The Junkers Ju 88 was designed by a team led by Ernst Zindel, the design was to use all metal stressed skin construction, as Junkers had insufficient experience in this field they employed American engineers who had knowledge of the the latest structural developments recently evolved in the USA. The prototype Junkers Ju 88 first flew on the 21st of December 1936, The Junkers Ju 88 was destined to become one of the most versatile and effective German aircraft of World War II, a total of 10,774 aircraft were produced and served with the Air-Forces of Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Romania. Junkers Ju 88's were used in all of the following roles. - Fast bomber
- Dive bomber
- Fighter bomber
- Day fighter
- Night fighter
- Reconnaissance
- Anti-tank flying cannon
- Unmanned Flying Bomb (Mistel Composite attack weapon)
The picture above depicts the radar equipped Night fighter version of the Junkers Ju 88 On the 9th of October 1939 a Junkers Ju 88 became the first German aircraft to be shot down by an RAF fighter, on the 16 October another Junkers Ju 88 was shot down east of Dalkeith by 603 Squadron when twelve Junkers Ju 88's attacked the Royal Navy in the Firth of Forth - the first the first German aircraft to be shot down over British territory since WWI.
Junkers Ju 88 Bomber Version Specifications: - Crew: Four
- Length: 14.2 m (46 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 18 m (59 ft 0 in)
- Height: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
- Maximum takeoff weight: 7,700 kg (16,980 lb)
- Engines: Twin 1,200 hp (900 kW) Junkers Jumo 211A liquid-cooled inverted V-12
- Maximum speed: 510 km/h at 4,750 m (317 mph at 15,600 ft)
- Range: 2,108 km (1,310 mi)
- Service ceiling: 9,080 m (29,800 ft)
Armament: - Seven 7.92 mm machine guns
- 2,500 kg (5511 lb) of bombs8
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