single engine Ju-52 bush plane

Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:05 pm

Here's an interesting one-off. I recently purchased "Bushplanes" by Geza Szurovy, Zenith Press, 2004 and there are a couple of photos of a Canadian Airways Junkers Ju-52 single-engine bush plane. One photo it's on skis, one on floats.
Not much description of it except, "..this Junkers was equipped with one especially powerful engine and a super efficient bour blade propeller."
It looks like a V-12 but there arent any good close ups of the nacelle. The prop is huge.

Anybody heard of or seen this thing? Anyone got any more info?

Doug.

Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:15 pm

There is a nice short history of CF-ARM here: http://www.wcam.mb.ca/junkers.html

A rare machine, the sixth out of seven single engined JU-52s built.

Scott

Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:57 pm

The original Ju 52 was a single engine design, which is why you should refer to the beast we all know and love as a Ju 52/3m, as that's the correct designation for the trimotor version.

Good info on the Junkers history on the web.

The WCAM machine is a retro-conversion from a 3m, and the only single engine version out there.

Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:10 pm

Cool! Thanks Scott and James. This was the first I'd ever heard of the 'ein motoren' versions, but then I've never exactly dug into the history of this aircraft design.
Need to get up there some day and look at the museum example.

thanks,
Doug

Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:09 pm

Back in the Mid 80's, the New England Air Museum had one of the few RR Buzzard engines out there. When WCAM was modifying their CASA to replicate CF-ARM, we traded the Buzzard for a sleeve valve Hercules from, I think, a Bristol freighter.
I think the engine was planned to be displayed next to CF-ARM and a mock-up engine was installed on the aircraft.
Jerry

Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:02 pm

Thanks Jerry - I'd imagine Buzzards are pretty rare!

Another Ju 52/3m factoid is that the outer engines point slightly outboard. You'll read that this is because they are at the same angle as the swept leading edge, and that it was a design compromise by Junkers. This is not true. They provide airflow directed slightly inboard to provide better airflow over the tail surfaces for better control at low speed and engine out control.

The Ju 52 is a very interesting and efficient machine.

Wed Apr 01, 2009 5:43 am

Back in the 1930's my Dad was working in aviation up in Northern Canada.
CF-ARM use to fly into Geart Bear Lake often.
Once in awhile he would assist the mechanic in charge of the a/c
His name was Emil Kating ( not sure of the spelling)The story is he worked for Junkers but was hired to come to Canada with the a/c
Somewhere I have a couple of pics of it on skis at Great Bear with the engine covered with tarps while they are pre-heating it.