In the 1920s, the thought of flying for business in Europe was nascent, and the Junkers F 13, an all-metal commercial aircraft, was advertised as a business travelers' best tool. And a number of European entrepreneurs and industrialists operated examples for their private and business trips since then. More than 300 Junkers F 13s were built between 1919 and 1932.
Junkers Flugzeugwerke (SD303) has resurrected the Junkers F 13 as an all-new airplane to honor Hugo Junkers’ achievements. The company completed the aircraft in 2016 and it is at EBACE commemorating the type's maiden flight 100 years ago. The model is available for purchase, and three others like it are currently under construction. Work is currently in progress on the second and third aircraft, with airframe number two's maiden flight planned for early this summer.
Entrepreneur and pilot Dieter Morszeck started his project to relaunch the Junkers F 13 in 2013. With a few original drawings and construction plans, precise measurements were taken of one of the few remaining original aircraft using laser technology. Long-forgotten construction methods and techniques were resurrected in the process of bringing the airplane back to life. In 2018, he established the Junkers Flugzeugwerke AG in DĂĽbendorf, near ZĂĽrich.
The handmade aircraft stays faithful to the original design, including the plush cabin interior for four passengers, and the open cockpit for two pilots. Some technical aspects are fresh on the relaunch, though, including the addition of main wheel brakes and a tailwheel, as well as a robust 450-hp Pratt & Whitney radial engine. The open cockpit is equipped with modern instrumentation, a radio, and a navigation system.
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