[edNorth]

Stig, Ju 88s were alreay then built as multi version airplane and fitted out in the factory and simply assigned W.Nr. in current production ranges without regard to version. All this was drawn into "factory floor" individual aircraft W.Nr. plans some weeks in advance. Samples of these do exist.

Upgrades was constant and never ending work, and many spares contracts made in this period, just not popular research project. But all them contract numbers, costs and such is available. Ju 88 A-1/5 0886146 CF+VP held in storage in Berlin is one such aircraft.

I say, research on German WW2 individual aircraft types, not mentioing plans and costs and such are incomplete (defect) products.

True D-2 appeared from 0772 and up only to 0890. 85 examples ordered. Not as a batch, but own version. Still mixed in with others, in Ju 88 A or C versions. Again: Not conversions, but confusion still clouds your head, many Ju 88 C were such, not done in factory and Special ones appearing too. Many older A-5 F appear as D-2 in GQM losses in error "because clercks at units and GQM office transferred designation D-2 to A-5 Fs already in service". The 0880001 and up was built by Junkers, as A-1 to about 0400, then A-5 take over - in mid batch - betweem 0364 and 0400. Older planes / survivours upgrded at A-5 (wings) even undelivered and still in Factory, as deliveries were more in near random order than many think. But average was progessive order.

Ju 88 A-4s only appearing in very late spring / summer 1941 in 0881001 range, not soon enough be able carry Yellow "Crete invasion markings" as Revell A-4 kit has. Those markings are pure fakes regarding only carried by A-5´s. If Revell had installed snow skiis on their model, that would make them MORE true - because they were factory equipped for recieving them.

Bottom line is, many designations of this period often are muddled in GQM losses, and the hard evedence, their actual delivery paperwork is not available. Some exists, more samples I found in BArch last week.

But A-5 and A-4 were made along each other in beginning, but D-2 was only official from March 1941, after many were built, co-inciding with first few A-4, all going to testing. Because of manufacturing problem up to 67 planes stood idle at Bernburg and could not be flown because of missing parts. Situation only overcome my late summer.