Long distance flights with the Junkers A50, updated 15.10.2024 - Helicopters, pocket watches, flight simulation, tools.

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Long distance flights with the Junkers A50, updated 15.10.2024

Flying > The dream
Junkers "JUNIOR" A50 - light two-seater all-metal aircraft from 1929
                                                                                                                   Specification:
Span ................... 10,00m
Length .................. 6,97m
Wing area ............. 12,60m2
Tread of undercarriage .. 1,80m
Weight empty ............ 300kg
Fuel and oil ............. 73kg
Paying load ............. 177kg
Load by HP ............. 6,25kg
Load by sq. m .......... 43,6kg






                                       Performance:
                                       Top speed ............. 170kph
                                       Landing speed ........ 140 kph
                                       Range .................. 700km
                                       Practical ceiling ...... 4000m
                                       Climb to 2000m ......... 12min
Why this page? Nearly 100 years ago, an aircraft was designed and considered the first all-metal sport plane, during a time when aviation was still in its infancy. Pilots flew it to demonstrate its potential, long before the modern aviation network was established. Its design was truly ahead of its time. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Dieter Morszeck and his team — who previously revived the Junkers F13 — it is now possible for the Junkers A50 Junior to once again prove that its elegant design remains desirable and capable of bringing joy.
At the time, “dead reckoning” navigation (known in German as “Koppelnavigation”) was a primary method used for aerial navigation. It relied on three basic tools: a map, a compass, and a clock.
Before the flight, pilots created a detailed flight plan that included the route and significant landmarks. Using the map, they determined the direction and distance to each waypoint. The compass was used to maintain the correct heading, while the clock helped track elapsed time, allowing the pilot to calculate the distance traveled.
A key factor was the aircraft’s speed, which was estimated or measured with simple instruments to calculate the distance covered over time. Wind conditions, which could affect the flight path, were also considered, often through rough estimates or pilot experience. Pilots would make necessary adjustments to stay on course.
Dead reckoning required precise planning and constant monitoring, as there were no modern navigation aids like radio beacons or GPS systems available at the time.

Junkers A50 Junior
Junkers A50
Junkers A50 prototype
The 1929 Challenge International de Tourisme, held from the 7th to 20th August 1929, featured a 6,042 km course that started and ended in Paris. Among the participants were pilots flying the Junkers A50 aircraft:

- Franz Kneer piloted the D4 A50be D-1682
- Ernst van Vloten flew the D5 A50be D-1683
- Johann Risztics piloted the D7 A50be D-1681

These aviators showcased the performance and reliability of the Junkers A50 during the competition.
Junkers A50
Ville Leppänen’s demonstration flight to Petsamo, Finland, began on March 14, 1930, departing from Dessau, Germany, and concluded on April 27, 1930, with a landing in Helsinki.
Junkers A50
The Rheinland Liberation Flight in Cologne on the weekend of July 4th and 5th, 1930, where at least one Junkers A50 from the Luftfahrtverein Aachen with the registration
D-1868 participated. With kind permission of www.koelner-luftfahrt.de.
Junkers A50
The 1930 Challenge International de Tourisme, held from July 18 to August 7, featured a demanding 7,560 km course that started and ended in Berlin. Among the participants were pilots flying the Junkers A50 aircraft:

- Waldemar Roeder piloted the A8 A50ce D-1862
- Johann Risztics flew the A9 A50ce D-1864
- Alfred Gothe commanded the E2 A50ci D-1863

These aviators showcased the capabilities and reliability of the Junkers A50 during the competition.
Junkers A50
Junkers A50
In Four Continents by Sport Plane
 
