Junkers J 3
Junkers & Co. · Germany · first flew 1917 · light aircraft
The Junkers J 3 was a pioneering German all-metal cantilever monoplane of World War I, demonstrating Hugo Junkers' vision of strut-free thick-wing construction. It was an experimental aircraft rather than a production type.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.7 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Early all-metal corrugated-duralumin construction
- Single-seat cantilever low-wing monoplane without external bracing
- Thick-section Junkers wing profile with no wing struts
Distinguished by its thick all-metal corrugated wing with no external bracing, clean low-wing layout, and the early Junkers characteristic of a wide-chord wing with blunt leading edge.
Specifications
- The Junkers J 3 has a length of 7.7 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13 m (43 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 190 km/h (118 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1917, the J 3 advanced the corrugated-duralumin structural approach introduced with the J 1. It helped establish the low-wing cantilever monoplane as a viable configuration and directly influenced subsequent Junkers commercial and military designs.
Variants
The J 3 was a one-off experimental machine; the related J 4 and J 7 followed the same philosophy in different roles.
Where you'll see it
Never entered service; used solely for experimental evaluation by Junkers and German military assessors.
Related aircraft
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