Kiwiguy
I dispute the claim here that GH+UK was the first prototype Ju-390 V1. Junkers company archives document that the V1 prototype was 31.1 metres long. The V2 prototype was recorded as having a fuselage length of 34.2 metres.
If one places the photo of the only other known Ju-390 flying, with Luftwaffe codes RC+DA next to the photo of GH+UK then rotates the photos and matches the wing chords to the same scale, one quickly realises that these two Ju-390 aircraft are entirely different.
RC+DA has a shorter fuselage. It also has a longer fuselage ahead of the wing than GH+UK.
Some like Junkers historian Horst Zoeller insist that the photo of RC+DA is doctored from another photo, but has ignored repeated requests from myself to provide the donor photo which he claims it was doctored from. Mr Zoeller can't do so and does not respond.
The facts suggest that GH+UK with the longer fuselage is actually the V2 prototype. Original RLM documents seen by Luftwaffe historian and author Geoffrey Brooks indicate that the Ju-390 V2 was redesignated as the Ju-390 A1 prior to it's first flight in October 1944.
Records note the first flight of a Ju-390 at Bernberg in August 1943, flown by Flugkapitan Hans Werner Lerche.
This first flight was followed by the second aircraft on 20 October 1943 at Merkersberg, flown by Flugkapitan Hans Joachim Pancherz with Dipl Ing. Gast as co-pilot.
If one places the photo of the only other known Ju-390 flying, with Luftwaffe codes RC+DA next to the photo of GH+UK then rotates the photos and matches the wing chords to the same scale, one quickly realises that these two Ju-390 aircraft are entirely different.
RC+DA has a shorter fuselage. It also has a longer fuselage ahead of the wing than GH+UK.
Some like Junkers historian Horst Zoeller insist that the photo of RC+DA is doctored from another photo, but has ignored repeated requests from myself to provide the donor photo which he claims it was doctored from. Mr Zoeller can't do so and does not respond.
The facts suggest that GH+UK with the longer fuselage is actually the V2 prototype. Original RLM documents seen by Luftwaffe historian and author Geoffrey Brooks indicate that the Ju-390 V2 was redesignated as the Ju-390 A1 prior to it's first flight in October 1944.
Records note the first flight of a Ju-390 at Bernberg in August 1943, flown by Flugkapitan Hans Werner Lerche.
This first flight was followed by the second aircraft on 20 October 1943 at Merkersberg, flown by Flugkapitan Hans Joachim Pancherz with Dipl Ing. Gast as co-pilot.