The first post-war Junkers, from the beginning conceived as an airliner, transport or business aircraft, made its first flight in 1919. It followed on from the previous J12, which was merely a modification of the J10 close-support aircraft equipped with a passenger cabin.
It is generally considered the first modern airliner in the world. It was an all-metal cantilever low-wing cabin monoplane, with several safety innovations including the fitting of seat-belts.
It had, of course, a period-specific fixed landing gear, it was covered with corrugated duralumin sheet metal, had a fixed-pitch wooden propeller and could be powered by various engines, most often Mercedes DIII derivatives, different BMW or Junkers versions with an output of 160-230 horsepower (119-172 kW). It was designed for 6 people. The rear cabin equipped with an entrance door accommodated 4 passengers (2 passengers and a table in some business versions). The front cockpit housed 2 pilots, or the pilot on the left and the 5th passenger on the right. It was not glazed, only equipped with small windshields. The aircraft therefore had no problems with visibility or de-icing of the windshield.
A total of 322 units were produced in Germany and in the Soviet Union by 1929. 20 units were confiscated as war reparations and handed over to Britain (6 units), Belgium (2), Italy (5) and France (7).
The original aircraft on display (probably production no. 609), powered by a 180 horsepower (134 kW) BMW IIIa engine, is one of the confiscated French examples. It does not sport any registration.
The Junkers J9 was a development version of the previously intended fighter J7, constructed on Hugo Junkers' own initiative, and produced in a single prototype in 1917. J7 was the first all-metal cantilever fighter monoplane in the world. In March 1918, 3 test aircraft were ordered under the designation J9. A month later, in April 1918, the first prototype was completed and in May, handed over to the Inspektion der Fliegertruppen (Idflieg) for testing. The aircraft was equipped with a 160 horsepower (119 kW) Mercedes DIII engine and armed with 2 synchronized machine guns placed in front of the cockpit (missing on the exhibited original). During the tests, it demonstrated good performance, but failed in manoeuvrability. Therefore, specialist role of balloon attack or use in naval aviation was considered. 47 (40?) units were produced, officially designated Junkers D.I. Combat use in World War I is not confirmed. Cantilevered low-wing fighters found their role only after another twenty years. After the war, this type was used by Geschwader Sachsenburg for suppressing the Red forces in the Baltic countries.
The only surviving example was assigned to the naval aviation in occupied Flanders. After the war, it was examined by the British, assigned to the Belgian Air Force and finally in 1921, sent to France for testing at the Section technique de l´Aeronautique (STA) in Paris. It was restored in the 1970s and since 1974 has been exhibited at Le Bourget.
Air and Space Museum Le Bourget Airport.
The French Naval Aviation was the only European user of Piasecki´s HUP Retriever/H-25 Army Mule. The original HUP-1 was a winner of a US Navy competition for a light naval SAR helicopter for carriers as well as smaller vessels.
The upgraded version HUP-2, powered by a more powerful single Continental R075.42 550 hp (410 kW) radial engine, was the first helicopter equipped with an autopilot. France received 15 (19?) units for operations in Indochina and Algeria. A total of 339 helicopter of various versions were produced between 1949 and 1954.
Air and Space Museum Le Bourget Airport.
A91 took part in the single low-altitude raid by the 12 French Air Force Jaguars on the Ahmad al-Jaber Airbase in Kuwait as part of Operation Desert Storm on 17th January 1991. 4 aircraft sustained damage. A91 was hit by a SAM and returned to the base with only one functioning engine.
