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German Balkenkreuz

Germany's Junkers Ju 287 jet bomber

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Design

The Junkers Ju 287 was the first jet bomber to fly.2

Engines

The Junkers Ju 287 had two engines under the wing and two on the sides of the fuselage near the cockpit.1

Wings

The wings swept forward 25°.2

Prototype

The Junkers Ju 287 prototype first flew on August 16, 1944, by Flugkapitän Siegfried Holzbauer at Brandis.1,3 Seventeen test flights were conducted when the project was cancelled until March 1945 when it was started again.3

Variants

  • Junkers Ju 287 V1: The fuselage was from a He 177.3 Used a tail unit from a Ju 388.3 Main wheels from a Ju 352.3 Used a nose wheel from a B-24.3
  • Junkers Ju 287 V2: Six jets.3
  • Junkers Ju 287 V3: Could carry 8,818 lb / 4,000 kg in bombs.3 Defensive armament was in the tail.3

Specifications

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  Junkers Ju 287
Type Bomber2
Crew 2 - 32
Pilot, Bombardier / Navigator, Radio Operator / Gunner2
Engine (Type) 2: Junkers2
4: Junkers Jumo 109-004 B-11,3, Junkers Jumo 00042
OR 6: BMW 003 A-12
OR 4: Heinkel-Hirth 0112
Thrust 2,000 lb each1
5,500 - 7,000 lb2
Dimensions  
Span 66'2, 67'1
20.1 m2
Length 60'1,2
18.3 m2
Wing area 628 sq ft2
58.3 sq m2
Weight  
Loaded 47,500 lb2
21,565 kg2
Performance  
Speed at Sea Level 509 mph2
814 kph2
Speed at 16,400' /
5,000 m 		527 mph2
859 kph2
Speed 350 mph1
Climb to 19,680' /
7,000 m 		10.5 minutes2
Range with 4,400 lb /
2,000 kg 		1,325 miles2
2,120 km2
Range with 6,600 lb /
3,000 kg bombs 		1,175 miles2
1,880 km2
Range with 8,000 lb /
4,000 kg bombs 		985 miles2
1,576 km2
Armament  
Turret - Tail 2: 13 mm MG 1312
Bombs 9,900 lb2
4,500 kg2
  Junkers Ju 287 V1
Type Heavy Bomber3
Engine (Type) 4: Junkers Jumo 109-004B-13
Thrust 1,984 lb3
900 kg3
Dimensions  
Span 65' 11.75"3
20.11 m3
Length 60' 0.5"3
18.3 m3
Wing area 627.3 sq ft3
58.3 sq m3
Weight  
Empty 27,579 lb3
12,510 kg3
Maximum load 44,092 lb3
20,000 kg3
Performance  
Speed at 19,865' /
6,000 m 		347 mph3
559 kph3
Service Ceiling 35,435'3
10,800 m3
Range 930 miles3
1,500 km3

Sources:

  1. World War II Airplanes Volume 1, Enzo Angelucci, Paolo Matricardi, 1976
  2. Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II, 1989
  3. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
20th Century American Military History Crucial Site