The Junkers J 2 was ordered as E II by Idflieg of the German War
Office on January 31, 1916. Designed as a single-seat cantilever
monoplane with semi-monocoque fuselage and stressed skin wings, it
was the world's first all-metal fighter. Based on the J 1, it would be
lighter, and therefore have improved climb performance. The first of
six aircraft (c/n E250/16 to E255/16) was flown for the first time
from the military airfield Döberitz (44 mile (70 km) west of Berlin)
by Lt. Friedrich von Mallinkrodt on July 11, 1916.
The first flown aircraft E251/16 (E= Eindecker or monoplane; 251 =
order number; 16 = year of construction 1916) was powered by the 120
hp Mercedes D II six-cylinder liquid-cooled in-line engine with a
belly-mounted "Düsenkühler" or jet radiator. The armament consisted of
one LMG 08/15 light machine gun. To protect the pilot a crash bar was
fitted just behind the cockpit. The early flight test showed a better
climb performance compared to the J 1, but the view from the cockpit
was considered inadequate. It also revealed several problems with the
flight controls, and, while in aerobatic maneuvers, the fuel supply
was interrupted cutting the power plant.
In an effort to solve the problems the remaining five had several
changes. Power came from the up-rated 160 hp Mercedes D III; the nose
length, wing span, wing area and rudder area were increased. However,
these alterations increased the all-up weight with 236 lb (107 kg)
from 48.5 lb (22 kg) under the J 1 weight of 2,381 lb (1,080 kg) to
187.4 lb (85 kg) above the J 1 weight. This negatively influenced the
maneuverability and climb performance.
The stall characteristics of the J2 were difficult to cope with, even
to an experienced test pilot. On September 23, 1916, three days after
its maiden flight, E252/16 stalled during slow flight trials at an
altitude of 300m. The pilot Lt. Max Schade failed to regain control
and crashed in Dessau sustaining fatal injuries. This crash
extinguished the already faltering military support for the J 2; no
further orders for the type were issued. On order of Prof. Junkers all
work on the J 2 was terminated.
The early Junkers aircraft did get several nicknames: "Fliegende
Konservenbüchse" ("Flying Tin Can"), "Fliegende Blechesel" ("Flying Tin
Dunkey").