Junkers Ju 88

The Junkers Ju 88, a German twin-engine aircraft, played a significant role during World War II. Renowned for its versatility and adaptability, the Schnellbomber ("fast bomber") performed various roles. It is, after the Heinkel He 111, the second-most produced bomber of all time. The Ju 88 saw service with the Luftwaffe during all campaigns, the Poland Campaign, the Battle of Britain, on the Balkans, in the Mediterranean Sea, at the Eastern Front and by the defense of the Reich (Reichsluftverteidigung) until May 1945.

History

Junkers Ju 88 A-4 from the 4. Staffel/II. Gruppe/KG 54 in Italy (air raid on the port of Bari in 1943)

A Mistel flying bomb in the south of Brandenburg in December 1944 during the Operation "Samurai" (Unternehmen „Samurai“)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 and Junkers Ju 88 G-1 (Mistel M2)

The development of the Junkers Ju 88 began in the mid-1930s as a response to the emerging needs of the German Luftwaffe. Designed by Hugo Junkers’ engineering team, the Ju 88 made its first flight in December 1936. Initially intended as a fast bomber, it quickly proved to be a highly adaptable aircraft, capable of performing multiple roles, thanks to its robust airframe and powerful engines. The Ju 88 featured a sleek and streamlined design, incorporating advanced engineering principles. Its stressed-skin construction, using corrugated duralumin sheets, provided strength and durability. The aircraft had a twin-engine configuration, with the engines mounted in streamlined nacelles on the wings. The crew compartment was positioned forward, with the cockpit offering excellent visibility. The Ju 88 had a retractable tricycle landing gear, further enhancing its aerodynamic profile. The versatility of the design allowed for easy modifications and additions of various equipment, making it a truly adaptable aircraft. The Junkers Ju 88 was powered by a range of engines throughout its production life. Initially, the Ju 88A-1 variant utilized two Junkers Jumo 211 liquid-cooled engines, each producing 1,200 horsepower. These engines featured a V12 configuration and were renowned for their reliability and performance. As the war progressed, the Ju 88 saw engine upgrades to enhance its capabilities. The Ju 88A-4 variant, for example, introduced improved Jumo 211J engines, providing a power output of 1,400 horsepower. These engines offered increased performance at high altitudes and helped the Ju 88 maintain its versatility across various operational environments. In later production versions, the Ju 88 featured radial engines, such as the BMW 801 or the Junkers Jumo 222. These engines had a larger displacement and provided even greater power, enabling the Ju 88 to carry heavier loads and reach higher speeds. The powerful engines of the Ju 88 contributed to its impressive performance. The aircraft had a top speed of around 310 mph and a range of approximately 1,550 miles. Its carrying capacity allowed it to deliver a substantial bomb load or operate as a reconnaissance aircraft, gathering crucial intelligence for the German military. The Ju 88’s adaptability saw it excel in numerous operational roles, including bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, and even as a flying bomb carrier. Its speed, agility, and range made it a formidable asset on the battlefield and contributed to its enduring legacy.

Roles

First designed as a high speed bomber, it was the backbone of the German Luftwaffe and served in the following roles:

• Horizontal bomber
• Reconnaissance aircraft (Fernaufklärer)
• Communications aircraft
• Dive-bomber
• Mine layer
• Heavy fighter
• Torpedo bomber
• Night-fighter
• Flying bomb (Mistel Bomber)

WWII

In 1940, during the “Battle of Britain”, the Ju 88 fared better than most other German aircraft, but the war experience exposed a number of shortcomings and modifications were necessary. This had already became evident on 9 October 1939, when one Ju 88 had the dubious honor of becoming the first victim of Royal Air Force fighters. It was the best German bomber, but without fighter escort, it still suffered from heavy losses during missions originating from bases in Norway. In the third week of the war, four Ju 88 A-1s attacked British warships of the Royal Navy at Scapa Flow. The standard fighter, the Ju 88 C-6, was introduced in 1942 and was powered by two Jumo 211J engines. The C-6a was the day fighter and the C-6b the night-fighter. In early 1943, a standard production Ju 88 A-4 was used as the prototype for the Ju 88S series. It had a smooth rounded nose, the gondola was removed and it was powered by two BMW 801 radial engines. The Ju 88T was the reconnaissance version of the Ju 88S and was produced in parallel with the bomber. The Ju 88G replaced the C and R on the production lines and was the most effective German night-fighter. It had extended wingtips and rectangular tail surfaces. It was powered by two BMW 801D engines and armed with four 20mm MG151/20 cannons in the ventral gondola. Two more cannons were usually placed in the dorsal position, firing diagonally upwards and forward, which was known as Schräge Musik. Schräge Musik was the name for upward-firing autocannons mounted in night fighter aircraft and attacked Allied bombers from below and aft of the bomber's field of view. It was extremely effective against British Lancasters, because they lacked ventral guns.

