Junkers factory to Sweden to Japanese bomber, and FIAT got in on the act, too

Or, if you don’t learn something every day, you aren’t using the internet enough.

In the late 1920s, Junkers built the three-seat, twin-engine S36. The aircraft could fly higher than any fighter of the day. Germany did not have an air force to which Junkers could sell the airplane. Sweden, however, did have an air force, and Junkers had an airplane factory in Limhamn, Sweden. The S36 was militarized and became the K37. Sweden did not buy any K37s, but the air arm of the Japanese army was impressed enough to buy manufacturing rights in 1931. In Japan, the bomber was manufactured by Mitsubishi and designated Ki-1.

After a time, the Ki-1 needed replacing, so Japanese military approved production of the Mitsubishi Ki-21. To fill the immediate need for a bomber, Japan bought 80 BR.20’s from FIAT in Italy.

So, a German aircraft developed as a “mail plane” is seen to have possible military applications. But German companies are prohibited from making military aircraft. Junkers just happens to have a factory in Sweden (and another in Switzerland as well). The German “mail plane” becomes a hoped-for Swedish bomber, and then a definite Japanese bomber before being replaced by an Italian bomber.

International trade.

S36/K37 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_S_36

Mitsubishi Ki1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ki-1

FIAT BR.20 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_BR.20