Lufthansa: An Airline and Its Aircraft

98 Pages·1991·73.72 MB·English

by  R. E. G. Davies

u t a n s a
AN AIRLINE AND ITS AIRCRAFT
By R. E. G. Davies
Illustrated by Mike Machat
u t a n s a
AN AIRLINE AND ITS AIRCRAFT
-
OTHER BOOKS BY R. E. G. DAVI"ES
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Airlines of Latin America Since 1919
Continental Airlines: The First Fifty Years
Rebels and Reformers of the Airways
Pan Am: An Airline and Its Aircraft
AN AIRLINE AND ITS AIRCRAFT
By R. E. G. Davies
Illustrated by Mike Machat
ORION BOOKS/NEW YORK
-
This bookisdedicatedtoWernerBittner, Lufthansa's archivist,whoseapproachtohis
vocation is perfectionistic but not pedantic. His meticulous record-keeping has provided
aresourcewhich isasinexhaustibleashispatiencewiththose, includingthisauthor,who
constantly seek his help.
Also, to Gunther Ott, whose generosity in sharing with me the results of a lifetime of
laborious research into the "old" Luft Hansa has been more valuable than a roomful of
reference books. His meticulous review of the prewar fleet lists has contributed sub
stantially to the historical accuracy of this book.
Textand maps copyright © 1991 by R. E. G. Davies
Illustrations copyright ©1991 by Mike Machat
All rightsreserved. Nopartofthisbookmaybereproduced ortransmitted inanyform
orbyanymeans, electronicormechanical, including photocopying, recording, orby
anyinformationstorageand retrieval system, withoutpermissioninwriting from the
publisher.
Published byOrion Books, adivisionofCrownPublishers, Inc., 201 East50thStreet,
NewYork, NewYork10022
ORIONandcolophonaretrademarksofCrown Publishers, Inc.
Manufactured inJapan
Designed byR. E. G. Davies
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-Publication Data
Davies, R. E. G. (Ronald EdwardGeorge)
Lufthansa: anairlineanditsaircraftbyR. E. G. Davies;
illustrated byMikeMacha!.
p. cm.
Includesindex.
1.DeutscheLufthansa(1953- )-History. 2. DeutscheLufthansa
(1926- )-History. 3. Airlines-History. 4. Airlines-
Germany(West)-History. I.Title.
HE9849D4D381991
387.7'065'43-dc19 88-22463
CIP
ISBN0-517-57022-X
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
FirstEdition
Contents Flexing the Muscles
Aircraft Large and Small Junkers-G 38 42-43
Lighter-than-Air Prelude The Standard Workhorse Junkers-Ju 52/3m 44-45
The Dawn of Air Transport Zeppelin LZ 10 Schwaben 2-3 Consolidation in the 1930s Tante Ju and Gooney Bird 46-47
The First Scheduled Airship Zeppelin LZ 120 Bodensee 4-5 Into a New Era Junkers-Ju 86 48-49
Service
Modern Airliners Junkers-Ju 90 50-51
Ancestral Heritage North Atlantic Rehearsal Blohm & Voss Ha 139 52-53
The World's First Sustained AEG J II K 6-7 End of the Airship Era Zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg 54-55
Airline
Triumph and Tribulation
Aero-Union Sablatnig Pili 8-9
Historic Landplane Sortie Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor 56-57
Deruluft Fokker-Grulich F.III 10-11
Eastward Bound A Far East Route at Last 58-59
The Lloyd Group Dornier Komet III 12-13
Outposts on the Pacific Rim Dramatic Rescue 60-61
Junkers Enterprise Junkers-F 13 14-15
A German Airline Empire Lufthansa in 1939 62-63
The Europa-Union Triumph Over Adversity 16-17
Lufthansa and the War Effort Final Countdown 64-65
The Exploratory Years
Born Again
Formation of Deutsche Luft Ancestry of Deutsche Luft 18-19
A New Start Convair 340 66-67
Hansa Hansa
Back to the Atlantic Lockheed L-1049G Super 68-69
An Airline of Many Parts Dornier Merkur 20-21
Constellation
D.L.H. Gets Under Way Rohrbach Roland 22-23
Turbine Power Vickers Viscount 814-0 70-71
First Steps Toward the East Junkers-G 24 24-25
Goodbye to Propellers Lockheed L.1649A Starliner 72-73
Foothold in the Orient Junkers-W 33 26-27
Jets and More Jets
SCADTA-Oldest Airline in the Caribbean Reconnaissance 28-29
Into the Jet Age Boeing 707-330B and 720B 74-75
Americas
The Europa Jet Boeing 727-230 76-77
The Middle East Connection Lloyd Aereo Boliviano 30-31
The City Jet Boeing 737-130 78-79
Ocean Conquest
Delivering the Goods Cammacorp-Douglas DC-8-73 80-81
The Condor Syndikat and Iberia Syndicato Condor 32-33
The Jumbo Jet Takes Over Boeing 747-430 82-83
Early North Atlantic Surveys Ocean Liner Interlude 34-35
