Junkers Production and Developement Overview
- Type Designator System -

Production Summaries  Annual Production  First Flights  Designator System

The Type Designator Scheme of Junkers Flugzeugwerke was changed for several times between 1915 and 1945. Common to all Junkers Type Designators was a prefix letter or lettersequence followed by a sequentiell number, i.e. F13 or Ju52. Three different type designator schemes were used by Junkers Flugzeugwerke:

Junkers WWI Designator Scheme (1915-1918)

The first Junkers aircraft were simply designated by a common prefix letter "J" and following continous numbers, starting with J1 in 1915 and J11 in 1918. Not all of the Junkers types reached prototype stage, i.e. J5 and J6 were just projected and not built. However, a lot of other Junkers WWI designs are known today, which never got one of the continous numbers. The question, which aircraft design got a type designator and which not is simply to answer. Each aircraft design, which successfully left the Junkers construction office got one of the continous numbers. That means, each aircraft design which was prepared for the following prototype construction got a number. Projects, which were already abandoned by the construction office did not get such a number.

Most WWI designs of Junkers are well known under other designators, i.e. D-1 or CL-1. But those designators were not original Junkers designators, but they were military designators, which were created by IDFLIEG, the German Luftwaffe of WWI.

Junkers Intermediate War Designator Scheme (1919-1930)

Following the end of WWI the Junkers Designator Scheme was improved. The "J" prefix was still kept, but it was just given as an intermediate designator, when the aircraft design left the construction office. Later, when the aircraft marketing was started, this intermediate prefix letter was changed into a marketing prefix letter, which indiciated the type of utilization of this aircraft, i.e. the prefix "F" indicated a single engined transport aircraft, while the prefix "A" indicated a single engined postal aircraft. The continous number was kept during this prefix change.

A little bit confusing is the parallel usage of a second designator scheme during these years, which was used to identify military aircraft designs, the socalled war aircraft (Kriegsflugzeug), which were identified by the prefix letter "K". The designated Junkers K-aircraft itself followed the conventional Junkers designator scheme of the twenties. Nevertheless, none of these K-aircraft were officially built due to the restrictions about Germany's aviation industry following WWI. Instead these aircraft were built at partner facilities of A.B. Flygindustri at Limhamn in Sweden or at the Junkers Fili Facilities in Russia.

At Limhamn the original Junkers designator was changed. Limhamn built aircraft typcially got the prefix letter "R". The following two digit number normally was generated by reverting the original Junkers number, that means, from the A20 the new R02 results and the G24 became the R42. It is remarkable, that the number conversion was performed with the number code of the original civil Junkers designator and not with the following military "K" designator. This was probably done to prevent Junkers from any questions regarding the realization of their military "K" designs.

At Fili in Russia the Junkers aircraft designs were simply identified by the prefix "Ju" for Junkers aircraft. The continous number was directly taken from the original Junkers designator, i.e the F13 became the Ju13 and the J21 became the Ju21 at Fili.

Several other designators for Junkers aircraft are known during the twenties. Nevertheless, these designators are not Junkers offical coding nore Junkers affilates designators. They are identification codes used by several air forces in the world, i.e. Ju-G1 used by the Soviet Air Force. However it is to mention, that a few codes for Junkers aircraft designs existed in the twenties, which identified original Junkers aircraft designs, which were built under license, i.e. the "PS" prefix of Irkutsk buit Junkers aircraft.

Junkers Designator Scheme 1930-1933

In 1930 the Junkers designator scheme seemed to be simplified. All Junkers aircraft types, which reached the prototype stage, now got the common letter prefix "Ju". This was leading to some misunderstandings with the previous used Ju prefix for Fili built Junkers aircraft. Nevertheless, the coding was completely independent. The continous number coding was kept during that time. The "J" prefix for design office projects was also kept, just the commercial designators were standarized.

Junkers Designator Scheme 1934-1945

In 1934 the continous number coding scheme of Junkers was stopped as the RLM decided to take over responsiblity for a manufacturer independent number code. Since 1934 all Junkers number codes were directly given by the RLM, i.e. number 108, 109 and 110 were given to Messerschmitt, the numbers 111, 112 were given to Heinkel and the numbers 86, 87, 88 and 90 were given to Junkers.

