Junkers Ju 352

Hi - go to the Boeing B314 'PanAm Flying Clipper' entry to see how and why I was fortunate to fly from Brazil to Africa in early '45 on that incredible machine. The next adventure was just as memorable but not so much fun - crossing the Sahara in a Ju-352. It was mid-1946, I was 7 years old; My medical missionary parents were due for a 1-year furlough. We flew from Kano to Zinder in Piper Cub, then on to Dakar and North Africa across the desert in a Ju-352 tri-motor. The French crew spoke no English and we spoke no French. For several days we flew about 500-600 miles at about 1,500 feet; I could see the palm trees. It was a roller-coaster ride, I was airsick every day. Apparently the pilot flew 'visual' oasis-to-oasis; we stopped at one every night and slept in a guest hut. I was so happy to get to Algiers! Then on to Lisbon and finally New York on a TWA Constellation (I think) with a stopover in Gander. After 70 years the last part of the trip gets a little fuzzy; I must have been sleepy!

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Ju-352a

Crew: 3-4
Length: 24.60 m (80 ft 8½ in)
Wingspan: 34.20 m (112 ft 2¾ in)
Height: 5.74 m (18 ft 10¼ in)
Wing area: 128.20 m² (1,379.90 ft²)
Empty weight: 12,500 kg (27,561 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 19,600 kg (43,216 lb)
Powerplant: 3 × BMW Bramo 323 R-2 Fafnir 9-cylinder radial engine, 735.5 kW, (986 hp,)1,000 PS 883 kW (1,200 PS, 1,184 hp) with MW-50 each

Performance

Maximum speed: 370 km /h (230 mph) at 5,050 m (16,565 ft)
Cruise speed: 241 km /h (150 mph)
Range: 1,800 km (1,120 miles)
Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,685 ft)

Armament

Guns: ** 1 x MG 151 cannon in dorsal turret
2 x MG 131 machine guns in side windows

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The line of this ramp can be seen on the 3 view & hinged aprroximately where the rear side door is located.

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Hi, first of all thank you very much for these excelent internet website! I don't want to say a wrong thing, but I think that the color profile has a mistake: the aircraft represented should be a Junkers Ju 252, the V1, with the Bramo engines, so the version should be the Ju 252C, not the Ju 352.

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The underside rear fuselage could hinge down & act a s a loading ramp bringing the fuselage on a flat plane instead of tailsitting. Quitye a neat idea. The line of this ramp can be seen on the 3 view & hinged aprroximately where the rear side door is located.

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