Germany's Junkers Ju 188 medium bomber

Photos

Junkers Ju 188 medium bomber:	Junkers Ju 188 medium bomber:	Junkers Ju 188 medium bomber:
Junkers Ju 188 medium bomber:

Design

In 1939 the German air ministry issued a "Bomber B" requirement for a replacement for the Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 86.^1,4 Junkers proposed the Ju 288 as an advanced design.¹ However, the Ju 288 was delayed and the Ju 188 was more conventional.^1,2

The first prototype of the Junkers Ju 188 was a Junkers Ju 88E that was modified.⁴ The wings had a pointed tip and were longer.⁴ The empennage was changed as well.⁴ It could have either Junkers Jumo 213s or BMW 801s engines installed.⁴ The BMWs were available in greater quantities so they were installed.⁴

Cockpit

The cockpit was encased in glass.³ The dorsal turret was located above the cockpit.³

Engines

The German air ministry wanted the Ju 188 to have interchangeable engines.¹ It would be able to use the Jumo 213 or BMW 801 depending on availability.¹

The engines had MW50 methanol-water injection to increase performance.¹

Bomb Bay

In the reconnaissance version the bomb bay was converted to carry a fuel tank.¹

Wings

The wings had extended wingtips to increase performance.^1,3

Prototype

The first Ju 188 prototypes flew in early 1940.³

The pre production Ju 188B-0 was completed in February 1943.²

Production

Production ceased in the spring of 1944 as production priorities shifted to fighters.²

• Total: 1,076^2,4, ~1,100³
  • Manufacturer: Junkers Flugzeug und Motorenwerke A.G.⁴
  • Production: February 1943 - ?⁴

Variants

• Junkers Ju 188V1: Was the Ju 88 V44 prototype.¹ Had a dorsal turret and squared tail.¹
• Junkers Ju 188V2: Was under test in January 1943.¹
• Junkers Ju 188?: At least a single Ju 188E was converted to a transport for senior officers.¹
• Junkers Ju 188A: Appeared in mid 1943.³ Had Junkers Jumo 213 in-line engine (1,600 HP).⁴ Did not have dive brakes.⁴
• Junkers Ju 188A-1: Bomber.³ Had Junkers Jumo 213A-1 water methanol boosted engines (2,240 HP).² Appeared in January 1944.²
• Junkers Ju 188A-2: Night operations.³ Operational in January 1944.⁴ 2,240 HP engines.⁴
• Junkers Ju 188A-3: Torpedo bomber.^1,2,3,4 Could carry two torpedos.¹
• Junkers Ju 188B-0: Pre production version.² Had BMW 801 radial engines (1,600 HP).² Wings were sharply pointed.²
• Junkers Ju 188C: Experimental variant.³ Had remote control tail turret.³
• Junkers Ju 188D: Photo reconnaissance.^2,3,4
• Junkers Ju 188D-2: Had search radar.³
• Junkers Ju 188E: Used often over Britain as a path finder from 1943 to 1944.³ First main production model.⁴ Became operational in October 1943.⁴
• Junkers Ju 188E-2: Torpedo bomber.^1,2,3 Had the FuG 200 maritime radar.¹ Could carry two torpedoes under the wings.^1,3
• Junkers Ju 188F: Reconnaissance version.^1,2,3,4
  Used the BMW 801 or Jumo 213 engine.¹
  Used BMW 801D engine (1,700 HP).²
• Junkers Ju 188G: Experimental bomber.^3,4 Had tail turret.^3,4
• Junkers Ju 188H: Reconnaissance.⁴
• Junkers Ju 188R: Night fighter version that only progressed as far as evaluation.^1,3,4
• Junkers Ju 188S: High altitude intruder version.^1,3,4 Had pressurized cabin.^3,4 Engines were water methanol boosted.³ Could go 435 mph / 440 mph⁴ / 700 kph at altitude.³ Had Junkers Jumo 213E-1 (2,168 HP) engines.⁴ Could carry 1,760 lbs of bombs.⁴
• Junkers Ju 188T: Reconnaissance version.^1,2,3,4 Had Junkers Jumo 213E-1 three speed two stage supercharged and nitrous oxide boosted engines (2,168 HP).^2,4 Could go 435 mph / 700 kph at altitude.³ Had pressurized cabin.⁴

