Ju-52 as paratrooper aircraft?

[RAF_Loke]

Normally the Ju-52 has a door opening out, which would make it impossible to operate while airborne.
So did they fly with the door taken off, which I have a hard time believing in as it would use extra fuel, and be most uncomfortably for the soldiers, especially on a long flight as the one to Crete.
Or were it common to use a version where the door was pulled in and slides to the side as on this picture?

 

[Capt. Vick]

Hmmm...

 

[Thorlifter]

No door here so it's either removed or opened inside the place

 

[Thorlifter]

No door here either

 

[Kai Stemm]

No door here either

View attachment 360920

I got doors

 

[Kai Stemm]

I got doors
View attachment 360926 View attachment 360927

But also here is two images one shows a different door like the one you talked about with it sliding

 

[Wurger]

And here is a shot of two Ju-52s on the Crete. It can be noticed that there were kites both with and without the door. Also other images of crashed planes on the Crete indicate that many of the paratrooper kites didn't have the doors.

 

[Airframes]

The large door on the starboard side on the civilian registered example in Post #6 is the split cargo door, as shown in post 5.
Not sure if wartime JU52's had a pull-in sliding door - the pic shown is likely a Spanish-built example. But whether the door slid in, or was removed, wouldn't be a problem.
Dakotas / C-47s, although they had a removable door panel for paratrooping, often flew with the door permanently removed anyway.
The troops are away from the immediate effect of the slipstream, being forward of the door, sand even if they weren't, they're Paras - they can take it !!

 

[Wurger]

If you have a look at the pics you can notice holes in the fuselage next to the left edge of the entry. These were for the door hinges that could be easy dismounted and mounted when needed. The seen slided door in the pic of the first post of the thread is the post-war modification rather.

Also here a couple of images more ...

 

[Airframes]

Good find Wojtek.
The door opening is more of a problem, being so low. That's why the Fallschirmjager had to adopt the 'diving' exit, rather than the more 'efficient' standing position.

 

[Wurger]

Yes you are right. Also please pay your attention to the handrails seen on the left and right of the entry edges. These can be seen in almost all shots of the Ju-52 I saw. In the case, the slided door wouldn't be possible because of limited moving by these handrails. About closing not mentioning at all.

 

[Thorlifter]

Good eye Wojtek. I saw those images but didn't notice the holes.

 

[RAF_Loke]

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Wurger]

Here is a shot of the Ju-52 door I managed to find. The door hinges can be seen though...

 

[MiTasol]

Here is a shot of the Ju-52 door I managed to find. The door hinges can be seen though...View attachment 361003

Good photo Wurger, lots of details visible and it solves my old question of how they dealt with the ends of the corrugations.

Interestingly this aircraft copped it from both sides as the damage has puncture tears both in and out

Mi

 

[Micdrow]

Little late to the party but every picture I have seen has the doors removed. If you are looking to make a model I recommend these two books. The Junkers Ju 52 book has great interior shots of a parachute drop ship. I do have both if you are looking for more info.

 

[John D. Voss]

As a point of interest when I was working for IBM in San Jose, CA there was a fellow in my department who was a "Jumpmaster" in the Ju-52. He informed that when they made wintertime jumps (i.e. deep snow) in the Russian front the aircraft would fly just above stall speed and about 6 feet above the snowy landscape and the troops would simply jump out of the aircraft. Wow!