Wäinö Bremer
 
Foreword
 
In this book, as I recount my experiences as a pilot, I have intentionally limited myself to describing the long-distance flights that I have undertaken in recent years with my own little plane: the flight to Africa in 1932 and the around-the-world flight in 1933, along with the flight around Europe in 1931. These flights represent, for now, the pinnacle of what I have gotten out of flying as a sport during the 6,000 flight hours I have spent in the air.
I got my first private plane in 1929. I had behind me seven years as an officer in the Finnish Air Force and three years as a commercial pilot. It was a Klemm with an engine of only 20 horsepower, and it was so inconvenient that in strong headwinds, it would move backward instead of forward. Two years later, I got rid of it and replaced it with a Junkers Junior, with which I made the journeys described in this book.
This plane, whose excellence and reliability I have tested in all kinds of weather, is made entirely of duralumin, weighs 370 kilograms, and measures 8 meters in length and 7 meters from wingtip to wingtip. The engine is an Armstrong Siddeley Genet, five-cylinder, 80 horsepower. It gives the plane an average speed of between 120 and 130 kilometres per hour and, under favourable wind conditions, can push the speed up to 175 kilometres per hour. I did not invest in any special equipment for the long-distance flights, no instruments for blind flying, no parachute, or the like. I only brought the usual instruments: altimeter, speedometer (which, by the way, failed me during the around-the-world flight in Constantinople and refused to function any further), compass, tachometer, fuel gauge, thermometer for reading the oil temperature, oil pressure gauge, and fuel pressure gauge. The landing gear is equipped with wheels, but there are also mounting possibilities for skis and pontoons.
 
My plane is named OH-ABB, which may sound strange, but is actually as simple as possible. OH is the international designation for all aircraft based in Finland, and the last B is my private serial number: my first plane was A, and my next will be C. The middle letters AB simply stand for Astrid Bremer. They are a reminder of my wife’s invaluable contribution to all my aviation plans and endeavours, without her encouraging support and moral backing, none of the long-distance flights, which provided the material for this book, would have taken place.
 
 
Helsinki, September 1933
 
The Author.
Bremers Europa flight 1931
Junkers A50
Bremers flight to Cape Town 1932

Wäinö Bremer (1899–1964) was a pioneering Finnish aviator known for his record-setting flights and contributions to Finnish aviation. Born in Viborg, Finland, Bremer gained fame in the 1930s for his long-distance flights, most notably flying from Helsinki to Cape Town and back in 1932. His adventurous spirit was also evident when he flew solo around the world in 1933, demonstrating remarkable skill and endurance.

In addition to being a skilled pilot, Bremer was a Finnish Air Force officer and an avid promoter of aviation. His achievements helped inspire a new generation of Finnish pilots, contributing significantly to the development of aviation in Finland. He later became involved in various aviation-related businesses and organizations until his passing in 1964.
Junkers A50
Bremer’s return flight from Cape Town to Helsinki began on April 26, 1932, and concluded with the landing on May 21, 1932.
Junkers A50
Bremers world tour 1933.
Junkers A50
Junkers A50
Wäinö Bremer transported his Junkers A50 by ship during his world tour in 1931-1932. For the Pacific crossing from Tokyo to San Francisco, he used the SS President Madison, an American ocean liner. For the Atlantic leg, from New York to Bremerhaven, he utilized the SS Bremen, a German ocean liner.
Marga von Etzdorf (1907–1933) was a pioneering German aviator and one of the first women to work as a commercial pilot. Born in Hannover, she developed an early passion for flying and became the first woman to fly for Deutsche Luft Hansa (now Lufthansa). In 1927, at the age of 20, she earned her pilot’s license, quickly making a name for herself with solo long-distance flights.
Marga von Etzdorf’s Berlin - Konstantinople - Berlin Flight (1930)
Total distance: 3,927 kilometers
Took off from Berlin on 18th August 1930, landed in Konstantinople on 23rd August, and returned to Berlin on 3rd September 1930.
Junkers A50
Marga von Etzdorf’s Flight from Berlin to Catania
Takeoff from Berlin on 14th November 1930, landing in Catania on 18th December 1930.


