Junkers
J 15
The Junkers J 15 was a single‑engine, low‑wing monoplane developed in the late 1920s as part of Junkers’ effort to produce a versatile, all‑metal aircraft capable of serving both civilian and military markets. First flown in March 1928, the J 15 emerged from the company’s earlier J 9 and J 11 designs, incorporating a more powerful Junkers L 5 inline engine and a strengthened steel‑tube fuselage with corrugated duralumin skin. Its fixed, split‑type landing gear and spacious cabin could be quickly re‑configured for passenger transport, freight hauling, or reconnaissance, making it attractive to airlines and the Reichswehr alike. Production numbers remained modest—approximately 120 units—because the aircraft was quickly eclipsed by the faster, retractable‑gear Ju 52. Nevertheless, the J 15 proved significant as a testbed for Junkers’ structural innovations, especially the use of interchangeable wing panels and modular equipment mounts, concepts that informed later wartime designs. In civilian service the J 15 opened new routes over rugged terrain, demonstrating the durability of all‑metal construction in harsh environments. Its brief but impactful career helped cement Junkers’ reputation for pioneering durable, multi‑role aircraft in the interwar era.
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Classification
Production & History
- First Flight
- 1921