The Junkers Ju 86, developed as a 10-passenger airliner and four-seat bomber, was designed around the Junkers Jumo 205 diesel engine. The first of five prototypes was flown during 1934, its performance proving disappointing but, nevertheless, the type entered production as both airliner and bomber in late 1935. Initial deliveries of Ju 86A-1 pre-production bombers were made in February 1936 and the first Ju 86B pre-production transport for Swissair was delivered in April 1936.

Five Ju 86D-1 bombers with improved Jumo 205C engines served with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, but the powerplant did not stand up well to combat conditions and the aircraft proved markedly inferior to the Heinkel He 111. Military export orders included the Ju 86K-1 for South Africa and Sweden, where Saab subsequently licence-built the type; the Ju 86K-2 for Hungary, which built 66; and the Ju 86K-6 for Chile and Portugal.

Luftwaffe dissatisfaction with the capability of the Ju 86D led to the far more reliable Ju 86E-1 with B.M.W. 132F radial engines and the Ju 86E-2 with B.M.W. 132Ns; improvements introduced during production brought re-designation of the last 40 Ju 86Es on the production line as Ju 86G-1 aircraft, with round glazed noses; production ended in 1938. However, in 1939 two Ju 86D airframes were used for conversion as the Jumo 207A-engined prototypes of a high-altitude version with a two-seat pressurised cabin. Successful trials led to two initial production versions, the Ju 86P-1 bomber and Ju 86P-2 reconnaissance aircraft. The latter had a ceiling of about 12800m, and in an effort to gain more altitude a high aspect ratio wing spanning 32.00m was introduced to produce the Ju 86R-1 reconnaissance aircraft and Ju 86R-2 bomber. Only a few reached service, but one demonstrated a ceiling of 14400m. Development of the Ju 86R-3 with supercharged Jumo 208 engines and of the proposed Ju 186 four-engined high-altitude bomber based on the Ju 86 were abandoned. A six-engined Ju 286 high-altitude bomber did not progress beyond the initial planning stage.

3-View

A three-view drawing (1000 x 699)