Port of Bari

On 2 December 1943, the Luftwaffe sent 105 Junkers Ju 88 to the port of Bari in the southeast of Italy (German: Luftangriff auf den Hafen von Bari 1943), which at the time was a logistical port used by the Allies during the invasion of Italy. The attack was, from the military point of view, a success because of the sinking of 27 transport ships. The port could not be used for weeks, so the Allied Forces had to slow down their invasion. On the other point, the attack was a human disaster, as one of the Allied ships was loaded with iprit bombs that liberated a toxic mustard gas killing 1,000 italian civilians near the port.

Mistel flying bomb

The strangest version was of the Ju 88 was as the Mistel (Mistletoe) composite bomber. It was a combination of either a Messerschmitt Bf 109 or Focke-Wulf Fw 190 riding piggyback on a Ju 88 A-4. Testing began in July 1943 and the Mistel was ready by October. A pilot flew in the upper aircraft and when it was near the target, the Ju 88 would be guided by the pilot and released at the last minute. The Mistel could be flown on either two or three engines, depending on the range of the mission. Because of their lack of defense, all Mistel missions were operated at night. In order to place the fighter aircraft on top, considerable strengthening and modifications had to be completed on the lower bomber. The nose on the lower aircraft was replaced with a 7,715 lb (3,500 kg) warhead of 70% Hexogen and 30% TNT. Once over the target, the lower aircraft was released by explosive bolts and an impact fuse would be armed three seconds after release. A successful attack was made against the French Battleship Oran late in 1943. Other targets included British shipping, bridges to stop the Allied advance, and Soviet power stations, but bombing results were mixed. Approximately 140 Ju 88 Mistels were produced.

Variants

Ju 88A

Main bomber type with Junkers Jumo 211 engines. Production of the A series began in 1939, but initial production was slow due to developmental problems. Dr. Heinrich Koppenberg, the managing director of Jumo, assured Herman Göring that 300 Ju 88s could be delivered per month. The Ju 88 entered service with only 12 available aircraft on the first day of the Poland Campaign on 1 September 1939. However, by the end of 1940, 1,816 bombers, 330 reconnaissance and 62 heavy fighters were produced.

Ju 88 A-0

Pre-production aircraft.

Ju 88 A-1

Initial production variant. 895 kW (1,200 hp) Jumo 211B-1 engines

Ju 88 A-2

Jumo 211 G-1 engines.

Ju 88 A-3

Conversion trainer. Dual controls and throttles, various instruments duplicated.

Ju 88 A-4

Improved variant. Longer wingspan, due to redesigned wingtips. Stronger defensive armament. Power provided by Jumo 211 J-1 or J-2 engines producing 1,050 kW (1,410 hp), driving wooden bladed propellers. Reinforced undercarriage. Provision for four external bomb racks.

Ju 88 A-5.

This version actually predates the A-4. Earlier models of Ju 88 upgraded with longer wings and other equipment. Jumo 211B-1, G-1 or H-1 engines all rated at 890 kW (1,200 hp) for take-off.

Ju 88 A-6

Was equipped with a balloon cable fender. A counterweight was mounted in the rear fuselage. Extremely vulnerable to fighter interception, most reverted to the normal A-5 version, fender and counterweight removed.

Ju 88 A-7

Dual control trainer based on the A-5

Ju 88 A-8

This version had balloon cable cutting capabilities, crew reduced to three, Jumo 211 F-1 engines

Ju 88 A-11

Factory built tropical version

Ju 88 A-12

Dual control trainer. Ventral gondola, dive brakes and all armament removed.

Ju 88 A-13

Low level assault version. Dive brakes and bomb sight removed. Additional armor for crew, engines and fuel tanks. Armament consisted of bombs and up to 16 MG 17 machine guns housed in gun pods.

