Overview
- First flight 7 March 1932
- Manufacturer Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG (Germany)
- Type Three-engined transport and passenger aircraft (Ju 52/3m)
- Structure All-metal, corrugated duralumin construction
- Engines 3 × BMW 132 radials (550–880 hp each)
- Performance Top speed ≈ 290 km/h | Range ≈ 1 200 km | Ceiling ≈ 6 100 m
- Capacity Crew 3 | Up to 17 passengers or ≈ 3.9 t of cargo
- Total built 4 845 (1932–1945 + post-war license production)
- Film aircraft HB-HOT (Ju 52/3mg4e) – Swiss Air Force 1939–1985, appeared in Where Eagles Dare (1968)
- Fate of HB-HOT Crashed 4 Aug 2018 near Piz Segnas, Switzerland – 20 fatalities
Few aircraft are as instantly recognizable as the corrugated, three-engined Junkers Ju 52/3m – affectionately known as Tante Ju (“Aunt Ju”). For fans of Where Eagles Dare, it’s the rugged transport plane that carried Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood’s team across the snowy Alps. But long before its Hollywood fame, this German workhorse had already earned a legendary reputation in both civil and military aviation.
The Ju 52 was first flown in March 1932, designed by Hugo Junkers and engineer Ernst Zindel. Originally developed from the single-engine Ju 52/1m, it gained its distinctive look – and reliability – when two extra engines were added to the wings. Built entirely from corrugated duralumin, it was strong, slow, and utterly dependable. Lufthansa pilots soon gave it the nickname Tante Ju, a term of affection that stuck for decades.
In its early years, the Ju 52 became a symbol of modern air travel. Airlines from Argentina to Finland and from South Africa to Sweden ordered it, impressed by its ability to operate from short, rough airfields and carry up to 17 passengers in comfort. It was also one of the world’s first VIP aircraft, with a specially built version delivered to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in 1932.
When the Nazis came to power in 1933, Germany’s new air force – the Luftwaffe – urgently needed bombers. The Ju 52 wasn’t fast or sleek, but it was available, and hundreds were converted into bombers and transports. These early military versions saw action in the Spanish Civil War, carrying troops and supplies for Franco’s Nationalist forces. While it proved too slow for frontline combat, the Ju 52 became the Luftwaffe’s standard transport aircraft throughout World War II, dropping paratroopers, towing gliders, and ferrying men and materials across Europe and North Africa.
By the end of the war, more than 4,800 Ju 52s had been built, including license-produced versions in France and Spain. Its sturdy frame and forgiving flight characteristics made it a favorite with pilots. Even the Allied troops who captured them had a grudging respect for “Iron Annie,” as they called it.
In Sweden, the national airline AB Aerotransport (ABA) was among the first foreign buyers. A license-built Ju 52 was assembled in Limhamn in 1932, later serving both civilian routes and the Swedish Air Force during the war, under the designation Tp 5. Swedish Ju 52s were used for transport, training, and even parachute trials, and at least one was painted in full military colors.
The Ju 52’s story didn’t end in 1945. France’s Amiot factory built over 900 examples after the war, and Spain’s CASA continued production well into the 1950s. Some continued flying for decades – rugged, slow, and noisy, but utterly reliable. Lufthansa restored one to full flying condition in the 1980s, and its familiar growl could still be heard over European airshows until it was finally retired from regular flights in 2018.
The specific aircraft featured in Where Eagles Dare was registered HB-HOT, a Swiss-built Ju 52/3mg4e that had served with the Swiss Air Force from 1939 to 1985 before being acquired by the preservation group Ju-Air. It was this very aircraft that appeared not only in Where Eagles Dare (1968), but also later in Valkyrie (2008) and the German film Fly Away (2012). For years, it operated nostalgic sightseeing flights across the Alps, bringing the unmistakable rumble of Tante Ju to new generations.
Tragically, HB-HOT’s long career ended on 4 August 2018, when it crashed near Piz Segnas in the Swiss Alps, killing all 20 people on board. The official investigation concluded that the aircraft stalled after the pilots, both highly experienced, flew recklessly at low altitude in turbulent “hot and high” conditions. The engines were found to be underperforming, and investigators cited a poor safety culture within the company that tolerated rule-breaking and maintenance lapses. The disaster not only ended Ju-Air’s commercial operations but also brought a sorrowful close to the story of the same aircraft that once helped make Where Eagles Dare so visually iconic.
