Junkers Ju 52 have very important place in the German history as well in history at all. It start its career in the Germany as VIP plane as well bomber airplane but also German airliner Lufthansa used it in its service. In the very start this machine was painted overall L40/52 (Lufthansa-Grey) or RLM 01 Silver. Nose was in very dark color, some sources state black blue while some state this is black color. In the later service this machine get new camouflage pattern consisted of the RLM 61/62/63/65 or overall RLM 02 and in this colors Ju 52 flew in civil war in Spain. Until the WW2 three more schemes were introduced and mostly replaced all of the previous. This scheme was RLM 65/70/71, RLM 65/71 or RLM 71 overall. In Africa this machine get desert camouflage colors but in most cases flew in the camouflage most comon for the European theater. During the winter its get washable top coat in white color. This machine continue service and after the war and many of various paintings were used on it. Several machine are still in service today.

Junkers Ju 52 ‘Kormoran’ Deruluft loading freight at Berlin Tempelhof

Color profile captions:

01. Ju 52/3m g3e, registration 50+G10, based on photograph from Vienna- Aspern airfield, Austria, in 1939. Airplane wear early overall light grey scheme and interesting two red bends used during the Anschluss of Austria in March 1938.

02. The code S13 indicates a Schule (S) in the Luftgau XIII (13) of Nьrnberg, so S13+. The luftgau was a subdivision of a larger Luftkreis). It’s very difficult to guess the other letters/digits because the letter following the cross indicated the flight within the school the plane belonged to. The last two digits (sometime three)indicated the real identity of the plane signifying the order of arrival of the plane at this “Schule”. The code of this Ju 52/3m could have been : S13+E33 if it was the 33rd plane arrived at the “Schule” and given to the 5th Flight. Whole machine is in the RLM 71 Dunkelgrun color.

03. Reichsluftfahrt- Minister Hermann Goring have used this Ju 52/3m for what we call today VIP plane. Machine dominative color is red, in honor to the greatest German ace (until that moment) Manfred Von Richthofen, registration was D-AGUK and the WNr. 4022. It serve as VIP plane in period 1933- 1935. Note Lufthansa logo on tail as well letters Manfred Von Richthofen beneath the cockpit.

04. This bomber version of the Ju 52 and in pale grey scheme belonged to Fliegerführerschule (C), Lechfeld, Summer 1938.

05. Personal airplane of the Luftflotte 5 Chief of Technical Service. Its operational area during 1942 and 1943 was Norway, Finland and Soviet Union. Standard camouflage of RLM 71 and 70 with large patches in white.

06. Ambulance version of the Ju 52/m3 g6e, register BJ YD, in the temporary winter camouflage over the regular camouflage of RLM 70 and 71. This machine operated from Norway.

07. Various Airliners used the Ju 52 worldwide and still use it. Here is shown Bolivian pre WW2 Ju 52/3m Wk.Nr. 4009 ‘Huanuni’, which was used by Lloyd Aero Boliviano. Detail of interest is the longer windows on fuselage. This machine with others of the type, has been used in the Chaco war.

08. Netherlands is one of the user of this machine and sample present is in the natural metal color, with national flag on tail and black registration on the wings.

Bradić Srećko

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