Junkers Ju 388 - Operators

Operators

Nazi Germany

• Luftwaffe
  • Erprobungsstelle Rechlin
  • Erprobungsstelle Werneuchen
  • Erprobungskommando Ju 388
  • 3./Versuchsverband O.K.L. operated Ju 388 V32, W.Nr 300 295, T9+DL.
  • Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 operated four Ju 388J-1 nachtjager during April/May 1945, under operational trial/evaluation conditions

Empire of Japan

In August 1944, a Japanese delegation led by military attaché Brigadier General Otani expressed interest in a license production of the Ju 388. Complete drawing sets for the Ju 388 were handed over to the Japanese as well as the rights for a license production. Most likely, the planned delivery of all these documents to Japan via submarine failed.

Others however claim there is evidence for the transfer of Ju 388 and Ju 390 manufacturing blueprints having reached Japan, and the following is their case:

ULTRA decrypts of signals to and from the Japanese embassy in Berlin in August 1944 reveal that Otani (named 'Kotani' in the signals) was seeking return passage by U-boat in August 1944, but was told others had greater priority for places on U-boats. After 23 August 1944 and the departure of U-219, no other U-boat successfully departed for Japan. U-871 and U-864 were sunk outbound. U-234 sailed with a 240 ton cargo. Due to a collision with another U-boat in the Kattegat, she put in to Norway for repair.

When U-234 was later unloaded by the U.S. Navy at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, her manifest detailed only 170 tons of cargo. Radio operator Wolfgang Hirschfeld wrote a book Atlantik Farewell: Das Letzte U-boot in which he said the highest priority cargo needed to be unloaded and flown to Japan. He said that there was a proposal to use a Fw 200 Condor, but this aircraft was abandoned. Russian historian Sergey Platov claims Otani was on a Ju 390 flight to Japan which occurred 28 March 1945. Other historians also assert that Otani was not found in Europe at the end of the war.