Junkers K 30

The Junkers K 30 was a low‑wing, all‑metal monoplane developed in the early 1930s by the German firm Junkers Motorenbau und Junkers Flugzeugwerk. Conceived as a high‑performance sport and training aircraft, the K 30 first flew in 1932 and entered limited production the following year. Its airframe employed the pioneering Junkers corrugated Duralumin skin, giving the aircraft exceptional strength while keeping weight low. Powered by a 120 hp Junkers L5 inline engine, the K 30 could reach a maximum speed of 210 km/h and had a service ceiling of 5,500 m, making it competitive with contemporary trainers. The cockpit was enclosed, a rarity for the period, and the aircraft featured split flaps and a fixed, spatted landing gear that provided reliable handling on both grass and paved strips. Although only a few dozen units were built, the K 30 served as a testbed for advanced aerodynamic concepts that later appeared in the famous Junkers Ju 87 Stuka and Ju 88 bomber families. Its robust construction demonstrated the viability of all‑metal civilian aircraft, helping to shift German aviation from wood‑and‑fabric biplanes toward modern monoplane design. Its influence helped shape Germany's pre‑war military aircraft development.