Junkers A50

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Junkers A50 was a German sports plane of 1930s, also called A50 Junior.

Junkers A50

1 Development
2 Variants
3 Description
4 Specifications
- 4.1 General characteristics
- 4.2 Performance
5 Related content
6 External links

[edit] Development

The Junkers A50 was the first sportsplane designed by Hermann Pohlmann in Junkers works. It had the same modern all-metal construction, covered with duralumin sheet, as in bigger Junkers passenger planes. The first flight of the A50 took place on February 13, 1929. It was followed by further 4 prototypes, in order to examine different engines.

Junkers expected to produce 5000 aircraft, but it stopped after manufacturing 69, of which only 50 were sold. Apart from Germany, they were used in Finland, Switzerland, Japan, Portugal, South Africa, Britain, Brazil and Australia. Some were used by airlines. Starting from the A50ce variant, wings could be folded for easier transport.

Three German A50 took part in the Challenge 1929 international touring plane competition in July, taking 11th place (A50be, pilot Waldemar Roeder) and 17th place. Three A50 took part also in the Challenge 1930 next year, taking 15th (A50ce, pilot Johann Risztics), 27th and 29th places. In June 1930 a series of eight FAI world records of altitude, range and average speed were set on a floatplane variant of A50 with Armstrong Siddeley 59 kW engine. Marga von Etzdorf flew in 1931 alone from Berlin to Tokyo, as the first woman.

[edit] Variants

A50 - Armstrong Siddeley Genet 59 kW radial engine
A50ba - Walter 59 kW engine (one built)
A50be - Armstrong Siddeley Genet 59 kW engine
A50ce - Armstrong Siddeley Genet II 63 kW engine or for export Genet Major I 74 kW, folding wings
A50ci - Siemens Sh 13, 65 kW radial engine, folding wings
A50fe - Armstrong Siddeley Genet II, 63 kW engine, modified airframe, folding wings

Thanks to their construction, A50 were durable aircraft and their service lasted long. There is one A50 preserved in Deutschen Museum in Munich and another in Helsinki airport. One A50 is in airworthy condition in Australia.

[edit] Description

Metal construction sports plane, conventional in layout, with low wings, duralumin covered. Crew of two, sitting in tandem in separate open cockpits (if it flew without a passenger, one cockpit could be closed with a cover). Two-blade propeller. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear skid. Fuel tank 95 l.