaf_100]

I believe the Western Canadian Aviation Museum Ju.52 is actually a three-engine that was rebuilt maybe 20 years ago to the single engine configuration. So not an original Ju.52, if I am correct. Can anyone confirm that?

Yes, it was converted (as JDK already said) to represent the famous CF-ARM, which was scrapped in 1947.

The three engine beasties (which WCAM's was converted from)...

And if that is correct, does that make the Ju.52 a reproduction? What is the right term for an aircraft, not original but adapted from an old and original craft of another type?

Perhaps we'll call it 'backdated'?

[JDK]

As rcaf100's said, the WCAM machine isn't an original Ju 52, but a reverse engineered 'backdated' effort - a major effort, and I understand well done.

Technical term? There's no agreed definition for this that I'm aware of - backdated is fun, modified original a fair assessment; the critical point is WCAM don't claim it's anything it isn't...

Still no idea as to the Junkers Ju 52/3ms used.

[old iron]

Maybe the right way to honestly state the origins of a non-original display item such as the Ju.52 would be to add "rebuilt from" as in

Ju.52 (rebuilt from Ju.52/3m)
.

[M.P.]

For filming, they used two of the three still flying Swiss Ju 52. These are painted with washable paint into the film colours. Today are the following eight Ju 52 / Casa 352 still in flying condition:

HB-HOP, based in Switzerland, JU Air
HB-HOT, based in Switzerland, JU Air
HB-HOS, based in Switzerland, JU Air
HB-HOY, based in Germany, JU Air
D-CDLH (D-AQUI), based in Germany, Lufthansa Historic Flight
ZS-AFA, based in South Africa, South African Airways Historic Flight
N352JU, based in USA, Commemorative Air Force
F-AZJU, based in France, Amicale J. B. Salis

[JDK]

Thanks, M.P!

[Simon Beck]

Look at that wax paint wash off!
Cheers M.P.

[Simcoe Warrior]

Look at that wax paint wash off!
Cheers M.P.

Very cool, i've often wondered about that.

[Jerry O'Neill]

I think the WCAM backdated JU is actually a CASA version modified with the single RR Buzzard engine. When I was a curator at NEAM we traded our rare RR Buzzard for a sleeve valve Hercules.
Jerry

[richkolasa]

...we traded our rare RR Buzzard for a sleeve valve Hercules.
Jerry

Gee, I thought all C-130s had turbo-props! (*snort*)


Rich