Nonscheduled Diversification McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 84-85
Preparations for the South Dornier Do J Wal 36-37
Atlantic A European Mainliner Airbus Industrie A300-600 86-87
South Atlantic Mail Service The Catapult Ships 38-39 They Also Serve Dignity and Impudence 88-89
South Atlantic Airship Service LZ 127 GrafZeppelin 40-41 Index 90
Another 1000 Airplanes Acknowledgments Special Notes
Pan American Airways had operated an estimated 982 Incompiling thisaccountofLufthansaand itsancestors, I German law forbids the prominent display of symbols of
commercial aircraft by the time the first book in this series inevitably made use of the work of other aviation historians unconstitutional organizations. Respecting this law, and un
appeared. The German national airline, including the "old" whohavetoiled for manyyears, as Ihave, intrying to record derstanding the reasons for it, the artist has omitted the
Deutsche Luft Hansa and the new Lufthansa German Air accurately the details of long-forgotten episodes, and to National Socialist Partyemblem from the precisiondrawings
lines, has comfortably exceeded that number, even if the trace the complexities of the ever-changing fleet composi of those aircraft that were introduced between 1933 and
fleets of its predecessor airlines are excluded. The total tion. Certain of these veteran researchers must be recog 1945
listed individually in this book is more than 1100 nized for their outstanding contributions in providing the To avoid excessive duplication of aircraft descriptive
A word about the registration numbers: In the early foundations on which this bookwas prepared and on which material already included in the first bookofthis series, Pan
months following World War I, as the airlines struggled to systematic further research can still be pursued. Am:AnAirlineandItsAircraft, cross-referenceissometimes
their feet, no national system existed, and Deutsche Luft The sleuthlike investigations of GuntherOtt into the pre made(forexample, forthe Boeingjets)totherelevantpages
Reederei, for example, had its own numbering system until historyofthe "old" Luft Hansa, itsaircraftduringthe interwar of that book. However, all information essential to the Luft
regulations were introduced. This system was again years, and its exploits during World War II, have been of hansa story is included here.
changed in 1934 when agroup of four letters replaced the incalculable importance. And I feel especially privileged to The discerning reader may detectwhat appears to be a
numbers that had previously been prefixed by the interna have had Gunther review the text of my work, make correc discrepancy in the spelling of Lufthansa. Until 30June 1933
tional letter code D, for Deutschland. Until about 1938 the tions, and offer advice. theofficial nameofthe airlinewas Deutsche LuftHansaA.G.
lettering group consisted of avowel, consonant, vowel, and The works ofJohn Stroud, doyen ofcommercial aircraft It was then changed to Deutsche Lufthansa by decision of
consonant, inthatorder, andeachaircraftcouldthereforebe historians, particularly his classic European Transport Air theGeneralAssembly. The "new"postwarairlineisgenerally
familiarly known by its acronym. Eventually, however, the craftSince 1910, and his "Wingsof Peace" seriesofarticles known worldwide as Lufthansa German Airlines.
permutation was exhausted. for Aeroplane Monthly, have been invaluable. I have con Forthe puristsamong theaircraftconnoisseurs: notethat
The first letter of the four-letter group was -A for multi sultedthepublishedworksandotherresearchcarriedoutby the nomenclatureofallJunkers aircrafttypes takes the form
engined types, -U for single-engined types, and -0 or -I for Wolfgang Wagner and Heinz Nowarra, while for a bal Junkers-F, Junkers-Ju, etc.-the hyphen and letter code
single-engined Reiseflugzeuge, or "travel" aircraft. TheJun anced analysis of transport airships, Iam indebted to Peter following immediately after the manufacturer's name.
kers-F13swere all inthe-U category. Incidentally, -Eand-Y Brooks and John Provan, both of whom have generously
were allocated for sport aircraft allowed me to select material from their own publications.
