Strana 23
where it underwent a long and demanding
restoration to her original condition. This work
was carried out in Héreg near Budapest, home
to a well-known workshop specializing in the
vintage aircraft restoration. Their work can be
seen in many museums.
Following its return to Canada in September
2024, the final finishing work was completed.
In order to preserve her historical authenticity,
the float landing gear was reinstalled in May
2025, and in this configuration the Junkers
is now on display in the RAMWC museum in
Winnipeg. Unfortunately, the airplane currently
lacks the engine. Regardless, she makes an
extraordinary impression in the exhibition.
The Junkers F 13 left an indelible mark on
the world aviation and it can be said outright
to have been one of the airplanes that helped
transform the commercial air transport. This
was primarily due to its advanced all-metal
design, operational reliability and sturdiness
which also contributed to the promotion
of the aviation as a whole. Her successors
included, for example, the single-engine W 34
and the three-engine G 23/24, and the most
famous Ju 52. In total, around 320 airframes
of the “Thirteen” were produced between 1919
and 1930. Other surviving original airplanes
can be found, for example, at the Air and
Space Museum in Le Bourget near Paris, the
Deutsches Museum in Munich, or the Transport
Museum in Budapest.
In the pre-war Czechoslovakia, two
examples of the “Thirteen” were in use—one
with Czechoslovak registration and another
with a German one. In 1932, the footwear
businessman Tomáš Baťa was killed while
aboard on one of these airplanes.
Modeler’s note: 1/48 scale replica of this
airplane can be built from the recently
released MiniArt plastic model.
REPORT
INFO Eduard
23
January 2026