Junkers Ju 88, Vol. 3. Day and Nightfighters. Development - Equipment - Operations 1940 - 1945.

[INM@RLM]

Ref post #46. Thank you very much for this, Peter.

What I get from your contributions is:

1. 0096 was the very first Ju 88 fighter prototype even though it was never assigned a V-Nummer.
2. The photo of the Ju 88 flying test bed pictured with the forward firing armament protruding through the vision panels is indeed actually of 0096, CN+NR. (So the statement and caption on p.53 are both correct, but those on pp.9 & 10 are erroneous.)
3. Subsequently 0096 was retrofitted with the metal fighter nose and formally re-christened as a C-1.
4. The date of April 1940 for 0096 in service with I./NJG 2 is an impossibility. I take it that 1940 is a typo for 1941.
5. The idea that there was a Z15, Ju 88 V15, WNr. 0007 that was a Ju 88 fighter prototype is simply made-up NONSENSE. (This was only an engine development and similar prototype.)
6. The idea that 0096, CN+NT was used as a development machine during the evolution of the Ju 88 C-6 is ALSO NONSENSE of similar provenance.

I'm sure you will correct me if I have strayed here from the straight and narrow.