During the earlyyears, Junkersaircraft had aletter prefix The detailed listings of aircraft were assembled from
Further Reading
to the type number. Noofficial or authoritative ruling can be Lufthansa's own archives, presided over by the industrious
traced to define the system, if there was one The -F types and ever-helpful Werner Bittner, and these were sup I cannot recommend much further reading in English
appear to have been single-engined, but all single-engined plemented bymaterialsuppliedbyJohnStroud,GuntherOtt, except The Lufthansa Story, a much-better-than-average
types were not -Fs. The -G may have indicated Grossf/ug and Wolfgang Wagner. account published by Lufthansa itself. But for those in
zeug, or large aircraft; the -W Wettbewerb (competition), Unless otherwise indicated, all the photographs in this terested inthe detailed developmentofthe "old" Lufthansa's
because it is believed they were built for such a purpose; bookhave beenprovided byLufthansa'simmaculatelyrefer aircraft, John Stroud's masterly European TransportAircraft
andthe-AArbeitsf/ugzeug, or"workingaircraft."Butnoneof enced archives. Others have been supplied from the col Since 1910is indispensable, representing as it does a fair
these explanations can be regarded as more than specula lectionsofJohnProvan, PeterBowers, GuntherOtt, andSam slice of his lifetime's dedicated work. For the Zeppelin
tive, pendingthediscoveryofanofficialJunkersrulebookon Parker- airships, PeterBrooks's HistoricAirshipsisaclassicworkon
the practice, which was discontinued in the early 1930s. I am also gratefUl for much help from Peter Grosz, Kurt lighter-than-aircraft butis unfortunatelyoutof printand diffi
Weil, MatthewMuller, and PeterMoeller. Frau M. Hunerbach cult to obtain. John Provan's meticulous work has, as yet,
helped to select the fine photographs from Lufthansa's im been published only privately.
pressivecollection; Bobvan derLindenactedonceagainas Forthose conversant with the German language, howev
my technical conscience and as meticulous proofreader, er,farmorebooksandmagazinearticlesareavailable, nota
while Donna Corbett coped with the index. bly Die Flugzeuge der Deutschen Lufthansa by Erich H.
Ican truthfully state that without the help of these good Heimann, and Der Deutsche Luftverkehr-Die Pionierjahre
people, this book could not have been produced. 1919-1925 by Wolfgang Wagner The many monographs
published in Luftfahrt International and Modell Magazin by
GuntherOttare representative ofhistorical aviation research
at its best, as are John Stroud's "Wings of Peace" series in
Aeroplane Monthly
vi
Author Publisher
Lastyear, inchoosingthelaunchingsubjectforthisseries Thetradition continues today. Nowthat progressinairlin We would like to echo Ron Davies's and Mike Machat's
of books on the world's great airlines, Pan American's long er technology is measured by desperately engineered frac pleasure in being able to produce this, the second in our
record of technical leadership as the "World's Most Ex tional improvements, Lufthansa has concentrated on pene series about the world's great airlines. Lufthansa's exciting
perienced Airline" was a vital criterion for selection. tratingly accurate decision-making in a fiercely competitive story, from its prehistory to its current era of pace-setting
There have been five main eras of development in the environment. With abuilt-in handicap of aten-year late start challenge to its rivals, is published here for the first time in
70 years of international air transport history: (1) Infancy since World War II, because of political restraints, it has English and distributed to the English-speaking world.
