Lufthansa Turned Luftwaffe: Germany's Duplicitous Aircraft Development

In the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, it stipulated that Germany could not have any military aircraft. This was one of many provisions intended to punish Germany after the First World War, and to limit Germany's capability of being a threat to the rest of Europe. After Hitler was elected chancellor, the anger felt by Germany over the unfairness of the treaty translated into many subtle pursuits into rebuilding Germany's army while walking the line but not violating the treaty.

One of those pursuits was the development of a modern air force. Of course, because the treaty said that Germany couldn't have an air force this process could not be done in the open or overtly. So, this task was handed to the various aircraft manufacturers in Germany (Heinkel, Messerschmitt, Junkers, etc.) in order to design new and better planes for civilian use.

A Junkers Ju52 with Lufthansa markings.
Photo obtained through WikiCommons.

The most prominent example of this is the Junkers Ju52. It was originally designed to be used by Lufthansa, the German flag-bearing airline to this day, as a civilian airliner. However, the designers at Junkers made this plane so that it could be easily converted to be a bomber. Indeed, during the Spanish Civil War it was one of the first planes given to Franco's forces. The Ju52, however, was not a very effective bomber and ended up serving in the Luftwaffe in its original role: as a troop transport.

Many of Germany's new planes built in the 1920s and '30s would end up serving in the Luftwaffe in one way or another. This was just one of many areas where Germany defied the treaty in order to rearm itself. Until next time take care, and thanks for reading.

(Facts and figures courtesy of "The World War II Desk Reference" edited by Michael E. Haskew, with specifics about the Ju52 found on Wikipedia.)