Junkers A50
Marga von Etzdorf’s Flight from Berlin to Tokyo
18th August 1931 – 29th August 1931

Junkers A50
Marga von Etzdorf gained fame in 1931 by flying solo from Germany to Tokyo in a Junkers A50, a remarkable achievement for any pilot at the time. Unfortunately, her life and career were cut short in 1933 when she tragically died by suicide during an attempted flight to Syria after facing technical difficulties and a forced landing.
Marga von Etzdorf remains a significant figure in aviation history, remembered for her bravery and contributions to early female pilots in a male-dominated field.
Seiji Yoshihara flight in 10 days from Berlin to Tokyo

Seiji Yoshihara was a pioneering Japanese aviator in the 1930s, best known for his remarkable flight from Berlin to Tokyo in a Junkers A50 aircraft. In 1930, he embarked on this daring solo journey, covering approximately 10960 kilometers, which was a significant achievement in the early days of aviation. His flight symbolized the growing ties between Germany and Japan at the time and showcased the capabilities of long-distance air travel. Yoshihara’s feat remains a notable chapter in aviation history, highlighting both his skill as a pilot and his adventurous spirit.
D-3 was only the ferry registration; later in September 1930, the aircraft was registered as J-BECB in Japan.
Junkers A50
The greatest distance covered in one day by Yoshihara during his hop from Berlin to Tokyo was on the fourth day, August 23rd, when he flew from Kazan to Noviosvusk, a distance of 2,299 kilometres.

Details of his daily flight record:
20. August 1930 - Berlin to Moscow, 1,442 km
21. August 1930 - Moscow to Seima, 657 km
22. August 1930 - Seima to Kazan, 510 km
23. August 1930 - Kazan to Noviosvusk, 2299 km
24. August 1930 - Noviosvusk to Krasnoyarsk, 758 km
25. August 1930 - Krasnoyarsk to Verchneudinsk, 1162 km
26. August 1930 - Verchneudinsk to Chita, 502 km
27. August 1930 - Chita to Harbin, 1350 km
28. August 1930 - Harbin to Keilo, 1180 km
29. August 1930 - Keijo to Osaka, 970 km
Seiji Yoshihara tried another long distance flight which he couldn't finish. I found some information about the flight here: https://www.oldtokyo.com/first-attempt-to-fly-solo-across-the-pacific-ocean-1931/
The following was mentioned in the FLIGHT magazine 1934. Investigation about this long distance flight is ongoing.
Junkers A50
The following are sourced from https://ntrs.nasa.gov
Below, I've gathered some data on the Junkers A50 Junior that might be of interest. This information is based solely on my research from the internet and publications in my possession.
SerialTypeDateRegistrationOwnerFate
3501A50ba07.1929D-1681JunkersScrapped 1935
3502A50be07.1929D-1682Junkers, J. Müller/DessauCancelled 03.1932
3503A50be07.1929D-1683JunkersCrashed 19.10.1929
3504A50be07.1929D-1684JunkersCrashed 16.07.1929
3505A50/511.1929D-1772JunkersCrashed 9.1930
3506A50ce01.1930D-1784H. Schneider/SchlettauCrashed 4.06.1937
3507A50ce01.1930VH-UNOWandouree, H.J. Barryman
Crashed 6.07.1930
3508A50ce02.1930?Foguete/PortugalCrashed before 20.09.1930
3509A50se02.1930D-1792, P-BAAHBage, Junkers, VARIGCrashed 04.1932
3510A50ce02.1930D-1789, D-ENINDLH
3511A50ce02.1930ZS-ABV
Crashed 30.06.1931
3512A50ce02.1931D-2155, G-AATH, D-EQAXJunkers, V. Haefner/Berlin
G. Branz/München

3513A50ce02.1930D-1790DLHDestroyed 10.1931
3514A50ce03.1930D-1802Junkers
3515A50ce03.1930D-1794JunkersCrashed 11.1936
3516A50ce03.1930D-1810Junkers, E. Gottwald/Breslau
w. Gremm u. A. Hilscher/Breslau

