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In
the autumn of 1944 Reichsmarschall Goring instructed the Junkers and
Messerschmitt works to design and produce the very long-range bombers
which would be capable of delivering 4000kg bomb load, at high speeds
and over extreme distances, onto a target and then returning safety. The
object of the exercise was to attack distant convoys and to mount
strategic air strikes against the USA and the Soviet Union. In the
meantime Junkers were working on the EF-132 design which was improved
upon their Ju-287 by incorporating a new fuselage and new sweep-wing. A
wind-tunnel model was tested in early 1945, and a full-scale wooden
mockup was also built. The development stage had progressed far when the
Red Army reached the Junker facility and took possession of the Junkers
Ju-287, EF-131 and EF-132 designs. In 1946, the whole complex and the
German engineers were transferred to OKB-1 to continue development of
the EF-131 and EF-132. An unpowered example was constructed to gather
additional data, but only slow progress was made before the project was
terminated in 1948.
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