Junkers Ju86K-7 Photograph

[artaircraft]

I wonder if you could help me. I am trying to identify the date when the attached photograph was taken.

The aircraft, is I am sure you will know, a Junkers Ju86Z-7, also known as the TP-9. This aircraft, Air Force Serial No 911, was operated by Wing F 1 of the Swedish Air Force at Västerås, but was later transferred to F 7 at Såtenäs.
The original engines were two radial Pratt & Whitney Hornet S-1 E-G of 750 hp each. As these engines proved themselves to be very unreliable, they were changed to Mercury My XXIV engines, I understand the aircraft was written off in 1958.
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[Lennart A]

I wonder if you could help me. I am trying to identify the date when the attached photograph was taken.

Very nice photo!

The Tp 9 carried these markings until 1949/1950, when it became 1-11 instead of 1-78. It carried number 78 already in 1940, but the dark green/light blue gray camouflage was not introduced for the B 3 and Tp 9 until in October 1949, although there is a small possibility that the Tp 9 was repainted earlier. My guess is that the photo was taken in 1949.

Lennart A

[artaircraft]

Many thanks for that Lennart, that certainly narrows it down.

[eralehm]

The yellow rather than black "1" on the fuselage shows that the aircraft is marked in accordance with the regulations of 1944, which began to be applied in early 1945. So the date is at least not earlier than 1945.

/Leif Hellström

[artaircraft]

Searching for information concerning this aircraft I found the following in Flight International's Archives for June 1948:-

THE Chief of the Air Staff was at R.A.F. Station West Mailing on June 7th to extend a friendly welcome to the pilots of thirteen Swedish Mustangs. These included Major-General Ljungdahl, C.B.E., C:-in-C. of the Swedish Fighter Command, and Colonel Lindahl, who commands the Air Force station at Uppsala. The visit followed the recent trip to* Sweden by Hornets of No. 65 Squadron, R.A.F., and is due to conclude to-day (Thursday). Following the Mustangs came three twin-engined Ju 86 transports bearing ground crew and spares and bringing up the total of personnel to seventeen officers and twenty N.C.O.s. The elderly Junkers had refuelled at Twente, in Holland, and were escorted over Netherlands territory by Dutch Spitfires.

I wondered if the photograph was taken during this visit.

[Håkan_Olsson]

Searching for information concerning this aircraft I found the following in Flight International's Archives for June 1948:-

THE Chief of the Air Staff was at R.A.F. Station West Mailing on June 7th to extend a friendly welcome to the pilots of thirteen Swedish Mustangs. These included Major-General Ljungdahl, C.B.E., C:-in-C. of the Swedish Fighter Command, and Colonel Lindahl, who commands the Air Force station at Uppsala. The visit followed the recent trip to* Sweden by Hornets of No. 65 Squadron, R.A.F., and is due to conclude to-day (Thursday). Following the Mustangs came three twin-engined Ju 86 transports bearing ground crew and spares and bringing up the total of personnel to seventeen officers and twenty N.C.O.s. The elderly Junkers had refuelled at Twente, in Holland, and were escorted over Netherlands territory by Dutch Spitfires.

I wondered if the photograph was taken during this visit.

This aircraft was used on many flights to England since it was used to transport Swedish pilots who picked up Mosquitoes, Vampires, Venoms and Spitfires.
It wasn't the only aircraft used for that purpose but it certainlly made a number of trips which makes it hard to pinpoint the date.

[artaircraft]

This aircraft was used on many flights to England since it was used to transport Swedish pilots who picked up Mosquitoes, Vampires, Venoms and Spitfires.
It wasn't the only aircraft used for that purpose but it certainlly made a number of trips which makes it hard to pinpoint the date.

Many thanks, looking at the photograph the terrain seems to fit England. As you say as the aircraft made many such trips it would be hard to pinpoint the date. When I posted the photograph I wondered if the flight was significant such as the last flight before going out of service.

[artaircraft]

Thank you for your interest. I have been informed by the Royal Aeronautical Society that the aircraft was in fact photographed on the 7th June 1948 during the visit of the Swedish Air Force Mustangs.