German Junkers Ju 88s

German twin engine multirole combat aircraft

War & ConflictDisasters & Accidents

German Junkers Ju 88s — Image via Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia.

Overview

What happened

All 17 aboard a BOAC de Havilland DH.86 were killed when two German Junkers Ju 88 fighters intercepted the aircraft over the Bay of Biscay on June 1, 1943.

Date

June 1, 1943

Key people

Leslie Howard, Walter Huston

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed and engaging account of the shooting down of BOAC Flight 777, including the circumstances surrounding the incident, the impact on the families of the...

What was German Junkers Ju 88s?

The Junkers Ju 88 is a twin-engined multirole combat aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works. It was used extensively during the Second World War by the Luftwaffe and became one of the most versatile combat aircraft of the conflict. The Ju 88 originated from a Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) requirement issued in 1934 for a new multipurpose aircraft. Junkers was one of several firms to respond, producing two separate design studies that produced both the Ju 85 and Ju 88. The design work was headed by Junkers' chief designer Ernst Zindel. The Ju 88 was envisioned to function as a so-called Schnellbomber ("fast bomber") that would evade interception by enemy fighters of its era by flying at high speed.

Background and consequences

On 21 December 1936, the first prototype performed its maiden flight. The performance of the third prototype was highly favourable, resulting in the competing Henschel Hs 127 and Messerschmitt Bf 162 being abandoned. During late 1937, the Ju 88 was developed into a heavy dive bomber, but this feat proved to be too stressful for the airframe even with modifications. A series of technical problems troubled the aircraft's development, delaying its introduction to squadron service from 1938 to September 1939, by which point the Second World War had already started. The Ju 88 first saw action with the Luftwaffe during the invasion of Poland.

Standard Ju 88 main landing gear installation, from the V6 prototype onwards

Why it matters

It would subsequently be deployed into numerous theatres of the conflict, including the Norwegian campaign, the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain, the invasion of Yugoslavia, the invasion of Greece, the Siege of Malta, the North African campaign, and the Eastern Front amongst others. While the Luftwaffe was the primary operator of the Ju 88, numerous other nation's air services also flew the type in quantity during the war; these include the Finnish Air Force, Regia Aeronautica and the Royal Romanian Air Force. The Ju 88 was one of the Luftwaffe's most important and heavily used aircraft during the Second World War. The aircraft, akin to several other German bombers of the era, served as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, and heavy fighter.

Related on thisDay

BOAC Flight 777 is shot down over the Bay of Biscay by German Junkers Ju 88s — June 1, 1943

17 lives lost: on June 1, 1943, German Junkers Ju 88s intercepted a BOAC de Havilland DH.86 over the Bay of Biscay, resulting in a tragic crash.

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: BOAC Flight 777 is shot down over the Bay of Biscay by German Junkers Ju 88s — June 1, 1943 Wikipedia source

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