The Ju 52 was an essential part of the Luftwaffe and it proved itself a versatile and reliable aircraft in almost six years of conflict. The Ju 52 first saw service as a civil airliner in the 1930s but, on the outbreak of war in 1939, it found a demanding role as the Luftwaffe's primary transport aircraft, deployed in the transportation of supplies and personnel and, on occasion, flying paratroopers to their target destination or evacuating wounded from isolated pockets. In 1942, for example, JU 52s were heavily involved in dropping supplies to trapped Wehrmacht personnel in Stalingrad and, later, in attempts to fly out wounded soldiers. This important contribution to the Luftwaffe at War Series highlights the contribution made by the JU 52 and covers all the major types and variants of this rugged aircraft. Morten Jessen includes rare and unpublished photographs taken on nearly every front of the war and ably demonstrates why the Ju 52 was viewed with such affection by Luftwaffe personnel.