3517A5003.1930VH-UCC, VH-MRRP.J. Parker02.03.1936
3518A50ce03.1930D-1803, P-BAAI, PP-VAI, PP-RELMinuano, VARIG, PenaCrashed 09.1949
3519A50ce04.1930D-1811Marga von Etzdorf/BerlinCrashed 17.04.1932
3520A50ce05.1930SE-92, SE-ACIAB Flygindustri, Svenska LuftfartsforbundetCrashed 15.09.1930
3521A50ce04.1930D-1822Junkers, W. Meyer/Hamburg
3522A50ce04.1930D-1828Junkers, F. Steitz/BerlinCancelled 12.1936
3523A50ce05.1930


3524A50ce05.1930D-1842, D-EDUXDr. K. Fritsch/Plauen, DLVCancelled 02.1938
3525A50ce03.1930CF-ALW, CF-ANJ, CX-ABOAir-Land Manufacturing Co, VancouverCrashed 24.02.1946
3526A50ce06.1930D-1865JunkersCrashed 08.1930
3527A50ce06.1930D-1868Luftfahrtverein/AachenScrapped 11.1936
3528A50ci05.1930D-1821K. Bruegmann/Dessau, DLVDestroyed 01.1937
3529A50ce07.1930D-1914, J-BESB Junkers, Hotchi ICrashed 14.03.1931
3530A50ce07.1930D-1915, OH-ABBWäinö BremerCancelled 10.1973
3531A50ce09.1930?Junkers, Chinese Aero Club (Tian Chu)
3532A50ce11.1939R-157Berger, Mertig & Cia, Buenos Aires
3533A50ce06.1930D-1896JunkersCrashed 06.1930
3534A50ce1931P-BAAEVARIGCrashed 25.04.1931
3535A50ce1934D-EGINW. Meyer/Hamburg
3536A50ce1930HA-JOI

3537A50ci02.1932D-2208DLH
A50ci prototype

3538A50ce06.1930D-1862, D-ELYSJunkers
3539A50ci02.1932D-2209DLHcrashed 06.1932
3540A50ci06.1930D-1863, D-ENUFJunkers, Kleist & Co./Leipzig, DLV
3541A50ci02.1932D-2210DLH
3542A50ce06.1930D-1864JunkersDestroyed 02.1931
3543A50ci04.1932D-2240, D-ELARW. Meyer/Hamburg, Luftsportverband
Niedersachsen/Hamburg, DLV

3544A50ci10.1933D-2644, D-EHITDLV/BerlinCancelled 02.1938
3545A50ci10.1933D-2645, D-EFOVDLV/Berlin
Cancelled 02.1938
3546A50ci10.1933D-2646DLV/BerlinCrashed 03.1934
3547A50ci09.1933D-2647, D-ENOKDLV/Berlin
3548A50ci10.1933D-2648, D-EFIQDLV/Berlin
3549A50ci10.1933D-2641, D-EJIRLuftschiffhafen Gotha, Fl. Ortsgruppe
Gotha d. Fl.-Landesgruppe XI Thur des DLV

3550A50ce09.1932SE-ACM, D-2292, D-EZOTJohannes Risztics/Dessau, DLV
AB Flygindustri
Cancelled 10.1938
3551A50ci10.1933D-2642, D-EPUL
Luftschiffhafen Gotha, Fl. Ortsgruppe
Gotha d. Fl.-Landesgruppe XI Thur des DLV

3552A50ce08.1930D-3, J-BECBJunkers, Hochi Shimbun, Japan (Hochi)
3553A50du10.1931ZS-ADDSouth African AW
3554A50ce01.1931P-BAAE, PP-VAE, D-2166, D-EDENVARIG, DLHCrashed 20.03.1935
3555A50ce1931ACREBolivien Airforce
3556A50ce1932PIRAYBolivien Airforce
3557A50ce1932WARNESBolivien Airforce
3558A50ce03.1931J-BENBHochi Shimbun, Japan (Hochi 2)Crashed 05.07.1931
3559A50ce11.1930R-ACJD, LV-VAAArgentinien
3560A50ci10.1933D-2712, D-ETOF
Luftschiffhafen Gotha, Fl. Ortsgruppe
Gotha d. Fl.-Landesgruppe XI Thur des DLV