At this time the traditional "J" prefix for design office projects seemed to be replaced by the new project designator prefix "EF" (Entwicklungs-Flugzeug=developement aircraft). In contrast to the previous "J" prefix, which was simply changed into the prefix "Ju" at prototype stage and which kept its number during this transmission, now the letter prefix "EF" was changed into "Ju" and the number coding was changed according to the RLM number, i.e. EF59 became Ju88.

It is unclear if the EF number coding continued with the "J" numbers or if it was reset to zero in 1934, i.e. the designator EF59 seems to be to low for the Ju88 developement and some "EF" numbers are known in the range of the thirties, while the J30-J40 were no longer under developement. However, only a few "EF" designs are known, which are combined with numbers below the fifties. So there is a great chance, that the "EF" numbers continued with the old "J" number sequence.

During the early second half of the thirties another designator appeared probably parallel to the "EF" designator. In contrast to the "EF" designator these designs show the "EFo" prefix, which might mean "Entwicklungs Forschung" (= developement research). All "EFo" designs range in the area of zero to twenty. That might be interpreted as if the "EFo" designs were the initial "EF" designs. However, as those designs are all jet powered designs, they really might have been research studies, which did not belong to the continous Junkers number coding system. The few other "EF" designators with numbers below fifty might then be misinterpretations of history and the "EF" designator scheme might have continued with the old "J" designator numbers.

This question might be relevant to investigate the total number of construction office outputs. The final "EF" number as of May 1945 was the number "130". So that number might point to 130 construction office projects or to 130 plus the "J" aircraft designs, of which the number "58" is the last known one. However, during the final phase of WWII a lot of "EF" numbers were used for same technological investigation, i.e. for the Ju287 more than ten "EF" numbers are available, which just differ in the kind of wing design or engine mountings. Therefore in the final phase of WWII, the original Junkers mechanismn to create designator numbers just in prototype stage was definitely abondoned and the "EF" designator became a combination of really developement projects and abstract research projects like the "EFo".

Just to mention: A few Junkers aircraft types reached prototype stage without changing the "EF" designator. All of these aircraft were exclusively experimental designs, i.e. the EF61.

Junkers Designators after WWII

Even if Junkers Flugzeugwerke officially stopped to exist after May 1945, the "EF" coding continued to exist. The Soviets used the continous numbering system for aircraft designed by the deportated Junkers teams in Russia until 1952. Still in the German Democratic Republic this coding mechansim was continued, now without the "EF" prefix, but just with the continued number coding for aircraft designed at the VEB Flugzeugwerke Dresden by Baade until the late 50s. The first German jet powered passenger aircraft "152" is one example of these continued Junkers number codes.

Country Designators for Junkers Aircraft

Some confusion about Junkers aircraft designators came out of specific Junkers aircraft designators, which were used in countries outside Germany. The Swedish and Russian Air Force used own designators to identify Junkers aircraft, i.e. Ju-G1 for the G24 in Russia or TB2 for the W33 in Sweden. Also in WWI in Germany IDFLIEG used own designators to identify Junkers aircraft. The IDFLIEG designator "J-1" for J4 was most confusing as it interfered with the Junkers designator J1. All of these designators are not Junkers offical designators.

Other confusion raised from the already mentioned Fili and Limhamn production of Junkers aircraft, which did not directly correspondent with the original Junkers numbering system. Nevertheless, further Junkers aircraft designators are known, which were used at Junkers license facilities throughout the world, i.e. Mitusbishi Ki20 which was the G38 or AAC.1 which was the original Ju52 in France or the PS-4 in Russia, which is an Irkutsk built W34. The covering of these designators is important to get an idea of the original Junkers built aircraft and those aircraft built under license in other countries, probably with intensive modifications.

Junkers Letter Code Table

A	Junkers marketing designator for single engined postal and courier aircraft used between 1919 and 1933

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
A20    1920    J20                R02      Ju20        Type 20,Type A
A25    1926    ---                R41
A35    1926    J35?      K53      R53      Ju35   
A32    1926    J32       K39
A48    1928    J48       K47
A50    1929   (J50)                                    also EF31?

