Crash of a Junkers 52 over St. Moritz

Two hundred million francs gold transported by a German aircraft in 1938 and which crashed in the Swiss Alps around St. Moritz.

Indeed, after having been responsible for many fatal cases marked the symbol of the Reich and containing 200 million francs in gold, a Ju 52 (nicknamed Tante Ju at the time by pilots) took off from a small airport in the Luftwaffe southern Germany at about noon.
What happened there after his take-off? One can cite many cases, pilot error, engine failure, lack of instrumentation or system is overloaded, it is certain that at about 15:00, when the weather was mild, the plane disappeared from radar screens at- over the region of St. Moritz, Switzerland.
This area of Switzerland through the beauty and vastness of the landscape with peaks reaching over 3000 meters in this part of the Alps attract the jet-set, nature lovers and climbers.
Historic:
The gold was sent by Hitler to Mussolini, to prepare the dark days that Europe would soon know.
It is true that initially, the Duce was strongly opposed to Hitler during the annexation of Austria, because he did not look favorably than the Reich borders touch those of his native Italy. Mussolini had in mind to invade another country, Ethiopia, which raised an outcry in Europe, and put him beyond the pale of civilized nations. Strategist Hitler offered him support that the Duce could not refuse; history was running, nothing could stop him, especially not the inertia of other countries.
Characteristic of the plane:
The Junkers Ju 52 (nicknamed Tante Ju in German, by the British Iron Annie) was a transport plane with corrugated iron manufactured by German Junkers from 1930. Built more than 4,800 copies, it has been used by many airlines, but also as a military transport aircraft and bomber during the Second World War. Proof of its robustness, three copies of the Junkers Ju 52  were used by the Swiss Air into the 1980s. Equipped with three powerful Pratt & Whitney 550 horsepower., Engine just enough to propel her 9 tonnes  unladen including outfitting, over 260 km / h. with its coffers full of gold, this aircraft can carry a payload of 1,500 pounds, had to be in limit.
 The Luftwaffe quickly manifest its interest in the Junkers Ju 52, it intended to both military transport  (or parachute material) and the bombing. A special version was then built from 1934, can carry 1,500 kg of bombs and machine guns for defending himself. Although the aircraft was used extensively during the Second World War, its low speed and very limited weapons left him little chance against enemy aircraft, which partly explains the high number of copies lost in conflict. The ability of the Junkers Ju 52 to operate from short runways and temporarily converted was much appreciated.
Many versions of the Junkers Ju 52 were built during the Second World War, with engines more powerful, better electronic equipment (radio, etc..) or  special equipment such as skis for landing on snow. The production was divided between several plants in Germany, France and Hungary. After the war, France and Spain have built their own versions, designated respectively AAC.1 Toucan and CASA 352 and used until the early 1960s.
Question, what is the weight that has been the cause of the crash? Confidentiality even loading, such as archives of the Luftwaffe, make it difficult to know. What is certain was that several expeditions were organized, without success, to recover the precious cargo. The mountain has been fiercely to this day, keep his treasure. It is possible as has already happened in the past that makes the glacier one day or another, the wreckage of the Junker.
As for possible future discoverer, may find themselves stripped of his hand, since this is not a treasure (legally or lost anything hidden that nobody can justify his property), but a national and historical property. Unless the mountain in his infinite generosity, do not spit out the pieces and ingots, in which case it would be impossible to identify the source.
So if you plan to do a tour of Switzerland with your detector, consider this story and Good Luck.

Good reading

Luc


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Thanks, Luc.   The Junkers was definitely one of the leading transports of its day, regularly transitting passes in excess of 10,000 to 13,000 ft (nearly 4 km) while carrying full loads and operating on small, unimproved airstrips.   Interesting story and great potential, even if you can't legally keep the loot if you find it.

BA

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