Junkers A32

see also:  Junkers A32 Production List  

3 seater cantilever monoplane Postal and Survey Aircraft , F/F 1926, 2 built
developed by Junkers Flugzeugwerke in Dessau by Zindel and Plauth

Historical Background:

Parallel to the twin-seated A20/A25/A35-family, Junkers started a new developement of a smaller multi-purpose aircraft under the designator A32 in 1926. This aircraft was intended to be used as a postal-, reconaissance- and aerial photography aircraft. Reconaissance experiences from the A20-family showed, that double seated aircraft showed a lack of defense during the phases, when the second occupant was busy with photographic work. Therefore the A32 was designed as a three-seated aircraft with one pilot position, one photographer position and one gunner position on the rear seat of the aircraft.

The A32 prototype was first flown during 1926. It was equipped with the new BMW VI engine. Later this engine was changed with the Junkers L55. So the A32 became the first aircraft, which was equipped with a V-engine. Just two A32s were built and used by Junkers for experimental flights with the new L55 engine. None of these aircraft could be sold. On November 2nd 1927, Karl Plauth, one of Junkers' most dynamic engineers died during a crash of the A32 prototype, when he failed to perform a looping with this aircraft.


Junkers/AFI K39 Military Version

Officially the A32 was used for postal and aerial photography missions. But Junkers also thought about using the aircraft for reconaissance missions. For this purpose two machine guns were integrated in front of the pilots seat and another machine gun was mounted at the rear seat. A fourth crew member position was added at the bottom of the fuselage for the bomb officer. This militarized A32 was designated as K39. This aircraft could be used for reconaissance and bomber missions as well. Only one K39 was equipped at A.B. Flygindustri at Limhamn. This K39 might have been the modified second A32 prototype. No customers were found for that aircraft, but Junkers continued this design with the Junkers S36 later on.

Technical Data

Junkers A32 Designators:

• A32, civil prototype with BMW VI engine
• A32ba postal- and aerial photography version with Junkers L55 engine
• K39, bomber and reconnaissance version with BMW VI, also L55 and L88 engine.

Weblinks:

• Airwar.ru - A32 Brief Story, Photos 
• Junkers.de - A32 Story, Data
• Junkers.de - K39 Story, Data
• Wikipedia.org - A32 Story, Data

Literature:

• None

introduced Jul 1996, transfered Jun 2017
http://hugojunkers.bplaced.net/
contents last updated 26 Jan 2003