Junkers A50

Infobox Aircraft
name = A50
type = Sports plane
manufacturer = Junkers

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caption =
designer = Hermann Pohlmann
first flight = February 13, 1929
introduced =
retired =
status =
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 69
unit cost =
variants with their own articles = The Junkers A50 was a German sports plane of 1930s, also called the A50 "Junior".

Development

The Junkers A50 was the first sportsplane designed by Hermann Pohlmann in Junkers works. It had the same modern all-metal construction, covered with duralumin sheet, as larger Junkers passenger planes. The first flight of the A50 took place on 13 February, 1929. It was followed by further four prototypes, in order to test different engines.

Junkers expected to produce 5,000 aircraft, but stopped after manufacturing only 69, of which only 50 were sold. Apart from Germany, they were used in several other countries and some were used by airlines. Starting from the A50ce variant, the wings could be folded for easier transport.

Three German A50 took part in the Challenge 1929 international touring plane competition in July, taking 11th place (A50be, pilot Waldemar Roeder) and 17th place. Three A50 took part also in the Challenge 1930 next year, taking 15th (A50ce, pilot Johann Risztics), 27th and 29th places. In June 1930 a series of eight FAI world records for altitude, range and average speed were set on a floatplane variant of A50 with the Armstrong Siddeley 59 kW (79 hp)engine. In 1931 Marga von Etzdorf flew an A50 solo from Berlin to Tokyo, the first woman to do so.

Variants

*A50 - Armstrong Siddeley Genet 59 kW radial engine
*A50ba - Walter 59 kW engine (one built)
*A50be - Armstrong Siddeley Genet 59 kW engine
*A50ce - Armstrong Siddeley Genet II 63 kW engine or for export Genet Major I 74 kW, folding wings
*A50ci - Siemens-Halske Sh 13, 65 kW radial engine, folding wings
*A50fe - Armstrong Siddeley Genet II, 63 kW engine, modified airframe, folding wings

Due to their construction, the A50 were durable aircraft and they lasted long in service. There is one A50 preserved in Deutsches Museum in Munich and another in Helsinki airport. One A50 is in airworthy condition in Australia.

Description

Metal construction sports plane, conventional in layout, with low wings, duralumin covered. Crew of two, sitting in tandem in separate open cockpits (if it flew without a passenger, one cockpit could be closed with a cover). Two-blade propeller. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear skid. Fuel tank 95 l.

Operators

*AUS
*BRA
*FIN
*flag|Germany|Weimar
*JPN
*POR
*flag|South Africa|1928: South African Air Force
*SUI
*UK

pecifications (A50)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=
crew=two
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 7.12 m
length alt= 23 ft 4 in
span main= 10 m
span alt= 32 ft 10 in
height main= 2.40 m
height alt= 7 ft 10 in
area main= 13.7 m²
area alt= 147.4 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 373 kg
empty weight alt= 820 lb
loaded weight main= 600 kg
loaded weight alt= 1,320 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)= Armstrong Siddeley Genet
type of prop= radial engine
number of props=1
power main= 59 kW
power alt= 79 hp
power original=
max speed main=172 km/h
max speed alt= 107 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 4,600 m
ceiling alt= 1,288 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
* BFW M.23
sequence=
lists=
see also=

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/hjunkers/ju_a50_a1.htm Junkers A50 ]