CL	IDFLIEG designator for combat aircraft in use until end of WWI

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
Junk CL 1917   J8
CL-1    1918   J10                
CLS-1   1918   J11

D	IDFLIEG designator for single seated fighter aircraft in use until end of WWI

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
D-1     1918   J9

E	IDFLIEG designator for experimental aircraft in use until end of WWI

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
E-1     1915   J1                
E-2     1916   J2

EF	Junkers designator for developement project changed into marketing designator later in use since 1931/32

Type   Year    "x"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
EFo001 1936    ---                                     to EFo020/022
EFo021 1938    ---
EFo022 1936    ---                                     EFo001 to 020
EF30   1930    Ju52/1m   K45                           also J52
EF31   1929    A50                                     also J50?
EF43   ukn.    ---
EF50   ukn.    ---
EF53   ukn.    ---
EF55   1944    Ju287
EF56   1944    Ju287
EF57   1944    Ju287
EF58   1944    Ju287
EF59   1944    Ju287
EF59   1936    Ju88
EF60   1944    EF126
EF61   1937    EF61
EF62   1944    EF128
EF63   1944    EF128
EF65   ukn.    ---
EF66   1944    Ju287
EF67   1944    Ju287
EF68   1944    Ju287
EF71   ukn.    ---
EF72   1938    EF77
EF73   1942    Ju288
EF77   1939    Ju77                                    later Ju252
EF94   1941    Ju322
EF100  1940    ---
EF101  1942    ---
EF112  1942    Ju288
EF116  1944    Ju287
EF122  1944    Ju287
EF125  1944    Ju287
EF126  1944    ----                                    EF60
EF127  1944    ----
EF128  1944    ----                                    EF62, EF63
EF130  1944    ----                                    DFS130, EF135
EF131  1945    EF131
EF132  1945    EF132
EF135  1944    ----                                    DFS130, EF130
EF140  1946    EF140
EF150  1949    EF150

F	Junkers marketing designator for single engined airliner in use between 1919 and 1933

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
F13    1919    J13                         Ju13        JL6, JL12, PS2
F24    1928    ---                                     org. G24s

G	Junkers marketing designator for large multi-engined airliner in use between 1919 and 1933

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
G1     1921    J14                                     also JG1
G23    1924    J24                                     later G24
G24    1924    J24      K30      R42      JuG-1       G3S1, G1Sa, TB2
G31    1926    J31      
G38    1929    J38      K51                            Mitsubishi Ki20

H	Junkers marketing designator for Dessau built single engined unarmed military aircraft in use between 1923 and 1925

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
H21    1923    J21                        Ju21        T21, S21          
H22    1923    J22                        Ju22        T22, S22

J	IDFLIEG designator for Junkers aircraft in use until end of WWI

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
J-1    1917    J4

J	Junkers project designator for all aircraft developements "J" designator was changed into marketing designator later in use between 1915 and 1933

Each Junkers design project got a "J" designator followed by sequentiell number. This project designator was changed to a marketing designator at prototype status. A total of 58 "J" designators are known, of which J58 was the last one in 1933

