Ju 290

[carman1877]

Does anyone knwo if the Ju 290 actually carried bombs or if it had a bombay? Looking for pictures and viseos showing if there was bombs carried. Most sites said it does but dont say where or how.

[Doughboy]

All I know is that it was a transport plane, that was used in small numbers as a bomber....I haven't found a pic or a video though.

[Erich]

It's most famous role was as a maritime armed Recon which it performed quite admirably. It had no bomb bays nor did it carry any bombs at all while serving in the Stab and 2 staffeln of FAGr 5.

where are you guys getting your info from ?

E ~

[Doughboy]

Originally Posted by Erich

It's most famous role was as a maritime armed Recon which it performed quite admirably. It had no bomb bays nor did it carry any bombs at all while serving in the Stab and 2 staffeln of FAGr 5.

where are you guys getting your info from ?

E ~

Here is where I found it.Junkers Ju 290

[Thorlifter]

They were armed fairly well with machine guns and a single cannon in the tail. There were a few "test" models that were fitted with guilded rockets and/or a cannon in the nose to help against frontal attacks.

If you need more info, I'll dig out my Luftwaffe book, but I'm sure Erich has this stuff memorized!!!

[carman1877]

Thanks, and I got my info from a military site of google(Forget the name) that said that it could carry 6,000 pounds of bombs if needed. I quess their wrong.

[davebender]

In my opinion a huge missed opportunity by the German Navy. During 1937 the Luftwaffe cancelled the Ural Bomber program in favor of the more advanced Bomber A program. The Ju-89 heavy bomber was already flying in prototype at the time of program cancellation.

The German Navy should have funded continuation of the Ju-89/Ju-290 for use as a maritime patrol bomber. By 1939 they would have a proper combat aircraft for that mission rather then the jury rigged Condor airliner. With a couple hundred of these aircraft they could make a serious dent in British and French shipping.

[Thorlifter]

Agreed Dave. Found this on Wiki (don't hate me for reading Wiki)

Towards the end of 1943, Admiral Dönitz demanded that the entire output of Ju 290s be made available for U-boat warfare. However, a mere 20 machines were assigned for this purpose. Even though both Hitler and Dönitz demanded an increase, the Luftwaffe General Staff declared it was unable to assign anymore for naval reconnaissance purposes. The General Staff argued that there could be no increase in output so long as the Luftwaffe was not conceded "precedence in overall armaments".

[davebender]

Too late to matter as wartime mass production priorities have already been established. 1937 is an entirely different matter.

Seylitz Information
KM Seydlitz was laid down 29 December 1936. Cost was 84.1 million marks.

Lützow Information
KM Lutzow was laid down 2 August 1937. Cost was 83.6 million marks.

84.1
83.6
----------
167.7 million marks total for both heavy cruisers. Cancel these useless white elephants and the German Navy will have plenty of money for the Ju-290 maritime patrol bomber.

[Erich]

well I made mention of this a/c some eyars ago in fact some lengthy listings on amounts and the unit in general. sorry gents but all info I see on this thread has mistakes, there wer more than 20 that made flights from SW France to places to the west including one of the most daring rescues on record for the War

I'll include more later. the only possible test was with the HS 292 and testing only the unit was not pursued by FAGr 5 as it was a Recon unit not a bomber unit like the gruppe I./KG 40 with the Kondor.

I'll mention this the lack of communique' of the KM and LW together brought disastrous results especially in the Atlantic but all theaters the KM was sailing on, no co-ordination with ego's high in both branches. the navy and it's possible use of A/C was major as LW wanted and did get full control

[brickhistory]

there wer more than 20 that made flights from SW France to places to the west including one of the most daring rescues on record for the War

More please?

References, sites, sources?

Much obliged in advance.

[Erich]

heyaay Brick give me some time and I will add more

as to night time missions this was not FAGr 5 but KG 100 or 200 dropping agents. the 425th nfs almost scored a kill of one but the crew saw the P-61 during a very clear night and moon and dropped down like a stone the P-61 missing his chance.

[brickhistory]

Erich, yes, that is why I'm interested.

In my 417th NFS book, their claim to fame was downing a Ju 290 traveling from the Stuttgart area to Barcelona, the night of 27/28 Dec 44.

While I found odd bits and pieces of the Ju end of the story, I have never been able to come up with the whole story.

Like what unit - I suspected KG 200, but never knew for sure - what was the cargo/passengers, etc.

The flights were a fairly regular thing and much treasure and some people were spirited out of Germany into neutral countries - Spain, Turkey, etc.

It's estimated that the treasure/money that escaped into Spain was nearly $600 million in 1945 dollars.

The Allies were worried about a potential Fourth Reich being financed or senior Nazis setting up their retirement funds out of such financial caches.

The money part I've researched, the operational getting it there via Ju 290s once land access was cut, I have been singularly unsuccessful.

I would be grateful for any illumination you can provide.