The Junkers G.38 is the large aircraft designed by Dr. Junkers that appears in The Wind Rises.
It is the first aircraft studied by the Japanese during their airplane design research in Junkerswerke, located in Nazi Germany. After their studies, the Japanese developed the Mitsubishi G3M.
Plot[]
The Japanese are overwhelmed by the scale of the Junkers facility and the advanced German technology, something they have never seen in Japan. When they discover the bomber, they immediately approach it, but a guard stops them. They become upset because they have official permission to study German aircraft design.
Dr. Junkers speaks to the guard, who then allows the Japanese to board the plane. Dr. Junkers also gives them permission to sit in the bomber during the test flight. Jiro Horikoshi and Kiro Honjo inspect the interior of the aircraft. In the engine room, they meet the Flight Engineer, who explains how the plane works.
History[]
The Junkers G.38 was a prototype transport aircraft developed in the late 1920s. Two examples (D-AZUR and D-APIS) were built in Germany and entered commercial passenger service with Lufthansa. The design was licensed to Mitsubishi, which constructed an additional six aircraft designated as the Ki-20.
For its time, the G.38 was an exceptionally large and capable aircraft, able to accommodate roughly 30 passengers depending on the configuration. Its wing design allowed in-flight engineers to access all powerplants, and its range enabled non-stop flights from Berlin to London.
No examples of the type survive today.
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