(1919-1929); (2) Great Flying Boats (1930-1945); (3) Great hardlyputafootwrong. Itwasthelaunchingcustomerforan As a great airline with proud traditions, Lufthansa has
Piston-Engined Airliners (1946-1958); (4) First Jet Age American-built airliner, a farsighted decision, bearing in already documented its own history, and English versions
(1958-1970); and (5) Wide-Bodied or "Jumbo" Jet Age mind that the Boeing 737 has become the world's biggest have been distributed among the aviation fraternity. But this
(1970- ). Of the five eras, Pan Am launched three, a selling single aircraft type in the commercial airline world. book will reach a much wider audience than that of the
record that no other airline can match. WhenLufthansamakesamove,otherairlinestakenotice. cognoscenti. It was written with the airline's encouragement
Choice of the second airline for the series was difficult. It has Joined the ranks of a privileged few at the pinnacle of and support but not, we should stress, with its censorship.
But given that the selected candidate should be (a) foreign, power of one of the world's most influential industries. As a Ron Davies's insistence upon literary autonomy was re
topreservean impartial perspectiveofworld, asopposedto memberofadedicated productionteam, Itoofeel privileged spected, and Lufthansa recognized that the author's ObJec
U.S airline progress, and (b) an innovator, to remind usthat to be able to write its history. tive was to extractthetrue drama, adventure, even romance
U.S airlines have not always been the frontrunners, Luft from a story that was exciting enough without resort to
hansa German Airlines was an ideal choice. R. E. G Davies sensationalism.
With alargefleet ofJunkers-F13sandtheiroffspring, the Few airlines have endured such fundamental problems
Artist
"old" Luft Hansa dominated Europe's airways during the asLufthansa. Itsancestorssurvivedtheworstmonetaryinfla
1920s and 1930s, and can thus lay claim to having led the Once more into the fray! If Pan American and its subtle tion in world history, when a mountain of marks would not
way during the Infancy period; and had not World War II changes in color schemes were achallenge, Lufthansa has purchaseasparkplug; itlivedthrough thepoliticaltraumaof
intervened, it may well have stolen a march on the aviation been no less a stimulant to the eternal search for accuracy NationalSocialism, and ithadtorebuild itselfagainstairlines
world with theFocke-WulfFw200Condor, and launched the and precision. Lufthansa's long history having started long ten years ahead of it in technology and organization when it
third era. before color photography was invented, authentic source reemerged only 33 years ago.
The history of the German national airline includes, data have often been difficult to track down. The stark sim Mike Machat has supported the author with the same
moreover, the spice of adventure, the badge of courage plicityof theJunkers erawas offset by the sheerantiquityof levelofsuperb professionalartistryevident in thePan Amer
during the pioneering years, and a powerfUl elementofdra thereferencematerial.ForLufthansa'sancestors. abluewas ican bookwhich launched the seriesand setthe standards,
ma during its precarious survival and final demise in World either light or dark or medium, with no documented PMS andwehaveretained thesameformatandstyle.Wefeel that
War II. These episodes give the lie to the fashionable myth colorscaleto setthe exactshade. And records ofthe sand here is another reference book that also gives JOy to the
that only military men have good tales to tell. colored tones of the undoped early airship fabric varied eye-a visually pleasing production that can be used as a
Lufthansa'sstory reachesdeep intoaviation'salmostdis accordingtotheindividual imaginationsofthecontemporary reliable reference.
tant past. Germany was the first country to recognize the artists And underscoring this consideration is the thought that
possibilities of air transport. The enterprising airship activi These tribulations were happily offset by the pleasure in Lufthansa's history makes afascinating and, at times. excit
ties before World War I serve as a fascinating introductory being able to portray the handsome colors of Lufthansa's ing story.
preludetotheeventswhichledtothecreationofthenational postwar modern aircraft, especially the glorious yellow that
airlinein 1926. D.L.H.-as itwas known throughouttheavia van Gogh himself would have enjoyed. The Publisher
tionworld duringtheinterwaryears-inheritedthenowfamil The German national airline offers further proof of the
iar crane insignia as the hallmark of airline quality. As long constancy of Machat's Law-that aircraft allegedly painted
ago as 1919, one of its ancestors led the way not only in in the same color scheme are seldom actually so painted.
