Junkers Ju 160

Overview

The Junkers Ju 160 was a single-engine low-wing passenger transport aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Junkers Derived from the Ju 60, the Ju 160 was targeted at the same fast airliner market as the Heinkel He 70 Blitz and the Lockheed Model 9 Orion. The German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa has commissioned the unsuccessful Ju 60; Junkers decided to design an improved derivative in 1934. Capable of seating up to six passengers and operated by a crew of two, the Ju 160 benefitted from the adoption of a new wing, a more powerful engine, and an aerodynamically cleaner exterior (which included an inwards-retracting undercarriage). The first prototype was taken from the Ju 60's assembly line. The German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa operated a fleet of at least 20 aircraft, which it used largely on internal routes. Several other airlines also procured the Ju 160, including Weser Flugbau and at least one Manchurian operator. The type commenced civil operations in 1935 and was operating some of Deutsche Lufthansa's routes as late as 1941. Following the start of the Second World War, the Luftwaffe opted to impress the majority of civil Ju 160s in Germany; in a military capacity, the aircraft was largely used for communication and training purposes.