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Sunbird Photos by Don Boyd | all galleries >> Oldie-Goldie Galleries of Slide and Print Aviation Stock Photos (National, Braniff, Eastern, Pan Am, military, USCG, etc.) >> Prints and slides Gallery of Corporate and Private Aircraft stock photos > Martin Caidin's Junkers JU 52 N52JU (now D-AQUI) "Iron Annie" photo #CPP79 JU-52_IronAnnie
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Martin Caidins Junkers JU 52 N52JU (now D-AQUI) Iron Annie photo #CPP79 JU-52_IronAnnie
1979 (or late 70's) Sunbird Photos by Don Boyd

Martin Caidin's Junkers JU 52 N52JU (now D-AQUI) "Iron Annie" photo #CPP79 JU-52_IronAnnie

Miami International Airport


The oldest airworthy JU 52, built in 1936. Serial 5489. Reg. D-AQUI. Sold to DNL Det Norske Luftfartsselskap in 1936, registration LN-DAH. Confiscated by German Army 1940. Given the old D-AQUI registrartion but named Kurt Wintgens. After World War II, the Allied returned it to its former owners, DNL. Registered as LN-KAF. It served on the Norwegian coast Tromsø - Kirkenes from February 1948 until 1956. Parked at The Oslo Fornbu Airpot for one year, sold to Transportes Aereos Orientales in Ecuador, new registration HB-ABS. Taken out of service in 1963 and left at the Quito Airport for six years, it was bought by an former U. S. Air Force pilot, Lester Weaver for $52,500. Given registry N130LV, but American authorities certified her only as "Experimental". In 1975 an American writer, Martin Caidin ("Cyborg", "Marooned") bought it for $150,000. He christened it "Iron Annie", registered N52JU. He flew it at air shows until Lufthansa acquired it in December 1984. It was flown to Hamburg via Greenland, Iceland and England. After a year it took to the air again, better than ever. The official registration painted under the tail is D-CDLH . Aircraft´s name now Tempelhof. The old registration D-AQUI is painted on the wings.


other sizes: small original
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Mike Weaver 30-Nov-2008 14:05
Lester Weaver was my father and there are a host of stories surrounding this aircraft, from when he acquired it to the adventure of getting it flown to the U.S. Luftanza published a book about its restoration and Dad was proud to be mentioned in it and a part of the "rescuing" of this vintage aircraft.