devising this insignia, but, far more important, in developing There was a case of a seasoned Lufthansa passenger who
themethodsofhowtooperateanairline. Though lessvisible carefully noted the names of all the aircraft he traveled in,
than the aircraft on the routes, Martin Wronsky's shrewd and was surprised to pull in to the gate alongside another
analysesin theofficesof Deutsche Luft-Reederei were to lay aircraftwith thesamenameas hisown.This, Ihastentoadd,
the foundations for Lufthansa's later success. Mighty is not typical of Lufthansa's characteristically meticulous
airships may have attracted public attention, fame, and custom and procedure; but nevertheless I have inserted
eventual notoriety; but D.L.H. kept a steady course of dis explanatory notes, where appropriate, which may be of
ciplined service to the public, at the same time constantly general interest to the reader as well asof assistance to the
experimenting in every branch of aeronautical technology model makers.
and operational practice, in an effort to improve the state of
the airline art. Mike Machat
--
I
-
The Dawn of Air Transport DELAG's Claim to Fame
The seven airships of the pre-World War I DELAG fleet
did not carry passengers or goods according to a regular
timetable oron fixed routes. They carried people mainly on
The Very First airship, theLZ6, builtayearpreviouslyandmodifiedearlyin Sightseeing flights, not only from their home bases but from
otherGerman cities. Their arrival, usuallyatweekends, was
Thecreditforrecognizingthatthetransportofpeopleand 1910asthe LZ 6A, was pressed intoservice. HugoEckener Invariablymetwith greatexcitementand enthusiasm. As the
goodsbyairwasapractical possibilitymustgototheairship replaced Captain Kahlenburg as DELAG's chief command airships moved from city to city, the opportunity was
promoters in Germany beforeWorld War I. On 8September er, but he too was unlucky, as LZ 6A was destroyed by a offered-and eagerly taken-for citizens to ride in this new
1908, Ferdinand, Count von Zeppelin, founded the Luft hangar fire after three weeks' service. and unusual form of transport. But as yet the airships were
schiffbau Zeppelin GmbH at Friedrichshafen, on the shore In 1911, a replacement ship, the Ersatz-Deutschland, not competitive with surface modes. Average speeds were
of the Bodensee (Lake Constance). Little more than a year went into service, but it lasted only a month, as it was barely 40 mph, less than that of an express train.
later, on 16 November 1909, to put theory and construction wrecked in a crosswind while emerging from its hangar, Pride of place for the world's first scheduledair service
Intooperational practice, and making useofZeppelin's pro despite the efforts of at least 250 ground handling staff. goestothe St. PeterSburg-TampaAirboatLine, inFlorida,
ducts, the Deutsche Luftschiffahrts A.G. (DELAG) was Most organizations would probably have quietly wound WhiCh, for three months in 1914, operated a diminutive Be
formed In Frankfurt-am-Main. The capital was subscribed uptheiraffairs. ButtheoldCount(hewas73)prevailedupon noist XIV flying boat, carrying two people at a time. This
partly. by.German cities and partly by the Hamburg the DELAG board to give the airship project one more airline carried about 1200 passengers over the 18 miles
Amerlkanlsche Packetfahrt A.G. (HAPAG), trading as the chance, showing great faith in his chief designer, L. Durr, between St. Petersburg and Tampa. In contrast, DELAG
Hamburg-Amerika Linie. The first general manager, Alfred who.was to retain his position until the last of the great carried 34,000 people, mostlyoverlongerdistances, during
Colsman, also held that position at the Zeppelin works. dirigibles, the LZ 130 GratZeppelin II. the 1910-:-1914 period, and more than 10,000 of them paid
DELAG moved into action with a speed that even today Thematerialoutcomeofthis decisionwastheSchwaben forthe priVilege. The Schwabencarried upto 20 people per
would be considered to be courageous. The city fathers, and it was a success. It flew throughout the 1911 summe; flight and was the first airborne vehicle to provide onboard
possiblythinking ofthe prestige attached to the possession and for three more months in the summerof 1912, before a service. Heinrich Kubis was the world's first air steward and
ofanairshipstallon, provided installationstoreceivethenew storm caused it to burn to destruction. But the Schwaben's later became chief steward of the Hindenburg.