Ju 88 A-14

An improved A-4 version, more armor for the crew, Kuto-Nase balloon cable cutters, MG FF cannon in the ventral gondola, bomb sight removed.

Ju 88 A-15

Based on the A-4, it featured an enlarged wooden bomb bay, capable of holding 3 tons of bombs. Ventral gondola removed, only two defensive MGs. It was rejected as the bomb bay "bulge" caused too much drag and a thus a reduction in speed.

Ju 88 A-16

Dual control trainer based on the A-14

Ju 88 A-17

Dedicated torpedo bomber, no ventral gondola. One PVC torpedo rack under each wing replaced the two bomb racks. A long housing on the starboard side of the nose contained the torpedo aiming mechanisms. Crew of three.

Ju 88B

Prototype with all-new fully glazed "stepless" crew compartment nose, developed into Junkers Ju 188.

Ju 88 B-0

10 pre-production aircraft with "stepless" fully glazed nose.

Ju 88C

Zerstörer, fighter-bomber and night fighter, based on A-series, but with sheet metal nose.

Ju 88 C-1

Heavy fighter, 20 converted from A-1, Jumo 211 engines

Ju 88 C-2

Heavy fighter, 20 converted from A-5

Ju 88 C-3

Heavy fighter with BMW engines, none built

Ju 88 C-4

Heavy fighter, reconnaissance variant, based on A-5. 60 built and 60 converted from A-5

Ju 88 C-5

Heavy fighter, like C-4 but with BMW 801 engines, up to four converted

Ju 88 C-6

Heavy fighter and Night fighter, based on A-4, Jumo 211J engines with 1420 PS, 900 built

Ju 88D

Long-range photo-reconnaissance variants, based on the Ju 88 A-4/A-5.

Ju 88 D-1

Long-range photo-reconnaissance variant based on Ju 88 A-4.

Ju 88 D-2

Long-range photo-reconnaissance variant based on Ju 88 A-5.

Ju 88 D-3

Tropicalized D-1.

Ju 88 D-4

Tropicalized D-2.

Ju 88 D-5

as D-1 but with VDM metal propellers instead of Junkers wooden propellers

Ju 88G

Night fighter, new fuselage with A-series' ventral Bola (Bodenlafette) gondola omitted, tail section from Ju 188, aerodynamically improved conformal gun pod for a quartet of forward-firing 20 mm calibre, MG 151/20 autocannons below the former bomb bay.

Ju 88 G-1

BMW 801 radial engines with 1700 PS, FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar

Ju 88 G-6

Junkers Jumo 213A inverted V12 engines with 1750 PS, used either FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 90 MHz or FuG 218 Neptun 158/187 MHz frequency radar, either with the usual Hirschgeweih eight-dipole aerial setup or experimentally with the more aerodynamic Morgernstern tripled crossed-dipole aerials. Some very-late-war aircraft equipped with experimental FuG 240 Berlin cavity magnetron based 3 GHz radar, with dish antenna in bulbous solid nose. Optional with Schräge Musik upward firing guns with two 20 or guns.

Ju 88 G-7

Identical to G-6, but with Jumo 213E high-altitude engines, planned for use with FuG 218/220 with Morgenstern array or FuG 240. The G-7 was also to be installed with wings from the Junkers Ju 188.

Ju 88G-3, 4 and 8 not produced.

Ju 88H

Long-range photo-reconnaissance, fighter variants, based on the stretched Ju 88 G-series fuselage.

Ju 88 H-1

Long-range maritime reconnaissance variant, equipped with a FuG 200 Hohentwiel radar and a trio of remotely controlled cameras in the aft fuselage.

Ju 88 H-2

Fighter variant intended to attack Allied long range convoy escort aircraft armed with six Forward firing MG 151/20.

Ju 88 H-3

Ultra-long-range maritime reconnaissance variant similar to H-1.

Ju 88 H-4

Destroyer variant.

Ju 88P

Anti-tank and bomber destroyer variant with single Bordkanone series 75 mm (2.95 in), 50 mm (1.97 in), or twin 37 mm (1.46 in) calibre cannon in conformal ventral fuselage gun pod mount, which mandated removal of the Bola gondola under the cockpit section, conversion of A-series bomber. Produced in small series only, they were perceived as a failure for both anti-tank and anti-bomber use.

Ju 88 P-1

Heavy-gun variant fitted with single 75 mm Bordkanone BK 7,5 cannon in ventral gun pod. Appeared in mid-1942 in small numbers.

