In a unique partnership between luxury German luggage brand Rimowa and Swiss airline company Ju-Air, one of the world’s most iconic aircraft has been returned to the skies. The replica of the iconic Junkers F13 aircraft constructed under the project name “RIMOWA F13” made its official first flight in Dübendorf, Switzerland, almost 100 years after the launch of the original Junkers F13, the “‘mother of all commercial aircraft”.

Lightweight and able to fly record-breaking distances for the era, the single-engine six-seater aircraft created by German aviation entrepreneur and businessman Hugo Junkers was considered the limousine of the skies by the wealthy, thanks to its plush interiors and heated cabin. By the mid-1920s around 40% of commercial air routes globally were serviced by F13s. Junkers is also credited with discovering the material duralumin, an aluminium alloy later used in Rimowa cases to help them resist tropical conditions.

In a replacement of the Ju52 coveted by Germany’s Association of Friends of Historical Aircraft, the Junkers F13 replica took 12,000 man hours to construct; subsequent models will be available for sale for US$2.5 million each. Closely resembling the original, but meeting today’s flight safety standards, each replica will boast interior panelling, Alcantara leather lining, and leather seats. Like the original, the new F13 is made of corrugated Duralumin and is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 engine.

Ju-Air intends to use the first replica to operate sightseeing flights. www.junkersf13.de