Usage

The Ju 188 was used by Germany.³

Crews liked the good handling that the Ju 188 had.¹

On August 18, 1943, the first sortie was flown from a French base.^1,2 It was a pathfinder mission over northern England.¹

Units

About six Luftwaffe Gruppen were equipped with Ju 188s.³

Operation Steinbock

In January 1944 the Ju 188s were used in the 400 bomber raid on London.^1,2

After World War II

After World War II the French Aéronavale used 30 ex-German and 12 SNCASE built Ju 188Es and Ju 188Fs.¹

Specifications

	Junkers Ju 1883	Junkers Ju 188A3	Junkers Ju 188D3	Junkers Ju 188D-21	Junkers Ju 188E3	Junkers Ju 188E-12,4
Type	Bomber3 Reconnaissance3			Maritime reconnaissance1		Bomber2,4
Crew	4 - 53			31 Pilot, flight engineer, radar/radio operator.1		44, 52
Engine (Type)		2: Junkers Jumo 213A3	2: Junkers Jumo 213A3	2: Junkers Jumo 213A-11	2: BMW 801D/G3	2: BMW 801 D-24 2: BMW 801ML piston2
Cylinders		Inverted V 123	Inverted V 123	Inline 121	Radial 143	Raidal2, Radial 144
Cooling						Air4
HP		1,776 each3	1,776 each3	Takeoff: 1,700 each1 MW50 injection: 2,240 each1	1,700 each3	1,600 each2, 1,700 each4
Propeller blades		3 each3	3 each3	3 each1	3 each3
Fuel capacity
Dimensions
Span	72' 2"3 22 m3			72' 2"1 22 m1		72' 2"2,4 22 m2
Length	49' 0.5"3 14.95 m3			49'1 14.95 m1		49'4, 49' 0.5"2 14.95 m2
Height	14' 7"3 4.44 m3			14' 7"1 4.44 m1		14' 6.75"2, 14' 7"4 4.44 m2
Wing area				603 ft2 1		602.8 ft2 2 56 m2 2
Weight
Empty				21,780 lb1 9,900 kg1		21,737 lb2, 21,825 lb3 9,860 kg2, 9,900 kg3
Loaded				33,430 lb1 15,195 kg1		31,989 lb2,3,4 14,510 kg2,3
Performance
Speed @ 19,685' / 6,000 m					311 mph3 500 kph3	310 mph4, 311 mph2 500 kph2
Speed @ 20,000' / 6,096 m				334 mph1 539 kph1
Speed @ 20,500' / 6,250 m		325 mph3 523 kph3
Cruising speed					233 mph3 375 kph3
Climb to 19,685' / 6,000 m						17.6 minutes2
Service ceiling		33,000'3 10,058 m3		32,800'1 10,000 m1	30,665'3 9,346 m3	30,665'4, 31,510'2 9,300 m2
Range		1,550 miles3 2,495 km3			1,210 miles3 1,947 km3	1,210 miles4, 1,211 miles2 195 km2
Range @ 20,000' / 6,096 m with drop tanks				2,100 miles1 3,395 km1
Armament						3: MG4 1: 20 mm4
Nose	1: 20 mm3
Nose turret						1: 20 mm MG 151/202
Dorsal turret	1: 13 mm MG3	1: 20 mm4		1: 20 mm MG 1511		1: 20 mm MG 151/202
Rear dorsal position						1: 13 mm MG 1312
Rear ventral position						1: 13 mm MG 1312
Rear cockpit	1: 13 mm MG3			1: 13 mm MG 131 MG1
Ventral step	2: 7.92 mm MG3			1: 7.9 mm MG 81z twin MG1
Bomb load	6,614 lb3 3,000 kg3					6,614 lb2,4 3,000 kg2