Flying Wing Aircraft, 1930

JF Ptak Science Books LLC  Post 919

What can I say?  I just like the flying wing. Also I should point out that the Illustrated London News is an excellent resource for schematic cut-aways like this--I think that I have 125 or so of them here for the 1910-1945 period.

Junkers built this fabulous flying (“inhabited”) “wing only” aircraft, sending it up for commercial service in 1929 as the largest airplane in the world. Only two were built (though a Japanese military knock-off ran to a production quantity of six), and I imagine that it was quite expensive making the Berlin-London flight, cruising in around at 109 mph.

I would like to know what the artist was thinking about when he decided to draw a standing man in the sleeping compartments. Not only that, the fellow is looking straight at the artist...perhaps it is a sly, tiny self-portrait?

 

Notes

 

1.  Plane specifications:

Crew: Seven (including a full-time engineer who could service the plane’s four engines from inside the plane).

Capacity: between 30 and 34 passengers, depending upon variation of the aircraft.

Length:  75 ft

Wingspan: 144 ft

Height: 23 ft

Wing area: 3,122 sq ft

Empty weight: 32,893 lbs

Loaded weight: 52,900 lb

Max takeoff weight: 46,826 lb

Maximum speed: 140 mph

Cruising speed: 109 mp

Range: 2,150 miles

Service ceiling: 12,100 ft