Today, a handful of Ju 52s survive in museums and private collections. Seeing one up close – with its distinctive corrugated skin and broad, braced wings – is like stepping back into another age. For Where Eagles Dare enthusiasts, it’s more than just a piece of machinery; it’s part of the film’s atmosphere, a metallic symbol of adventure, secrecy, and old-fashioned cinematic daring.
From the icy mountain passes of the movie to its long history of real-world service, Tante Ju remains a reminder of an era when flying was equal parts danger and romance – and when even a lumbering transport plane could become a screen icon.
Sources
- – Wikipedia (SE): Junkers Ju 52/3m
- – Wikipedia (EN): 2018 Ju-Air Junkers Ju 52 Crash
- – Lennart Andersson, Svenskt militärflyg – Propellerepoken (1992)
- – Peter Alles-Fernandez, Flugzeuge von A bis Z, Band 2 (1988)
Hi
The comment that the JU52 is from the Austrian Air Force is not correct.
The JU52 used for the movie was one of three used by the Swiss Air Force until the 1980’s for army
parachute training.
The plane was hired out, resprayed and caused quite a comotion among older Austrians when flying over Salzburg in old paintwork and with swastikas!
One of the three JU52 crash landed in the 80’s at DŸbendorf Airfield near Zurich.
Not sure if it was recommissioned.
The other two planes where taken over by a private company (Classic Air, DŸbendorf?) that offer flights over the alps in the JU’s for a horrendous price. I think they are booked out
1-2 years in advance.
Thomas Raymann
The Ju-52 used in WED had the civillian code of HB-HOT. The code is visible under the horizontal tail planes and will be easy to see in the opening scenes of the DVD. HB-HOT is indeed SWISS (not Austrian, please go ahead and update your site). HB-HOT is now coded A-702 and is still flying today as one of the stable of JU-52s flown by Ju-Air.
I’m surprised that no-one has commented on the fact that it would be absolutely impossible for a JU52 to fly from the closest point in England to the Austrian border and back. Unless it was fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks ( which it isn’t ). So if the JU52 didn’t have enough fuel to return to England after dropping the team at the beginning of the movie, then the JU52 at the end of the movie must’ve been an identical replica of the first one with a clone/identical twin of Vincent Ball … but it still wouldn’t have been able to get back to England. Is this why there wasn’t a sequel ?
i think the ju might have landed at a sercret airbase near the castle after the beggining and before the end . but your right it could not have flown all the way from England to austria and back
I thought the same until I remembered that Col. Turner was in the plane for the rescue…which means the plane had to have gone back to England.
I believe it’s called “artistic license.” In other words, we shouldn’t ask questions like this!
maybe they had a fuel up in swiss
I think if they flew to a great enough altitude, they could have glided all the way back to England.
I am currently building a model of a JU52 and would like to use the Austrian Camouflouge pattern as used in the film. Dose anyoneknow the correct colours used. Think it was flat white with olive green. If anyone can shed any light on this, it would be much apprecitaed….Thanks
The crash-landing of the JU52 in the 80’s can’t have ben that bad: i live near Dübendorf and can’t remember having heard of it. However, three Ju-52 are in service and belong to Ju-Air, Dübendorf. They charge about USD 100 for a 40 minute flight.
I too am building a model of this aircraft and having difficulty finding a good example of the camo pattern used in the movie. What I’m finding out is that apparantly, no Luftwaffe aircraft wore these markings, and that this plane is nothing more than a prop. However, these markings would be extremely effective when flying over mountains, and that is what has attracted me to this particular Ju-52. Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter?
Dragonfly
Hi there does anybody known where i can get an exact replica model kit for this aircraft many thanks.
Great Movie, Great Web Site!
The German model maufacturer Revell produce a 1:72 scale Junkers 52, a fantastic model which I bought spcifically to paint as the film version. I have not been able to find any references to the camouflage scheme, so am just going to have to use film stills. So it looks likely that the camouflage was specifically for the film. Cool site by the way.
