Today we’re taking a look at an aircraft that has been highly requested by some viewers,
but is probably quite unknown to many others.
It was one of the few truly large aircraft operated by the German Luftwaffe during the
Second World War: The Junkers Ju 290.
After the Messerschmitt 323 Gigant, the Ju 290 was the largest landplane to achieve series
production in Germany during the war.
With a length of 28.6 meters (94 ft), and a wingspan of 42 meters (137 ft 10 inches)
it was only a little bit smaller than the Boeing B-29 superfortress.
But unlike the B-29, which was designed from the outset as a long-range strategic bomber,
the origins and development cycles of the Ju 290 were far, far messier.
Today’s video actually looks at three Junkers designs, the Ju 90, 290, and 390, as all three
are related in this messy history, and because of that it was thought better to cover all
three in a single video rather than split the topic.
Today’s video has also been done in partnership with Ikarus Art, a company that makes beautiful
aviation-themed artwork.
Whether you’re into Catalinas, Corsairs, Stukas, Spitfires, or Ansons – there’s
sure to be a piece that takes your fancy – and if not, they’re constantly adding new designs
and art pieces to their collection.
You can purchase them as printed canvas, or posters, and the prices start for as little
as $10.
Now Ikarus kindly sent me over two samples, which you’ll see here, along with me in
my silliness.
Sadly, there was really noisy construction work going on outside so my attempts to talk
to the camera were a complete failure.
The art, however, wasn’t and it now hangs on my walls with pride.
Right now, Ikarus currently have a limited-edition Short Sunderland print for sale, with only
100 available, so follow the link in the description to check them out, and use the code REX at
the checkout to get 10% off your order.
So thank you Ikarus for my new eye-candy, and now lets get back to the Junkers 290.
The story of the Junkers giant goes back to the Ju 90, which was itself an enlarged version
of the Ju 89 bomber.
The Ju 89 was a mid-1935 contender for the so-called ‘Ural Bomber’ specification,
issued by the RLM, and which outlined an aircraft capable of striking targets as far as the
Ural Mountains in Soviet Russia from German territory.
The Dornier Do 19 was also drawn up to this specification, to which both showed relative
promise, and three prototypes of each design were ordered.
At this point it must be outlined that a huge part of the support for developing and upgrading
the Luftwaffe’s fledgling bomber fleet came from General Lieutenant Walter Wever – but
this was during a time when the majority of senior Luftwaffe officials wanted to move
things away from long range strategic bombing.
It will come as no surprise that when Wever died in 1936, strategic bombing was swiftly
put on the back-burner, and the ‘Ural Bomber’ specification was outright cancelled in 1937.
This cancellation arose for several reasons, but a big influence was that of Wever’s
successor, Kesselring, who had a preference for twin-engine medium bombers.
This, combined with Ernst Udet’s preference for dive bombing, Herman Goering’s preference
for more bombers, and the doubts about Germany’s industrial capacity to build large bombers
en mass essentially killed the Ju 89, which at the time had two prototypes completed and
one still under construction.
In order for it not to have been a complete waste of time (and money) the Air Ministry
did allow Junkers to explore a conversion of the unfinished prototype to a commercial
transport version for Lufthansa, designated the Ju 90.
Beginning in April, 1936, as a private venture - Junkers began production of the new aircraft,
which would eventually total at sixteen, and (despite its original intent) it would be
primarily used by the Luftwaffe, whereas only a small amount entered Lufthansa service.
The wings, control surface and landing gear were borrowed from the 89 with no modification,
though overall the Ju 90 would be a far more capable aircraft than it’s predecessor.
The first flight was undertaken on the 28th August 1937, with Captain Zimmermann at the
controls.
Overall the flight went remarkably well, Zimmermann praising its handling characteristics in virtually
all stages of flight – the only major change resulting from early flights was that the
vertical stabiliser was slightly enlarged to improve directional stability.
However, it wouldn’t be long till the project would take a significant blow - the Daimler-Benz
DB 600 intended to power the aircraft abruptly ceased production - replaced by the DB 601,
which had also been exclusively reserved for the Bf 109 program.
