Scale-models hall of fame-Hugo Junkers.

**wonwinglo** · 01-12-2005

Preserved Junkers Ju.52 3/m operated by Lufthansa in their historic flight,rebuilt from three airframes the aircrafts uses Pratt & Witney powerplants,this classic aircraft epitomises the corrugated construction used by Hugo Junkers in his many designs.

Hugo Junkers (3 February 1859 - 3 February 1935) was an innovative German engineer, as his many in varied areas (gas engines, aeroplanes) show,his use of corrugated metal to save weight without sacrificing strength is well known .
The name Junkers is mainly known in connection with aircraft, which were produced under this name for theLuftwaffe during World war 2. By then, however, the Nazi government was running his many businesses, and Hugo Junkers himself was gone.
Working as an engineer, Junkers devised, patented, and exploited gas engines, heaters, a calorie meter and other varied inventions. His aeronautical work began in earnest only at the age of fifty. He had far-seeing ideas of metal aeroplanes and flying wings, but always realities of war dragged him back.World war 1 meant the government forced him to focus on production. Several business ventures failed from wider economic or political problems that scuppered sound engineering plans. He always had more ideas; the huge G38 delivered to Lufthansa made no commercial trips for many months as he repeatedly recalled it to the factory for improvements.
During the 1920's Junkers' employees represented a wide spectrum of views. There were left wing cultural developments and National Socialists. There were pacifists and World war 1 veterans who were convinced Germany would remilitarise following the ideas of some people.Some preferred pure scientific research, others focused on full scale production. About every aspect of the business, and of its environment, There were differing opinions.
For members of all the many groups represented in Junkers, aviation offered hope for National renewal. Their varied views led to lively internal corporate politics until the Nazi government interfered. Junkers claimed affinity with Hitler's nationalist commitment, but ultimately had little sympathy with the requirements of mobilization for total.
Junkers was a socialist and a pacifist; perhaps for these reasons, he had Several occasions to
cross swords with German leaderships. In 1917 the government forced him into partnership with Anthony Fokker to ensure wartime production targets would be met. In 1926, unable to make government loan repayments after a failed venture to build planes for the USSR, he lost control of most of his businesses. In 1933, the Nazi government, on taking power, immediately demanded ownership of Junkers' patents and control of his remaining companies. Under threat of imprisonment he eventually acquiesced, to little avail; a year later he was under house arrest; a year after that he was dead,and so ended the chequered career of a brilliant engineer.