Lufthansa is gearing up for its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2026, with next year marking a century since the foundation of the first iteration of the German flag carrier. A key plan on this front is a display at its conference center in Frankfurt that will see it showcase two of its vintage airliners.
One of these is the Junkers Ju 52, a popular 1930s design that, at one point, made up half of Lufthansa’s fleet. Given its historical importance to the German flag carrier and 
Star Alliance founding member, the Ju 52 is a perfect fit for the centenary exhibition, and the aircraft that will take center stage as part of the anniversary celebrations has now arrived in Frankfurt. It had previously been used for leisure flights.
A New Arrival
The Junker Ju 52 entered service with 
Lufthansa in 1932, and quickly became the backbone of the German flag carrier’s interwar fleet. D-AQUI, the example that Lufthansa will use in its centenary display, also served as a sightseeing aircraft after its time in airline service came to an end.
Indeed, the plane was restored in the mid-1980s and went on to carry more than 250,000 passengers on sightseeing flights until its eventual retirement in 2018. Nicknamed ‘Aunt Ju’ and ‘Iron Annie,’ Lufthansa notes that the Junkers Ju 52 was “valued for its efficiency and reliability,” and, today, it remains “a symbol of pioneering spirit, engineering excellence, and the fascination of flight.” The German flag carrier adds:
“Its robust design and ability to land on unpaved runways made it a byword for reliability and innovation. Today, the Ju 52 is considered a cult aircraft that continues to thrill aviation fans.”
The Ju 52 Defined Both Civil & Military Aviation
The Junkers Ju 52 had many distinctive features that made it stand out both on the ground and, as seen above, in the air. These included its three-engine configuration, with two on the wings and one on its nose, as well as the austere corrugated metal fuselage. Despite this unspectacular aesthetic in terms of the aircraft’s skin, it became known and loved for, as Lufthansa notes, its “unmatched dependability.”
Revered by passengers, pilots, and aviation enthusiasts alike, the 1930s design “set new standards in passenger and cargo transport,” with the onset of the Second World War also seeing it become one of the defining military aircraft of the era. Almost 5,000 were built in Germany, France, and Spain.
After its withdrawal from use in the leisure and sightseeing sector, D-AQUI was restored by the Quax Association at Paderborn Lippstadt Airport (PAD) in the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. According to Lufthansa, the aircraft was given a farewell ceremony in Paderborn in July of this year ahead of its transfer to Frankfurt, and it is now preparing to take center stage at the centenary exhibition.
Soon To Be Displayed
From spring 2026, the German flag carrier plans to display its restored Junkers Ju 52 airliner, which remains the property of the Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Stiftung (DLBS), alongside a Lockheed Super Star at the Lufthansa Group’s Conference and Visitor Center. Situated at 
Frankfurt Airport, this facility will showcase these two vintage aircraft to celebrate the airline’s 100th anniversary next year.
The planes will also be visible from the outside thanks to the presence of a glass facade, with the German flag carrier adding that “an open gallery will feature numerous exhibits from Lufthansa’s corporate history, many of which will be on public display for the first time.” The new facility will be situated next to the Lufthansa Aviation Center, with it also being made available for use by external event organizers.
In terms of the Lockheed Super Star that the Junkers Ju 52 will be displayed alongside, this arrived in Frankfurt in August bearing a fresh coat of paint in preparation for the anniversary celebrations. Since then, it has had its wings attached, with other aspects of the restoration progressing quickly.