As a result, the next two prototypes were hurriedly fitted with BMW 132 H engines, a
copy of the American Pratt & Whitney Hornet, this was a much less powerful engine with
a takeoff power of 880 hp and constant power of 560 hp.
As a comparison, the DB 600s had been outputting 1,050 hp under takeoff power and 800 hp under
normal conditions- so this switch effectively halved the power output of the aircraft and
significantly hampered performance.
The BMW powered Ju 90, designated the Ju 90 B, was rather predictably not a stunner in
the performance department, and ultimately just eight would be produced.
The second blow, which struck the program even harder, followed when a Ju 90 in South
Africa had two engines on the same side give out on takeoff.
This caused a complete loss of control, the aircraft veered and then cartwheeled off the
runway - killing six of the nine crew members - some of these men had been the most experienced
and skilled pilots in Lufthansa service, and this represented a considerable loss for the
company.
With the originally intended engines, the first Ju 90 performed much better, setting
two world records: An altitude of 9,312 metres (30,0500 fet) whilst carrying 5 metric tons
(11,000 lbs) of cargo, and 7,242 metres (23,700 ft) with 10 tons (22,000).
These were astonishing numbers for the late 1930s, but with the Daimler-Benz engines out
of the question, and the BMW Radials clearly not a satisfactory replacement, Junkers turned
their gaze elsewhere for a suitable powerplant.
The new BMW 801 radial - which had been in development for some time but had only just
entered production in 1939 - had generated much interest, and Junkers recognised that
it could be a perfect match for the Ju 90.
Outputting 1,580 horsepower from 14 cylinders arranged in two rows, the 801 very much represented
the forefront of German powerplant development at the time.
Two Ju 90s that had been intended for a Lufthansa service to South Africa (that had subsequently
been cancelled after the outbreak of the war), gave Junkers two perfect testbeds.
The first aircraft to be re-fitted underwent its acceptance flight immediately after the
conversion, but aside from the engine swap it was practically identical to the previous
version of the Ju 90.
Unfortunately, the fact that the BMW 801 was twice as heavy as either of the earlier engines
was apparently overlooked, as during the flight the engine nacelles, and then wings, and then
fuselage quite literally fell to pieces, the 26 metre long aircraft essentially disintegrating
in mid-air.
The pilot, Captain Kindermann, was completely unable to determine what exactly had happened
- and reportedly ‘suddenly found himself in the open air from his parachute’.
Junkers, rather sheepishly, went back to the drawing board and made the appropriate changes
to the nacelles and airframe that came with adding 2,000 extra kilograms – and this
resulted in the Ju 90 V6.
On top of the necessary changes, the fuselage was aerodynamically refined, and given modified
control surfaces.
V6, and then later V7, would also see the introduction of the characteristic loading
ramp in the aft fuselage; fully extended the ramp opened far enough to allow cars, artillery
and even halftracks to drive in under their own power - this kind of cargo could then
be airdropped using specialised parachutes.
Although the idea of parachuting from kilometres up a German half track was not particularly
inviting, it was an important function of the Ju 90 - a capability that very few German
aircraft had at the time.
The Ju 90 V7, the first to be properly armed, featured a hydraulic DL 131 dorsal turret,
a glazed rear gunner position with a 7.92mm MG 15, and two MG 81Z in the under-fuselage
gondola, firing fore and aft.
Numerous prototypes followed, testing more powerful BMW 801 engines, hydraulic flaps,
lengthened fuselages, defensive gondolas and different armament positions.
Then the Ju 90 V11 (the 11th prototype) was built featuring an offset under-nose gondola
and a revised tail section; the cumulative changes were deemed enough to warrant a change
of designation, and it became known as the Ju 290 V1.
Unarmed, the Ju 290 V1 began flight tests in August 1942, whilst two older Ju 90s were
converted into the new 290 specification, and allotted to the new program as the V2
and V3 prototypes.
As a result of the slow, steady stream of work and development on the aircraft, the
Ju 290 was ready for pre-production very quickly after its first flight tests, the first two
A series Ju 290s rolling off the line at Dessau in October 1942.
These aircraft, known as Ju 290 A-0s, were powered by four BMW 801 L-2 radials, generating
up to 1,600 horsepower at takeoff – but these remained unarmed and were retained by
Junkers for testing purposes.
