The distinctive corrugated body work was inspired by German Junkers (Aircraft) starting from the First World War until the 1930s, the three engined Junkers Ju 52 being the last to use this construction.
Airborne forces initially jumped using the venerable German tri-motored Junkers Ju 52 aircraft.
In the 1930s, the Germans developed a similar system called the Drehkranz D 30 (German: Turntable) which was used on a number of German aircraft, most notably the Junkers Ju 52.
Junkers | Junkers Ju 88 | Junkers W 34 | Junkers Ju 52 | Junkers Ju 87 | Junkers Jumo 004 | Junkers (Aircraft) | Junkers W 33 | Junkers F.13 | Junkers D.I | Junkers K 37 | Junkers Ju 90 | Junkers Ju 86 | Junkers Ju 49 | Hugo Junkers | 1929 Luft Hansa Junkers G 31 crash |
The 132 found widespread use in the transport role, remaining the primary powerplant of the Junkers Ju 52 for much of its life, turning the BMW 132 into one of the most important aeroengines for civilian aircraft during the 1930s.
8 November 1940: a VASP Junkers Ju-52/3mg3e registration PP-SPF taking-off from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont to São Paulo-Congonhas collided on mid-air with the de Havilland Dragonfly registration LV-KAB belonging to the Anglo Mexican Petroleum Company (Shell-Mex), which was preparing for a water-land in front of Fluminense Yacht Club, today Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club in Botafogo.
On June 23, 1944, a Junkers Ju 52 aircraft carrying von Wickede, General der Gebirgstruppe Karl Eglseer, Generaloberst Eduard Dietl, Generalleutnant Franz Rossi and three other passengers crashed in the vicinity of the small village of Rettenegg, Styria; there were no survivors.