Inspiration: Airplane (Leipzig)

I liked this one and just had to take a foto.

Later I searched for the name "D-AQUI". You know what? This is the "grande dame" of airplanes! 

She had her first flight at april 10th1936 and is a Ju 52. She was made in Dessau by Junkers and was bought by Lufthansa. Her name is next to her licence sign (D-AQUI) "Tante Ju" nowadays. Tante means aunt and Ju is the short variation of Junkers, the airplane company :) She changed her name a lot over the years. Her first name was "Fritz Simon" (Sorry... but this was not the best choice!). In july 1936 she was sold to norway and was given the name "Falken" (falcon). At the beginning of 1940 the german forces captured her and brought her back to Lufthansa. She was now known under the name "Kurt Wintgens". Five years later, in 1945  norway got her back. They thought that "Askeladden" would now be the perfect name for her. 

In 1955 she should go out of service. But being to large for a museum in oslo they sold her. She went a long way to south america. Between 1957 and 1963 she was used in ecuador. After that, being not in the best condition anymore (we all now what wind and weather can do to the soft skin of a true lady :) ), she was simply forgotten. Standing alone somewhere at the outer edge of the airport in quito. 

But she was saved six years later from a admirer of this beauty (a former military pilot: Lester Weaver). He repaired her that she could fly again but was only allowed to be something like an experimental airplane (no, I don't know what this means!) 

In 1975 Martin Caidin bought her. He repaired her and this experience went into his book "Jericho 52". Tante Ju was travelling through the USA and showed her talent on airplane shows. They named her this time "Iron Annie". Maybe you have also seen her? 

In 1984 she was bought back by Lufthansa and got the full beauty programm! Everything was restored and repaired. Therefor she could celebrate her 50th birthday in 1986 by flying! 

She is now 75 years old. Lufthansa wants to keep her flying. The grande dame shall see her 100th birthday in the air! 

I am more than a little bit astonished what for an historic airplane this was. But I loved her beauty just by seeing her :)

PS: I got my information by this links. http://www.austrianwings.info/aw/?p=3971 and http://www.lufthansa-ju52.de/de/Die-Flotte/Junkers-JU-52/index.php But they are in german...