Type   Year    "x"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
J1     1915    J1                                      also E-1
J2     1916    J2                                      also E-2
J3     1916    J3
J4     1917    J4                                      also J-1
J5     1916    --
J6     1917    --
J7     1917    J7
J8     1917    J8                                      also CL
J9     1918    J9                                      also D-1
J10    1918    J10                                     also CL-1
J11    1918    J11                                     also CLS-1
J12    1919    ---
J13    1919    F13                         Ju13        JL6, JL12, PS2
J14    1921    JG1                    
J15    1920    J15                                      
J16    1921    K16
J17    1921    ---                                      
J18    1921    ---                                      
J19    1922    T19
J20    1920    A20                R02      Ju20        Type 20,Type A
J21    1923    H21                         Ju21        T21, S21
J22    1923    H22                         Ju22        T22, S22
J23    1923    T23                                     U23          
J24    1924    G24       K30      R42      JuG-1       G3S1, G1Sa, TB2
J25    1924    ---                                      
J26    1923    T26
J27    1925    T27
J28    1925    ---
J29    1925    T29
J30    1925    K30 **)   K30      R42      JuG-1       G3S1, G1Sa, TB2
J31    1926    G31
J32    1926    A32       K39
J33    1926    W33                         Ju33        PS3, PS4, Trp2
J34    1926    W34       K43                           Ju46, Trp2a
J35    1926    A35       K53      R53      Ju35   
J36    1927    S36       K37                           Mitsubishi Ki1/2
J37    1927    K37 **)   K37                           Mitsubishi Ki1/2
J38    1929    G38       K51                           Mitsubishi Ki20
(J39)  unknown, probably K39 (A32) of 1926
J40    1929    ---
J41    1929    W41
(J42)  unknown, probably R42 (G24) of 1926
J43    1931    K43 **)   K43                           W34
J44    1931    W44
J45    1932    K45 **)   K45                           Ju52/1m
J46    1932    Ju46                                    W34
J47    1929    K47 **)   K47                           A48
J48    1929    A48       K47
J49    1931    Ju49
J50 *) 1929    A50                                     also EF31?
J51 *) 1930    K51 **)   K51                           G38, Ki20
J52 *) 1930    Ju52/1m   K45                           
(J53)  unknown, probably K53 (A35)
J54 *) 1930    ---
J56 *) 1929    ---
(J57)  unknown
J58 *) 1929    ---
(J59)  unknown
J60 *) 1932    Ju60                                    also EF30

J1000  1924
Junkerissme

*) The "EF" numbers are already known for the A50, Ju52 and Ju60.
Probably "J" prefix was not used for continous numbers above 49?
**) The allocation of a "J" designator for "K" and "R" aircraft is not ensured
Probably these "J" designators were not used.

JG	Junkers marketing designator for large passenger aircraft in use between 1919 and 1920

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
JG1    1921    J14

It might also be, that the JG1 officially was designated G1.

JL	Junkers-Larsen marketing designator for U.S. market in use between 1919 and 1921

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
JL6    1920    J13                         Ju13        F13
JL12    1920   J13                                     F13

JM	Junkers Project Designator for WWI Navy Designs

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
JM1    1916
JM2    1917
JM4    1917
JM6    1917

Ju	Junkers designator for Fili/Limhamn built Junkers aircraft in use between 1921 and 1934

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
Ju13   1920    J13                         Ju13        PS2
Ju20   1920    J20                R02      Ju20        A20, 20,Type A
Ju21   1923    J21                         Ju21        T21, S21, H21
Ju22   1923    J22                         Ju22        T22, S22, H22
JuG-1  1924    J24       K30      R42      JuG-1       G24, TB2
Ju33   1926    J33                         Ju33        PS3, PS4, Trp2
Ju35   1926    J35       K53      R53      Ju35

Remember:
The Russian "Ju" prefix is different from the later Junkers official "Ju" designator!

Ju	Junkers designator for all Junkers aircraft in use since 1930

Type   Year    "EF"      "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
Ju46   1932    J46                                     W34
Ju49   1931    J49
Ju52   1930    J52       K45                           
Ju60   1932    J60                                     also EF30?
Ju77   1938    EF77
Ju82   1942?   ukn.
Ju84   ukn.    ukn.
Ju85   1937    ukn.
Ju86   1934    ukn.      K85?                          Saab B3 
Ju87   1935    ukn.                                    B37 
Ju88   1936    EF59
Ju89   1937    ukn.
Ju90   1937    ukn.
Ju91   ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju92   ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju93   ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju94   ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju147  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju160  1934    ukn.
Ju185  ukn.    ukn.
Ju186  1942    ukn.
Ju187  1942    ukn.
Ju188  1942    ukn.
Ju248  1944    ukn.                                    Me263 
Ju252  1942    ukn.
Ju268  ukn.    ukn.
Ju286  1942    ukn.
Ju287  1944    EF122
Ju288  1942    EF73
Ju289  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju290  1942    ukn.                                    Letov L.290
Ju291  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju292  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju293  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju294  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju299  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju322  1941    EF94
Ju337  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju352  1943    ukn.
Ju356  ukn.    ukn.                                    RLM Spaceholder
Ju388  1943    ukn.
Ju390  1943    ukn.
Ju488  1944    ukn.
Ju635  1945    ukn.                                    Do635

