Aero-Linx!

Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet.

The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile.

Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well.

Aero-Linx: Junkers Ju 388

The Ju 388 was a development of the Ju 188, which was based on the well-known Ju 88. The wings and tail were taken from the Ju 188 without modification, and the landing gear originated from the Ju 88. In contrast to the Ju 188, the Ju 388 was equipped with a pressurized cabin and was designed as a high-altitude aircraft. In order to maximize the aircraft's speed, the aircraft was lightly armed. At its tail, there was a remote control gun turret with two MG 131. While wing de-icing was done with hot air from the engines, there was a separate, fuel driven Kärcher heater to de-ice the elevators. There were three versions, the Ju 388 J (night fighter), Ju 388 L (reconnaissance) and Ju 388 K (bomber). This page is mainly dedicated to the Ju 388 L, because one of these aircraft survives at the National Air & Space Museum Silver Hill facility.  

FMI: www.ju388.de/