Junkers G 31

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The Junkers G 31 was an airliner produced in small numbers in Germany in the early 1920s. It was an all-metal, low-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional design, based on the Junkers G 24 but somewhat larger. Originally, the G 31 had been intended to equip Junkers' own airline, Junkers Luftverkehr, but this venture was merged into Lufthansa in 1926, and the new airline purchased only eight G 31s. Because their spacious cabins lent themselves to the incorporation of reclining chairs for sleeping passengers, these aircraft were used on Lufthansa's long-range routes, particularly to Scandinavia. The G 31s continued in this role until 1935, when replaced by the Junkers Ju 52.

Four other G 31s were sold for freighting cargo in New Guinea. Operated by Guinea Airways, one was owned by the airline itself, while the other three were owned by the Bulolo Gold Dredging Company. These differed from the G 31 airliners in having open cockpits, and a large hatch in the fuselage roof to accommodate the loading of bulky cargo via crane. In one particular operation, the G 31s were used to airlift eight 3,000-tonne dredges (in parts) from Lae to Bulolo. Three of the aircraft were destroyed in a Japanese air-raid on Bulolo on 21 January 1942, and the remaining aircraft was impressed into RAAF service ten days later. This machine (construction number 3010, registration VH-UOW) was seriously damaged in an accident at Laverton, Victoria on 31 October that year after it careened off the runway and collided with and destroyed the Minister for Air's car. Although judged beyond repair by the Air Force, it eventually returned to freighter use in New Guinea for some time after the war.

Variants

* G 31.1 - prototype with three Junkers L5 engines
* G 31.2 - as G 31.1 with centre engine replaced with BMW VI
* G 31ba - production version of G 31.2
* G 31de - version with three Gnome et Rhone-built Bristol Jupiter VI engines, enclosed cockpit and second tail fin
* G 31fi - version with three Siemens-built Bristol Jupiter engines, and enlarged wing and fuselage
* G 31fo - version with three BMW-built Pratt & Whitney Hornet engines
* G 31ho - as G 31fo with centre engine replaced with Pratt & Whitney- built Hornet
* G 31go - freighter version for New Guinea with open cockpit and 3.60 m × 1.50 m (11 ft 10 in × 5 ft) cargo hatch in roof.

pecifications (G 31fo)

aerospecs
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met or eng?= met
crew=Two pilots
capacity=16 passengers
length m=17.28
length ft=56
length in=8
span m=30.30
span ft=99
span in=5
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wing area sqm=102.0
wing area sqft=1,097
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volume m3=
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empty weight kg=5,250
empty weight lb=11,550
gross weight kg=5,500
gross weight lb=18,700
lift kg=
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eng1 number=3
eng1 type=BMW-built Pratt & Whitney Hornet
eng1 kw= 390
eng1 hp= 525
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max speed kmh=211
max speed mph=132
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range km=1,050
range miles=656
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ceiling m=4,300
ceiling ft=1,300
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References

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* [http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Junkers%20G31%20VH-UOW.htm Civil Aviation Historical Society website]
* [http://www.adf-serials.com/2a44.shtml ADF serials website]
* [http://hugojunkers.pytalhost.com/ju_g31_a1.htm Hugo Junkers homepage]
* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/cw1/jug31.html Уголок неба]
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