K	Junkers marketing designator for small passenger aircraft in use between 1920 and 1924

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
K16    1921    J16

K	Junkers marketing designator for military export aircraft in use between 1926 and 1933

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
K30    1924    J24       K30      R42      JuG-1       G24, TB2
K37    1927    J37       K37                           S36, Ki1, Ki2  
K39    1926    J32       K39
K43    1926    J34       K43                           W34, Ju46,Trp2a
K45    1932    K45       K45                           Ju52/1m
K47    1929    J47       K47                           A48
K51    1929    J38       K51                           G38, Ki20
K53    1926    J35       K53      R53      Ju35   
K85    1933    ukn.      K85

PS	Russian designator for Russian built Junkers aircraft in use between 1921 and 1934

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
PS-2   1920    J13                         Ju13        F13
PS-3   1926    J33                         Ju33        W33, PS4, Trp2
PS-4   1926    J33                         Ju33        W33, PS3, Trp2

R	Junkers Project Designator for WWI Giant Aircraft used until 1918

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
RI     1917
RII    1918                                            58/18
R      1918

R	Junkers marketing designator for Limhamn built Junkers aircraft in use between 1925 and 1934

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
R02    1920    J20                R02      Ju20        A20, 20,Type A
R41    1920    J20                R41      Ju20        A20, 20,Type A
R42    1924    J24       K30      R42      JuG-1       G24,G3S,G1Sa,TB2
R53    1926    J35       K53      R53      Ju35        A35

S	Junkers marketing designator for single+multi engined postal and courier aircraft in use between 1923 and 1925

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
S21    1923    J21                         Ju21        T21, H21
S22    1923    J22                         Ju22        T22, H22
S36    1927    J36       K37                           Ki1, Ki2

T	Junkers marketing designator for single engined upper wing training aircraft in use between 1922 and 1933

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
T19    1922    J19
T21    1923    J21                         Ju21        S21, H21
T22    1923    J22                         Ju22        S22, H22
T23    1923    J23                                     U23
T26    1923    J26
T27    1925    J27
T29    1925    J29

U	Junkers marketing designator for single engined cantilever training aircraft in use between 1922 and 1933

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
U23    1923    J23                                     T23

W	Junkers marketing designator for single engined cargo aircraft in use between 1925 and 1933

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
W33    1926    J33                         Ju33        PS3,PS4,Trp2
W34    1926    J34       K43                           Ju46, Trp2a
W41    1929    J41
W44    1931    J44

Other	special manufacturer designators / Licenses

Type   Year    "J"       "K"    Limhamn    Fili        Others        
Trp2   1926    J33                         Ju33        W33 Swedish AF
Trp2a  1926    J34       K43                           W34 Swedish AF
Trp5   1930    Ju52                                    Ju52 Swedish AF
TB2    1924    J24       K30      R42      JuG-1       G24 Russian AF
Ki2    1927    J37       K37                           S36, Mitsubishi 
Ki20   1929    J38       K51                           G38, Mitsubishi
B3     1934    Ju86      K85?                          Ju86, Saab 
B37    1935    Ju87                                    Ju87, Czech AF 
D52    1930    Ju52                                    Ju52, Czech AF
C79    1930    Ju52                                    Ju52, U.S. AF
L.290  1945    Ju290                                   Ju290 Letov
AAC.1   1930   Ju52                                    Ju52 Amiot
Casa352 1930   Ju52                                    Ju52 Casa

Updated:
3rd January 2004

The Hugo Junkers Homepage
at http://www.junkers.de.vu
� Horst Zoeller, Germany, July 1996
[email protected]

visitors since October 2000
Counter by WebCounter)

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws