The Ju 52 first saw military service in the Spanish Civil War (Guernica) with roles as a bomber and as a transport, including paratroop drops, most notably in the Battle of Crete in May 1941. The Luftwaffe relied on the Ju 52 for transport roles during World War II. Compared to fighters, it was slow (top speed 165 mph) and lightly armed, so an escort was always necessary; many were shot down, most notably during the Battle of Stalingrad, where many were shot down by Russian guns and fighters while transporting supplies.
In addition to the standard model with a fixed undercarriage, there was a floatplane version, with twin floats. This served during the Norwegian Campaign in 1940 and, later, in the Mediterranean theatre. Some JU 52s were also used as minesweepers, being fitted with a large degaussing ring under the airframe.
