Junkers Ju88H-1

[obdl3945]

Hi, folks...

Any chance someone can help out with some information about the Ju88H-1's armament, please. I believe it carried a ventral pod, with forward-firing weapons, but have just seen an advert for a conversion kit to modify a model from A to H sub-type, which states the pod was rear-facing. Can anyone clarify... ?

Also, any information about colour schemes...? Were operational H-1s in standard green & blue colour schemes, or were there any unusual variations, given that some were used out over the Atlantic and Biscay...?

Thanks for any help provided...

[GrahamB]

Hi obdl3945,

my best reference for this is Manfred Griehl's 'Junkers Ju 88 - Star of the Luftwaffe'. The pod was a defensive system, with rear-firing mgs - you will need to add the periscope on upper part of pilot's windscreen. The book shows two photos of the pod - but note that two positions are indicated; one where the front of the pod (on port side) reaches the front of the ventral cockpit hatch, the other is more aft - the front of pod more or less level with the rear of the hatch.

As for scheme - the photos show a 'standard' scheme, ie with 70/71 (or quite possibly 72/73 since they were custom-built for maritime use) over 65.

No doubt you will receive more elaborate information than this.

Cheers

GrahamB

[obdl3945]

Graham...

Thanks very much indeed. I've sent you a PM.

Kindest regards.

[Nick Beale]

IIRC there were other photos in an issue of Jet&Prop some years ago.

[obdl3945]

Hi, Nick...

Thanks for that... talking of which, I have a few of the Jet & Prop booklets, issue numbers 9, 10, 11 and 13, but I can't seem to find any copies prior to issue 9. Are they still available in the small-size booklet format...? They have a lot of photos which I certainly have never seen before.

Would anyone with the particular copy Nick's referring to, be willing to contact me, please, via PM...?

Regards...

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by obdl3945

Hi, Nick...

Thanks for that... talking of which, I have a few of the Jet & Prop booklets, issue numbers 9, 10, 11 and 13, but I can't seem to find any copies prior to issue 9.

I was talking about the bi-monthly magazine itself, not the occasional books, and the link I posted was to their page for ordering old issues.

[Andy Mitchell]

Is this any help?

No ventral weapons pack though.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Andy Mitchell

Is this any help?

No ventral weapons pack though.

(a) that's the picture I remember;

(b) you can see the darker coloured oval on the underside where the weapons pack would be fitted though.

[obdl3945]

Nick, Andy...

Judging from the fuselage code, this is an 8.Staffel machine. I know Fernaufklärungsgruppe 123 used these aircraft, in which case the parent Geschwader code would be '4U'. Would this be the only unit operating the Ju88H-1... ?

Thanks again to you both for your assitance.

Regards

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by obdl3945

Nick, Andy...

Judging from the fuselage code, this is an 8.Staffel machine. I know Fernaufklärungsgruppe 123 used these aircraft, in which case the parent Geschwader code would be '4U'. Would this be the only unit operating the Ju88H-1... ?

Thanks again to you both for your assitance.

Regards

The +FS is more likely to be part of a Stammkennzeichen isn't it, especially as it is repeated under the wing. IIRC the Jet&Prop article included codes for one or two of the 1.(F)/123 aircraft.