Hugo Junkers

Hugo Junkers was born in Rheydt, Rhine Province on February 3, 1859. Hugo Junkers was a professor of mechanical engineering at Aachen in between the years 1897 and 1912. Junkers worked as an engineer devising, patenting, and exploiting gas engines, heaters, calorie meter and other inventions. His aeronautical engineering began in earnest at the age fifty. Junkers had many different ideas of metal airplanes and flying wings, but since it was during the World War I he was always forced by the government to focus on aircraft production rather than his own ideas.

In 1915 Junker developed the world’s first practical all metal aircraft design. This design was called the Junkers J 1. This design was on display in Berlin until World War II. In 1918, Junkers' firm created the world’s first low-winger single seat fighter aircraft. This was called the Junkers D.I., Junker also made a two seat fights called Junkers CL.I. Junker also created the Junker J.I, which is an armored fuselage two seat, all metal sesquiplane. This was consider the best German ground attack aircraft if the war. In 1915 the J1 flew for the first time.

In 1928 Junker built the first airplane to cross the Atlantic from east to west. Junker was the first pilot to cross by himself, without help. Other pilots have crossed from west to east but with the help of the tailwinds. It took the pilot 36 hours to get it crossed since there were many struggles, but Junker and his crew had made it over. By the year 1925, about 178 Junkers machines had carried almost 100,000 people over a total distance of 3,000,000 miles. Junker has left us with a lot of memories of him. Now a day’s aircraft is used every day and everywhere. If it wasn’t for airplanes then it would take people days and months and years to get to other destinations.