World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe Ju 188 medium bombers were developed based on the Ju 88 design. Although the first prototype aircraft that would resemble the eventual Ju 188 bomber took flight in early 1940, it was not until 1942 that the German Reich Air Ministry approved such an effort to upgrade the Ju 88 design, designating it Ju 1888. Much of the reason for this change of heart was due to threat of advancing British and Russian fighter designs that had put Ju 88 in great threat at every operation, though from the performance standpoint, Ju 188 bombers were only marginally better than their Ju 88 predecessors. Planning for production began in Oct 1942, and actual production began in Feb 1943. Between 1943 and 1945, 1,234 were built.

SPECIFICATIONS

Ju 188E

Machinery	Two BMW 801 G-2 radial engines rated at 1,700hp each
Armament	1x20mm MG151 cannon, 3x13mm MG131 machine guns, 3,000kg of bombs
Crew	5
Span	22.00 m
Length	15.00 m
Height	4.40 m
Wing Area	56.00 m²
Weight, Empty	9,900 kg
Weight, Loaded	14,500 kg
Speed, Maximum	499 km/h
Service Ceiling	9,500 m
Range, Normal	2,190 km

Photographs

Visitor Submitted Comments

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1.  Bill says:
2 Nov 2014 06:14:52 PM

LONG DISTANCE JUNKERS:

The Junkers Ju-388 was a four-engine aircraft it was built from assemblies of the Ju-88, Ju-188 and Ju-88. The fuselage was lengthened by adding new sections, Ju-188 outer wings with new inboard wing sections each mounting an extra engine and a twin-tail assembly. Powered by 4 x BMW air-cooled radial engines the landing gears were four single units that retracted into each engine nacelle.

2.  Alan Chanter says:
24 Jul 2019 06:18:30 AM

Ju 188 pilot, Leutnant Karl Geyr of 1/KG6 recalled: ‘It was better than the Ju 88 as it had a roomier cockpit, better visibility and a better instrument panel. It was better, faster and climbed faster than the Ju 88. It didn’t swing to port on take-off and it was steadier in fight at slow speed.’

3.  Alan Chanter says:
24 Jul 2019 08:30:26 AM

The Ju.188E-1 had a normal crew of four (not 5 as stated above). When Lt. Karl Geyr’s bomber was intercepted and shot down by a night fighter crewed by Flying Officer Hugh Thomas and Warrant Officer Charles Hamilton of 85 Squadron RAF, at 2315hrs on 15th October 1943, the other three members of his crew were Radio operator Obergefrieter Detram Kretzschmer, Observer Feldwebel Walter Flesssner and Flight Engineer Obergefrieter Otto Schmidt. Their Ju.188 crashed at Birchington, Kent and, apart Geyr (who became a PoW), all three were killed and are today buried in Margate cemetery.