Early 1942 would see the first production aircraft, a batch of five Ju 290 A-1s.
The Ju 290 A-2 would follow in the Summer of 1943, which boasted substantially more
powerful defensive armament, namely the addition of a second hydraulically operated dorsal
turret housing a 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon.
The A-2s were also fitted with a nose mounted FuG 200 ‘Hohentweil’ radar array, to aid
in the maritime patrol role in which these aircraft were often used.
The A-3s, following in late 1943, and of which only five were built, substituted the rear
dorsal turret for a more aerodynamic Fw 20 turret - the last two A-3s were also re-engined
with a BMW 801 D-1, which offered a marginal performance improvement over the previous
L-2.
Autumn 1943 saw the 290 A-4, which replaced the forward dorsal turret with a low-drag
Fw 19 turret and some refinements to the gondola position.
The A-5 followed in November of the same year, adding self-sealing fuel tanks, and significant
armour protection for the crew.
Out of the 10 produced, the first 9 featured the standard 13 mm MG 131s in the waist positions,
although the last (Work Number 0180) replaced these with the far more powerful MG 151/20s.
On top of this, airstream spoilers were added to the turrets to deflect turbulent air away
from the guns, and two more crew members were carried.
In March 1944 the first production A-5 was once again re-engined with BMW 801 TL engines,
which featured a lower gear ratio to improve efficiency on larger aircraft.
The A-6, of which only one was produced, was initially intended to be a personal transport
Hitler himself, featuring cabin pressurisation and extra armour for the Fuhrers personal
compartment - this 290 would go on to have the distinction of being the last flyable
290, seeing Spanish service in the post-war period.
The A-7, intended as a reconnaissance bomber, appeared in the Spring of 1944 and featured
a new glazed nose, which housed a further MG 151/20 cannon.
Racks were re-added from the A-5 version under the central fuselage and outboard wings, designed
to carry either Hs 293, Hs 294, Fritz X or 3000 kg of general ordnance.
This aircraft, of which the Luftwaffe had ordered 25, would see only half of these actually
completed, prior to a cancellation of all bomber types in favour of the more urgently
needed fighters.
The A-8, of which only one had been produced by the time of the cancellation of all bomber
projects, was an exceptionally well armed aircraft - boasting four dorsal turrets each
housing an MG 151/20.
The oddly numbered A-9 had in fact preceded the A-7, three examples being produced in
January 1942 - these were broadly similar to the A-1s, except with a much higher internal
fuel capacity to increase range up to 8,300 km.
The proposed -but ultimately non-existent- B series were to be a dedicated long-range
strategic bomber variant of the 290, complete with a large internal bomb bay and four 2,000
horsepower BMW 801E’s.
These aircraft would have had pressurised cockpits and gun turrets, along with the HD
151Z turret in both dorsal positions, featuring a quad 13mm MG 131 layout.
At this point it’s also important to briefly touch on the Ju 390.
The 390 was a fascinating and distinct development of the 290, which essentially involved bolting
on two additional engines and enlarging the aircraft to try and increase its huge range
even further.
Borne of a specification calling for a long range bomber capable of striking New York,
Junkers was able to quickly throw together the design for the 390 as in most respects
it was identical to its smaller brother.
The 390 program is fairly shrouded in mystery, and not much is known about it.
The first prototype, V1, was constructed in Dessau and underwent it’s maiden flight
in October 1943.
A second prototype was built in mid-1944, though it never flew.
The Japanese had shown large interest in the project, apparently considering it of ‘utmost
importance’, though its not clear why...considering by mid-1944 they had other things to worry
about.
Junkers had prepared all of the manufacturing and instructional documents ready to hand
over to Japan, but negotiations ended in January 1945 and nothing more came of it.
It’s unknown whether the V1 actually flew to Japan for display to officials or if they
both fell victim to allied bombing later in the war.
The aircraft were built with BMW 801Es, though it was intended for the production variants
to be powered by six Juno 223 -2,500 horsepower diesel engines - and they would give a range
upwards of 9,000 kilometres.
Many ‘secret’ flights of the 390 have been speculated, most without validity - though
one sticks out among them.
