Ju 52/3m g2e D-AQUI

[Seaplanes]

Dear Ed,
W.Nr. 5489 LN-DAH "Falken" was taken over by Luftwaffe on 06.06.40 after completing overhaul at the DNL's workshop at Gressholmen island (Oslo). It was flown to Norderney to change to standard Luftwaffe radio equipment and was reported here on 16.08.40. However, German authorities gave the aircraft to DLH for use on the DLH operated service from Hommelvik (Trondheim) via Tromsö to Kirkenes. The aircraft was ready for transfer back to Norway on about 21.08.40. Reg. D-AQUI and named "Kurt Wintgens". The route opened on 20.08.40 by another ex. Norwegian aircraft, LN-DAF "Najaden", now registered D-AKIY and named "Richard Schneider". The first flight by D-AQUI on this route was on 22.09.40, but then only to Tromsö before returning to Hommelvik. North of Tromsö the route was operated only in the summer season. From 02.08.43 the route was cut back to Hammerfest and from 18.05.44 to Billefjord. The last DLH-flight between Hommelvik and Tromsö was carried out on 1. May 1945.
D-AQUI was used throughout the war, and to my knowledge, suffered no major incidents. The plane lost during the war was ex. Norwegian LN-DAI "Hauken" which was used by DLH on the same route as D-AQUB "Hans Berr". This aircraft crashed fatally during landing in Hommelvik on 01.03.43.