In the book (I know, nobody reads those anymore) the plane used was a British Lancaster 4-engine bomber, and both the parachute drop and pickup were done in the dark. For a movie of course that wouldn’t do, and of course for a daylight pickup a German plane would be needed, and I guess a JU-52 fit the bill best. It sure looks great, and I’m thinking about doing a model in the movie colors too, even though I haven’t modeled in years. BTW great site.
This site need some brushing up I dont look right!!
Great site! Where Eagles Dare is my favorite movie! I used some stills off the site to paint my Revell Ju-52….. Keep up the great work!!!!!
The Junkers JU-52 used in where Eagles Dare is vintage!! Used in WWII!!! I flew it!
The aircraft used in in where eagles dare is a nice plane. But the camo is not authentic. But hey its cool looking! Probably vey affective in mountain terrain. Does any one know where I can get a die-cast of it?? Great site!!
I have finnished my ju-52.. and it looks great! I used the colors flate white and olive green to get the sheme right. Paint the tops of the engine covers black for good detail. The revell has inaccurate gun positions… Inaccurate to the movie anyway so I guess you could leave them out. but I added them in for extra flair. I think their is some kid making stupid entries in this article might want to ckeck up on it….
AC
I have finnished my ju-52.. and it looks great! I used the colors flate white and olive green to get the sheme right. Paint the tops of the engine covers black for good detail. The revell has inaccurate gun positions… Inaccurate to the movie anyway so I guess you could leave them out. but I added them in for extra flair. I think their is some kid making stupid entries in this article might want to ckeck up on it….
AC
I’ve also finished making a 1:72 model ju-53 by revelle and its looking really good, the only 2 problems are that i did mine in matt black instead of olive green as many others have done it in, and the other problem is that i dont have the correct decals for the aircraft (correct to WED; CN4V or any swastikers) so at the moment its bare, does anybody know where i can get decals that match the actual plane used in the film and like the one pictured in the artical? Hopefully somebody will be able to help me out?? Thanks, Graham
This has nothing to do with JU-52’s, but rather, relates to the stated use of the name of a race car driver (von Brauchitsch) as a character name in the novel. Manfed von Brauchitsch, who drove for Mercedes, had an even more famous uncle that the author was likely thinking of: Walther von Brauchitsch, who was head of the High Command of the German Army.
Dear, Graham s Your plea for help has been answered! After I had the same problem with the wrong decals I went on a custum decal site where you design your own decal’s and they ship it to you. Good luck google search it…
AC
Dear, Graham s Your plea for help has been answered! After I had the same problem with the wrong decals I went on a custum decal site where you design your own decal’s and they ship it to you. Good luck google search it…
AC
Cheers AC! I’ll go n have a look around for that website ya mentioned, thanks very much!
Graham
the plane in the book is an avro lancaster, the workhourse of RAF Bomber command during the war which could have managed switzerland and back i think!
Gentlemen, one of you mentioned a company that produces custom made decals. I’ve tried to google it but couldn’t find it. Would someone be so kind to add the URL of any company who does this kind of work? Thanks in advance, Ronald
I recall seeing a Ju52 parked at Blackbushe airport in Hampshire in the late 1970s, this i believe was joined by another some time afterwards.What a thrill it was then as i was a lifetime fan of WED after seeing it at the age of 9 around 1969. Many years later approx 1989 i recall seeing the actual plane flying at “The Fighter Meet” at North Weald in Essex it was bearing white paintwork and the Swiss crosses from memory.Seem to remember the commentator saying the plane was the actual one from the film. Keep up the good work!.
there WAS a JU52 at North Weald Airfield for a number of years.I know,I was there,on and even guarded it.
It was under the charge of ‘Aces High’ a film/vintage aircraft company based at North Weald.
It was shipped out to Kermit Weekes in Florida.
I’m not sure,but I believe Kermit has restored it back to flying condition.
Mike Stewart,Police Constable 1356,Bermuda Police.
there WAS a JU52 at North Weald Airfield for a number of years.I know,I was there,on and even guarded it.
It was under the charge of ‘Aces High’ a film/vintage aircraft company based at North Weald.
It was shipped out to Kermit Weekes in Florida.