The idea of a secret Ju 390 flight to New York dates back to 1955, when the British
aviation magazine ‘RAF Flying Review’ published a report that in early 1944 two
Ju 390s had conducted a transatlantic flight to within 19km of the New York coast, and
returned to France.
Alleged reconnaissance photos taken on this mission have never been found, and no records
of the flight exists in German archives.
You may have also noted that the report states ‘two’ 390s conducted the flight, despite
the fact that the second prototype never flew, and in early 1944 it hadn’t even been built
yet!
A dubious claim, it’s nonetheless one that has stuck in the conscious of those interested
in the 390 - despite there apparently being no real evidence to support it.
Moving away from conspiracy - the 90 and 290, in all of its variants and versions, would
overall leave a fairly modest footprint in the second world war - with only 18 and 65
being built respectively.
The aircraft nonetheless represented a capable, fast, modern, and well-defended transport
in the early years.
In 1940 the aircraft would see its first operations with the Luftwaffe, being used as transport
aircraft during the short-lived Norwegian campaign, lugging vast quantities of supplies,
ammo, and weaponry from Germany.
Though operational usage would stay modest for the following years, with some supplying
the Afrikakorps and undertaking general transport duties, use of the aircraft would seriously
ramp up in late 1942, as plans were put in place to form a Viermotorige Transportstaffel
(four engine transport squadron) that would be able to supply troops deep in Soviet territory.
Seven Ju 90s, two Ju 290s, one Ju 252, and one Fw 200 would make up the unit, flying
operations unescorted during the Stalingrad airlift in a desperate attempt to meet the
enormous needs of the 200,000 German soldiers encircled there.
Deep in Soviet territory, the Ju 290 would be pushed to the edge of its capabilities
- one such example taking place on January 13th, 1943.
Just three days after arriving at the front, a Ju 290 V1 piloted by Captain Hanig would
make a successful landing in Pitomnik; an airfield behind the shrinking German perimeter.
The 290 would load wounded German soldiers on board in an attempt to evacuate them to
safety.
Tragically, a sharp turn on takeoff caused all seventy nine wounded troops on board to
be thrown to the rear of the plane, causing a vicious and irrecoverable stall.
Too low to recover, the 290 was utterly destroyed in the ensuing crash, nobody aboard survived.
A second Ju 290, an A-0 variant, was dispatched to replace the lost transport days later,
but this aircraft was intercepted by Soviet LaGG-3 fighters and extensively damaged en
route to the German pocket at Pitomnik.
The damage was such that the crew decided to abort the mission and return to base for
repairs - by the time it was airworthy again the germans had lost the airfield.
After the total failure of the Stalingrad airlift, the unit was sent to the Mediterranean
- operating out of Greece.
Concurrently, the newer 290s began to take delivery and were dispatched to FAG 5 (the
5th Long-range reconnaissance wing) throughout 1943, conducting flights over vast swathes
of Atlantic waters in the hunt for allied convoys.
Over the course of 30 missions, one 290 A-2 would log a staggering 120,350 kilometres
over 415 hours - though somewhat hilariously FAG 5 determined that even the gargantuan
range of the A-2 (over 8,000 kilometres) was insufficient for Atlantic duties.
The A-5 variant, which began to equip FAG 5 in late 1943, featured an even longer endurance
and thoroughly outclassed the Focke-Wulf Fw 200s it would be replacing.
In defensive armament too, the A-5 would not take kindly to an unwanted marauder, sporting
four MG 151/20s and four MG 131s.
Some of these aircraft with FAG 5 even took delivery of a conversion kit to fit a 30 mm
MK 103 to the front gondola, with a hydraulic assist for the gunner.
This was to be used for strafing convoys, although the nature of the 290s operations
meant more often than not it shadowed convoys rather than directly attacked them.
Though the rate of operations stayed steady for FAG 5, and the Ju 290s were as good an
aircraft as they could reasonably hope to operate, less than 10 percent of targets relayed
by 290s were destroyed.
The low production rate of the aircraft was also a hindrance, as despite the impressive
capabilities, only a few 290s were ever concurrently on strength with FAG 5, the less capable Dornier
217 and Heinkel He 111 comprising most of the inventory.
In other roles, the long range of the aircraft was being put to good use, with 3 A-9s participating
in ultra-long-range missions transporting valuable cargo from Ukraine to Japanese Manchuria,
a 7,000 kilometre journey each way.
D-Day, and the wave of allied troops into France made the Atlantic patrols somewhat
redundant, and the mission of FAG 5 was rescinded and in August 1944 the unit was disbanded
altogether.
The remaining 290s were scattered around various transport units and theatres of war - some
returning to the Mediterranean, and some being transferred to I./KG 200 - a special operations
squadron.
Six were requisitioned by Lufthansa, though they would remain mostly grounded for the
rest of the war, and were almost entirely destroyed by allied raids on German airfields.
KG 200, meanwhile, repurposed some of their 290s for special ops, dropping agents on special
missions behind enemy lines.
600 of these agents would be delivered by 290s with KG 200 until these missions too
were discontinued in early 1945.
Late in 1944 one 290 A-5 left intact at an airfield in Greece had been captured by Allied
forces.
The RAF were briefly interested before another 290 was captured by the US - post-war the
aircraft was left in Greek hands.
Re-designated Archimedes S.1, the aircraft was briefly flown, but quickly grounded after
a lack of spare parts before being scrapped sometime after 1949.
Back in Germany, Group Commander Heinz Braun would fly his 290 A-6 to neutral Spain in
April, 1945 - followed by an A-9 four days later, both alighting in Barcelona.
The Spanish government would officially purchase the A-6, using it as an advanced trainer in
their advanced trainer school before being scrapped in 1952 after serviceability became
a large problem.
In the chaos of the German collapse, another Ju 290 was to fall into allied hands.
Entrapped by Soviet troops, and knowing the dire consequences if there were to be caught,
a German crew - carrying eighty men, women and children - loaded aboard one of the few
large serviceable aircraft left intact; a Junkers Ju 290 A-7.
Flying low in turbulent weather to avoid soviet fighters, the aircraft flew westward undetected.
After a successful flight, the A-7 landed safely in US occupied Munich.
It was selected to be the main focus of US evaluation, and was to be transferred to Wright
Field.
In preparation for her transatlantic flight, the aircraft was given a thorough look over,
the electrics, hydraulics and engines all inspected carefully by both American and German
engineers.
The German oil was drained and replaced with a corresponding grade of US oil, and it was
discovered that two of the BMW 801 radials had 1000 more hours on them than the other
two.
Accordingly, they were replaced with two newer units, one of which was discovered at the
bottom of a Parisian swimming pool.
Flying from Western France to Bermuda, and onto Wright Field, the Junkers underwent its
test flights in the Autumn of 1945.
Unfortunately, at this point the airframe was not put into a museum as one might hope,
but it was cut in test sections and later melted down.
One enormous shock came when the aircraft was being disassembled - an unexploded dynamite
charge in the right wing was discovered, presumably placed by Czechoslovakian resistance fighters,
and a defective activating pin had saved the lives of the eighty men, women and children
on board the Junkers during the flight to Munich.
The final hope to have a surviving 290 came when Czechoslovakian forces discovered a partially
constructed A-8, which in conjunction with parts from an unfinished B-2 were transferred
to the Letov plant where an effort began to reconstruct the airframe.
The original propellors, missing from both, were substituted with the smaller, but still
functional propellors, from four Fw 190s.
The completed aircraft, dubbed the L 290 “Orel” (or Eagle), underwent its maiden flight on
August 1st, 1946.
Lasting two hours, the flight was abandoned early as the crew was unable to locate the
centre of gravity during trimming tests, and the “Orel” displayed some instability
as a result.
Eventually the Orel returned to the Letov plant where wooden trays contain sandbags
where fastened to the floor and moved around in a more desperate attempt to solve things.
In 1947, after all attempts had failed and after 43 flying hours, the project was abandoned.
For the next nine years the aircraft would sit in hangars, whilst talks with Czechoslovak
Airlines and the Israeli force were ongoing, in an attempt to sell on the troublesome 290.
Finally, in 1956, with all interest gone, the ill-fated L 290 was completely scrapped.
This probably marked the last surviving 290 in the world, the Junkers giants essentially
all being shot down, destroyed by bombing raids or scrapped post-war.