The German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa has commissioned the unsuccessful Ju 60; Junkers decided to design an improved derivative in 1934.

The German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa operated a fleet of at least 20 aircraft, which it used largely on internal routes.

Following the start of the Second World War, the Luftwaffe opted to impress the majority of civil Ju 160s in Germany; in a military capacity, the aircraft was largely used for communication and training purposes.

[1] The development of this aircraft had been commissioned by the German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa in response to the arrival of the American Lockheed Model 9 Orion at rival airline Swissair.

[3] The Ju 160 was cleaned up aerodynamically,[4] and was outfitted with a more powerful BMW 132A radial engine (capable of producing up to 490 kW (660 hp); this combination was able to make the aircraft roughly 72 km/h (45 mph) faster that its predecessor.

[5] Deutsch Lufthansa formally evaluated this aircraft; following trials, a number of changes were made to the final prototype (V3), which included a wider chord, a reduced depth rudder, a faired tailwheel, and minor modifications to the exterior door.

The first 11 Lufthansa aircraft were Ju 160 A-0s registered in 1935, followed by 10 D-0s in 1936; the latter version featured enlarged cockpit windows and other crew comfort enhancements.

[citation needed] The German Research Institute for Aviation (Deutsche Versuchsanstalt fur Luftfahrt e.V ) operated four Ju 160s.

The majority of the surviving civilian Ju 160s in Germany were eventually impressed in Luftwaffe service shortly following the outbreak of the Second World War.