The Junkers A50 Junior in South Africa, updated 09.03.2025
Junkers A50
The following pictures and descriptions are courtesy of The South African Airways Museum Society Archives.
In the video to the left, I noticed a Junkers A50 (pictured below). After further research, I contacted the webmaster of The Tiger Moth Club of South Africa, who kindly provided the additional pictures and descriptions presented here.
I’m grateful to both organizations for their generous assistance and permission to share these remarkable insights into aviation history.
Below the Junkers F13 ZS-ABU and two of the three Junkers A50 Junior, ZS-ACJ, ZS-ACK, ZS-ACL,
ZS-ABV JUNKERS A 50du C/N 3511 South West African Airways no name
The aircraft was delivered by sea and rail to Johannesburg, South Africa together with Junkers F 13 ZS-ABU. The aircraft was registered ZS-ABV on the 30th of April 1930 to F Hoepfner, c/o Stinnes (S.A.), Limited, Johannesburg, manager of Junkers South Africa Ltd., The aircraft was assembled at Baragwanath Airfield and test flown for type certificate and airworthiness by FCJ Fry on 25th April 1930 Junkers Company used the aircraft as a demonstration aircraft in Southern Africa. When the Junkers Company was awarded an airmail contract the aircraft was transferred to South West African Airways in March 1931 and was based in Windhoek. The aircraft was first used for locating emergency landing grounds for proposed internal air service. On the 1st of April 1931 the aircraft operated the first experimental commercial airmail service from Windhoek – Keetmanshoop – Upington – Kimberley to connect up with the Imperial Airways service between Cape Town and London. The aircraft crashed and was written off at Marienthal, South West Africa in mid 1931.
ZS-ADD JUNKERS A 50du C/N 3553 no name
The aircraft was registered in the South African civil register in December 1931. Very little is known about this aircraft except that it was chartered by Union Airways to fly mail routes from early May to July 1932 usually flying Port Elizabeth – George – Cape Town and return. ZS-ADD was also used for a charter from Port Elizabeth - Kimberley – Port Elizabeth, it was also used to fly up to Hillmore Farm with spares and technical support a couple of times when the Junkers F13, ZS-ADR force landed there. Photographic evidence exists of crashed ZS-ADD in the hangar at Eros Airport Windhoek, the dates and if the aircraft was eventually restored are not known.
ZS-ACJ JUNKERS A 50du C/N 3583 South West African Airways Name SILVER ARROW
The aircraft was sold to South West African Airways and registered to that airline in February 1931. The aircraft was transported by sea and arrived at Walvis Bay on the 28th of May 1931 and was then railed to Windhoek for assembly by Junkers engineer, Gottlieb Pfieffer at Eros Airfield. The aircraft was test flown at Windhoek by FCJ Fry on the 9th June 1931. This aircraft operated the first South West African internal airmail service to Tsumeb on the 1st August 1931, Frikkie Fry was the pilot. The aircraft was transferred to South African Airways on their purchase of South West African Airways on the 1st of February 1935. The aircraft was sold to Cornelius Dempers, a garage owner and Ford dealer, in Windhoek. When war broke the aircraft was impressed into the South African Air Force in March 1940 and allocated the tail number 2034. The aircraft was probably scrapped and the registration cancelled from the civil register on the 27th June 1947.
ZS-ACK JUNKERS A 50du C/N 3584 South West African Airways Name SILVER BIRD
The aircraft was sold to South West African Airways and registered to that airline in February 1931. The aircraft was transported by sea and arrived at Walvis Bay on the 28th of May 1931 and then railed to Windhoek for assembly by Pfieffer at Eros Airfield. The aircraft was test flown at Windhoek by FCJ Fry on the 9th June 1931. When an administrative staff member became seriously ill with Blackwater fever, flight captain Schoeman of Windhoek was sent on a mercy flight to Ondangwa. His mission was to fetch Mr. Linder and return him to Windhoek for proper medical treatment. Reports in the Cape Times of the 15th February 1933 state that on take-off the plane was unable to rise high enough before reaching the end of the landing ground, and the undercarriage struck the top of one of the palm trees which fringe the ground. Schoeman and his ill passenger escaped serious injury. Mr. Linder recovered with out travelling to Windhoek. The aircraft was disassembled and transported by rail to Windhoek and rebuilt using parts of ZS-ABV and possibly ZS-ADD. The aircraft was transferred to South African Airways on their purchase of South West African Airways on the 1st of February 1935. SAA sold the aircraft to Philip Hesselson as an accident free aircraft in May 1936 for the sum of £450. The aircraft was flown to Croydon, South of London and back via the East African route. The aircraft was impressed into the South African Air Force in March in 1940 and allocated tail number 1551, it was later transferred to No.70 Air School for Technical Training (airframes and engines) with number IS9, the aircraft was scrapped and the civil registration was cancelled 27th June 1947.
A picture of ZS-ACK can be seen here:
ZS-ACL JUNKERS A 50du C/N 3585 South West African Airways Name SILVER FLASH
The aircraft was sold to South West African Airways and registered to that airline in February 1931. The aircraft was transported by sea together with ZS-ACJ and ZS-ACK and arrived at Walvis Bay on the 28th of May 1931 and then railed to Windhoek for assembly by Pfieffer. The aircraft was test flown by Frikkie Fry at Windhoek on 9th June 1931; the aircraft was based at Windhoek, and was later transferred to Union Airways and based in Port Elizabeth. The aircraft was transferred to South African Airways on their purchase of South West African Airways on the 1st of February 1935 The aircraft was sold to doctors Francois Marais and Gerrit van Schalkwyk around 1937 or 1938 for use as a flying doctor service out of Windhoek. This service was the first in South West Africa and probably one of the first in the world. The aircraft was impressed into the South African Air Force in March 1940 and allocated the tail number 2035. The aircraft was kept at Windhoek, parts were stolen and the aircraft was vandalized until it became unserviceable, the registration cancelled from the civil register on the 27th June 1947.