and exciting machines; and DELAG ordered its first airship, design improvements over those of previous types encour In one respect, DELAG shared a great honor with the
the Deutschland, from Friedrichshafen. aged both Zeppelin and DELAG to press on with their pro 1914Floridaairline. Itneverkilled apassenger, andthe only
gram. Thereafter three more fine airships went into service
The Service Record i~ Injury was that broken leg in 1910
the Viktoria Luiseand the Hansa in 1912andthe Sachsen
DELAG.gotoff to a bad start. On 28 June 1910, only a 1913. All three flew reliably and well until the outbreak of
weekafter ItSfirst flight, the Deutschlandcrashed into some World War I: when they were transferred to the army.
trees afteran enginefailure. Happilythe onlycasualty, apart Theformidable record ofDELAG'soperationsisshown in
from prideand wrecked metal, was one broken leg. Another the table on page 4.
The Schwaben, oneof DELAG's most successful airships.
2
Zeppelin LZ 10 Schwaben
20 seats • 44 mph
-
---=--:-:-:-:
~ ~~
I--
-
~ -~~
, -..... :x: ----- ~~ ~
~
. ~~
-...:::::::::
IL J I I l... 10••••••01.-1 I I "
~ I/-'!-=I=P_I .~ I I I I • ......., ~----------
Material for this airship was canvas, the
actual color of the covering was tan.
Maybach A-Z (150 hp) x 3 • 45,520 Ib max. gross lift • 900 statute miles range
The Father of the Dirigible Airship
Length 459 feet • Diameter 46 feet
Therigidairshipisalmostsynonymouswiththecompanypromoted byFerdinand,Count
von Zeppelin, born in 1838. A wealthy former cavalry general, he became interested in
ballooningand bythe 1880swasconvinced thatpoweredrigid airshipshadagreatfuture. A
patent for such adesign (byTheodor Kober) was taken out on 28 December 1897. Having
THEDELAG FLEET
1910--1914
Dimensions Normal
Airship Dateof (ft) Engines Max. Cruise Range
First Max. Hp Gross Speed (st.
Type No. Name Flight Length Diam. Seats No. Type (each) Lift(Ib) (mph) miles)
attracted much support from official and other sources, Zeppelin formed a joint stock
D LZ6A (unnamed) 21 Aug. 1910 473 43 12 2 DaimlerJ4L 115 38,360 34 1250 company"forthepromotionofairnavigationwith dirigibles"inMay1898.Asmallfactoryand
1 Maybach 140 shed were set up at Manzell, on the shores ofthe Bodensee, on rent-free land provided by
A-Z
theKingofWurttemberg. Themainconstructionhangarwasbuiltonfloating pontoonsonthe
E LZ7 Deutschland 19June 1910 486 46 20 3 DaimlerJ4F 120 49,380 37 1000 lake.
LZ8 Ersatz- 30 March
Deutschland 1911 First of a Thoroughbred Line
F LZ 10 Schwaben 26June 1911 459 46 20 3 Maybach 150 45,520 44 900 The first Zeppelin, LZ 1, made its first flight on 2 July 1900 Its aluminum-zinc-alloy
A-Z
structure was 420feet long, and the gasbagswere filled with hydrogen. Itwas powered by
G LZ 11 Viktoria Luise 14 Feb. 1912 486 46 25 3 MB-aYybach 170 47,840 44 700 two14-hpgasolineengines, andflew, nottoosuccessfully, atlessthan20mph. Butitwasthe
LZ 13 Hansa 30July 1912 beginning.
H LZ 17 Sachsen 3May 1913 519 49 25 3 Maybach 180 57,540 47 1400 Five years were to pass before LZ 2was built, and this was only after the company had
B-Y
folded through lackoffunds. ButZeppelin persevered doggedlyand gained supportaftera
public appeal. More ships followed from 1905 onward, each successive one an improve
1919
ment. By the end of the decade the carriage of passengers became practical, and LZ 7
Y LZ 120Bodensee Deutschlandhad thehonorof being the first todoso. Asshown inthe tables onthis and the
following page, this proudly named airship was the forerunner of a great fleet.
3