I’m not sure,but I believe Kermit has restored it back to flying condition.
Mike Stewart,Police Constable 1356,Bermuda Police.
Just found this site after watching WED again.A tradition I have when we have any snow here in southern England (not very often!)Anyway,concur with previous about JU-52 at Blackbushe beeing the one in the film.I would also like the URL of decal co that can create any decals.
Very happy to see this superb site again! If someone is interested, Extreme Outdoor Clothing is still making the WED reversible german parka.
I read that there is a JU-52 used in the new Tom Cruise film “VALKYRIE” where Cruise plays the part of Col Claus Von Strauffenberg in his attempt to assassinate Hitler during WWII, is this the same one as used in WED ?
I to have seen the trailer for Valkyrie and see a ju-52 though it is painted in metallic colors It is probably a prop or cg movie companies are lazy these days…
Also on another note mike stewart is being vulgar and rude to some poor chap and I dont really want to have to read his offensive comments can someone PLEASE block this spammer!
I to have seen the trailer for Valkyrie and see a ju-52 though it is painted in metallic colors It is probably a prop or cg movie companies are lazy these days…
Hi,the are 2 Ju52`s featured in the Tom Cruise Movie Valkryie. Both were Genuine Aircraft NOT cgi.
i was lucky enough to have worked on the movie and see them up close.
WW2 Ju52s were camouflaged as follows: two-tone green ‘splinter’ on top,light blue underneath.White distemper was applied as winter camouflage at unit level,often leaving patches of green visible.The unit code ‘CN+4V’ is interesting in that it’s a reversal of a genuine code – 4V+CN would be correct and I think that the film makers used a well known photo of a ’52 on the Russian front as inspiration, right down to the tactical code ‘9’ on the tail. Shame they didn’t get it quite right – Nice try!
Hi!
Great film and great site! Thanks.
There is also Flight simulator version of the JU-52 on the film!
(same camoufalage and unit code)
Hi! Great site for a great film! Keep up the great work!! =)
Are there larger images of the pics on this page, where can we get them? They are superb!
… and let no-one forget the great music score that went behind the title sequence at the beginning. Composed by Ron Goodwin (he of 633 Squadron theme fame) if memory serves.
Where Eagles Dare is, no doubt, a thrilling movie but the events portrayed in it are highly improbable. In the movie the Germans are easily bested by Eastwood and Burton. Were the Germans so incompetent? For example when Clint Eastwood enters the hall where the cable car machinery is located it is completely deserted and unguarded. Would the Germans have left it totally unguarded if it was a real situation and not a movie set?
It looks like Mike Stewart and Jimmy white have a four year long grudge going!
Keep it up guys – one of you is bound to win!
Wow, I just visited this site for the first time in forever. Looks like I have some unfinished business on my hands with this little shit going by the name jimmy white. You are fucking worthless and are wasting everyones time posting your mindless chickenshit flame war comments. Honestly, go to hell you stupid bent little cunt.
MS
Can someone confirm or deny for me that the opening scenes of flying, while showing the Junkers, were actually filmed in from helicopter? Some sections look way too slow and in restricted space to be filmed from any plane including a Junkers. All shots of the Junkers (faster and) show it much further from peaks etc, than the film does of narrowly missing valleys walls, etc. Am I the only one thinking this?
I just wanted to let everyone know that the model of this plane is destroyed in 2004. Hurricane Ivan totaled my shed with some of the other planes, ships, armor that I had. But I will rebuild it as soon as I can.
You can actually see the 702 that was painted over in the High Definition version of the opening sequence of the film. They painted over it with the German Cross and old registration number, but the new markings are still visible as the paint didnt take entirely. The aircraft is currently making a tour of the United States!
Any modelers still looking for decals can try cal-grafx.com.
Great movie, even with discrepancies.
Del
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Unfortunatly this Plane crashed today in Switzerland and all 20 People on Board had died!
I saw this plane at Locarno airfield 2 days before it crashed. Had I known it was the actual plane from the film I would have stopped for a short visit. These Ju Air planes fly over my house frequently, making a fantastic sound, and I also filmed one low flying over Sternenberg some months ago. Sad to hear it is now gone.