General Background

The Ju-52 first flew in 1930 as a single engine civil aircraft. Before long it was given two more engines and designated Ju-52/3m (German - drei motoren - "three engines"). The 3-engine aircraft was originally designed as a 17 passenger airliner. The principal user was Lufthansa that flew in Europe, Asia and South America. In the mid 1930’s a military version was produced and the Ju-52 became one of the most reliable transport aircraft. The Ju-52 saw service with military and civilian air fleets well into the 1980s.

The Aircraft

Together Lufthansa Airlines and the Chinese Government formed Eurasia Aviation Corporation in February 1930. In 1934 Eurasia received their first of 9 Ju-52’s. Ju-52 EU-XVII c/n 5104 originally was Lufthansa D-AGES named 'Otto Kissenberth'. On May 6, 1939 Japanese aircraft attacked Hanchung (Hanzhong) airfield strafing all the aircraft on the ground. EU-XVII was one of them and as a result burst into flames and was completely destroyed. In 1940 when Japan, Germany and Italy signed the Tripartite Pact the Chinese Government stopped operations of Eurasia and forced Germans out of the country.