Ju 88 P-2

Heavy-gun variant with twin 37 mm (1.46 in) Bordkanone BK 37 cannon in ventral gun pod.

Ju 88 P-3

Heavy-gun variant with twin 37 mm (1.46 in) Bordkanone BK 37 cannon in ventral gun pod, and additional armor.

Ju 88 P-4

Heavy-gun variant with single 50 mm (1.97 in) Bordkanone BK 5 cannon in ventral gun pod. There were 32 built.

Ju 88 P-5

Proposed heavy-gun variant with single 88 mm, none known to have ever been built.

Ju 88R

C-series night fighters with BMW 801 engines.

Ju 88S

High-speed bomber series based on Ju 88 A-4 but with ventral Bola gondola omitted, smoothly glazed nose with radial-ribbed supports instead of the "beetle's eye" of the A-version, and GM-1 nitrous-oxide boost, fastest of all variants.

Ju 88 S-0

Fitted with two BMW 801 G-2 engines, single 13 mm (0.512 in) dorsal gun and 14 SD65 65 kg (143 lb) bombs.

Ju 88 S-1

Fitted with two BMW 801 G-2 engines, the GM-1 boost system and could carry two SD1000 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bombs externally.

Ju 88 S-2

Fitted with two turbocharged BMW 801J engines, wooden bomb bay extension as used on the Ju 88 A-15.

Ju 88 S-3

Fitted with two 1671 kW Jumo 213A engines and GM-1 boost system.

Ju 88T

Three-seat photo-reconnaissance version of S-series.

Ju 88 T-1

Based on the Ju 88 S-1 but with bomb bays fitted for extra fuel or GM-1 tanks.

Ju 88 T-3

Based on the Ju 88 S-3.

Specifications (Ju 88 A-4)

General characteristics

• Crew: 4 (pilot, bombardier/front gunner, radio operator/rear gunner, navigator/ventral gunner)
• Length: 14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 20 m (65 ft 7 in)
• Height: 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 54.5 m2 (587 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 9,860 kg (21,737 lb)
• Gross weight: 12,105 kg (26,686 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (30,865 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Junkers Jumo 211J-1 or 211J-2 V-12 liquid-cooled inverted piston engine, 1,000 kW (1,340 hp) each for take-off
  • 1,010 kW (1,350 hp) at 250 m (820 ft)
  • 790 kW (1,060 hp) at 5,200 m (17,000 ft)
• Propellers: 3-bladed VDM variable-pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 470 km/h (290 mph, 250 kn) at 5,300 m (17,390 ft) and 12,500 kg (27,557 lb)
• Cruise speed: 370 km/h (230 mph, 200 kn) at 5,300 m (17,390 ft) economical cruising speed
• Range: 1,790 km (1,110 mi, 970 nmi) with 2,896 L (765 US gal; 637 imp gal)
• Ferry range: 2,730 km (1,700 mi, 1,470 nmi) with 4,028 L (1,064 US gal; 886 imp gal)
• Service ceiling: 8,200 m (26,900 ft)
• Time to altitude: 5,400 m (17,700 ft) in 23 minutes
• Wing loading: 220 kg/m2 (45 lb/sq ft)
• Power/mass: 0.100 hp/lb (0.164 kW/kg)

Armament

• Guns:
  • 1 × 7.92×57mm Mauser MG 81J machine gun on flexible mount in front windscreen, firing forward with 1,000 rounds.
  • 1 × 7.92 mm MG 81J machine gun on flexible mount in lower fuselage nose glazing, firing forward with 1,000 rounds.
  • 2 × 7.92 mm MG 81J machine guns on flexible mount in the rear of the cockpit canopy, firing aft with 1,000 rounds each.
  • 1 × 7.92 mm MG 81Z twin machine gun on flexible mount in the rear ventral Bola position, firing aft with 1,000 rounds.
• Bombs:
  • Up to 1,400 kilograms (3,100 lb) of ordnance internally in two bomb bays rated at 900 kg (2,000 lb) and 500 kg (1,100 lb) or up to 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) externally. Carrying bombs externally increased weight and drag and impaired the aircraft's performance. Carrying the maximum load usually required rocket-assisted take-off.

External links

• Junkers Ju 88, Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Videos

• The Best German Nightfighter | Junkers Ju 88 G