HISTORY AND R&D

Ju-209A
Role: prototype aircraft.

The Ju-209A was originally built to be a direct competitor to the Messerschmitt 110 but failed altogether for its role for strike aircraft. However in 1938 another program was open up by the German Empire Aviation Ministry or GEAM. The program was aimed to make a heavy interceptor to counter the upcoming threat of an intercontinental bomber. so the Ju-209 was submitted again to the program but with little hope they will even get into it. However fate has other plans as the Ar-454 a single engine boom and zoom style heavy interceptor lost to its competitor junkers for this program.

The first flight of the aircraft happened in late December of 1937 reaching a max speed of almost 300MPH at an altitude of 28,500 feet. The original armament was to be a modified 75mm cannon and 2x20mm close to the fuselage in the wing. However this was rejected as an obvious choice but it had its place of being a strike aircraft changing its name from Ju-209A to Ju-209S as in S for strike.

As this is the prototype it didn’t reach the required speed but non the less it was still chosen.