3561A50ci11.1930D-2710, D-EMUVJunkers, DLVCrashed 14.03.1935
3562A50ci10.1933D-2691, D-ESEZDLHCancelled 04.1935
3563A50ce05.1934D-EJUNW. Meyer/HamburgCancelled 03.1938
3564A50ce1930R-ACJC, R-191, T-5Paraguayan Air Force
3565A50ci01.1931D-1986DLV, AkafliegCrashed 16.05.1932
3566A50ci01.1931D-1987DLV, Akaflieg/AachenCrashed 12.1932
3567A50ci?(D-2690)DLH
3568A50ci07.1933D-2586Walter Meyer/Hamburg
3569
A50ci

HA-JAA
Tisza
Crashed 13.07.1934
3570
A50ci

HA-JAB
Duna
Cancelled 1938
3571
A50ci

HA-JAC
Balaton
Cancelled 1938
3572A50ci03.1931D-1999, D-ENIME. Bohm & F. Haack/Cottbus, DLV
3573A50ci07.1931D-2108, D-ENJADLH
3574A50ci07.1931D-2109, D-EDAQDLH
3575A50ci05.1931D-2054, CH-358, HB-UXI
DEVAG

3576A50ci05.1931OH-SKY, SK-1Finnish Air Force
3577
A50ci
03.1931D-2010H. Mueller/Dessau, DLH, DVS
3578
A50ci
?HA-MAX
Prince Odescalchi Aviation Sports Club

3579A50ci03.1931D-2011E. v. Vlothen/Dessau, DLHScrapped 10.1936
3580A50ci05.1931SE-ACS, F-AOZZAB Flygindustri/Limhamm
3581A50ci12.1931D-2039DLH
3582A50ce05.1931D-2042, D-EGBEOlex GmbH/Berlin, Edgar Gotthold/Breslau
3583A50du05.1931ZS-ACJ, SAAF2034Hopfner Windhoek South Africa
3584A50du05.1931ZS-ACK, SAAF1551
Hopfner Windhoek South Africa

3585A50du05.1931ZS-ACL, SAAF2035
Hopfner Windhoek South Africa

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3592A50??D-3095 ?

Newly made Junkers A50 Junior since 2021

JUNKERS Aircraft GmbH
Wittumsgrund 4
D-78727 Oberndorf-Hochmössingen

SerialTypeDateRegistrationRemark
001
Junkers A50 Junior
2022D-MDJU










004
Junkers A50 Junior
2023N50JU
005
Junkers A50 Junior
2023N50JG





007
Junkers A50 Junior
2023C-GKJU





009
Junkers A50 Junior
2023D-MQUI
010
Junkers A50 Junior
2023PP-JUN



































017Junkers A50 Junior
2024N17JU
018
Junkers A50 Junior
2024N18JU






Junkers A50 Junior

D-MKSG

Junkers A50 Junior

D-MJFW

Junkers A50 Junior

D-MJCZ






Junkers A50 Heritage

D-MJFG

Junkers A50 Heritage

D-MJUJ
References

I referenced the following books and magazines in my possession:

"Kiek in die Welt" by Marga von Etzdorf
"Junkers Nachrichten No. 4/5 1930"
"Junkers Nachrichten No. 1 1931"
"Four Continents by Sport Plane" by Wäinö Bremer.
"Die Junkers-Lehrschau, Eine Führung durch die Lehrschau der Junkers Flugzeug- und -Motorenwerke A.-G.. Dessau"
"Elegance and Versatility - Junkers Light Aircraft K16 to A50 Junior"

Further references:


With sincere appreciation, I acknowledge the generous permission granted by Günter Frost for the use of information and illustrations from the ‘Challenge International Avions de Tourisme 1929 and 1930’, which has significantly contributed to this work.


Also, my gratitude to the provided information send to me from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. UDAR-HAZY center, Archive Department


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