'Nostalgic' re-run of Blitz

Planes which brought terror to London during the Blitz are to fly over the capital again as a tourist attraction.

The German airline Lufthansa is to run spectacular sightseeing flights over London in a series of trips in the Junkers Ju52.

The 45-minute flights will take off from the East End and many of the passengers will be specially invited RAF veterans of the Second World War.

The company is offering " nostalgia and charm and a unique bird's eye view of London for just £89".

The three-engined Junkers is Lufthansa's oldest aeroplane and has 16 seats. The model was originally built for transport and carrying paratroopers but some were adapted by the Luftwaffe to drop a bomb load of up to 3,300lb with a crew of only two or three.

The plane will be brought to London in July, as the airline celebrates its 75th anniversary. The grey 16-seater will take off from City Airport and then cruise at around 112mph over Docklands, Tower Bridge and Westminster.

RAF veteran Dizzy Addicott, 79, of Farnham, Surrey, flew a Ju52 in the making of the war film The Dirty Dozen. The former test pilot said: "I look forward to going up in one again. It will be an experience flying over London."

A spokesman for Lufthansa, based in Frankfurt, said: " Passengers who have already booked are plane enthusiasts and others just want nostalgia. It was an opportunity we could not miss." Roland Anyan, 78, of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, who flew Lancaster bombers, said the flights showed how far Germany and Britain had come since the Second World War ended.

The Ju52 was a favourite with the Nazi high command which ordered 4,845 of them to be built. The first one flew in 1932 and by 1936 many were being used by Germany's Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War.

But they suffered the drawback of being virtually defenceless against enemy fighters and always had to be escorted during missions. During the invasion of Crete, Germany lost 82 Ju52s. After the war most of the fleet was scrapped.

The plane has been used in the past for tourist trips in South Africa, complete with club class service.