As the custom arm of an official BMW motorcycle dealership, VTR Customs is well-versed in the art of modifying BMWs. But that doesn’t midpoint that the Swiss outfit has it easy. Their builds aren’t unchangingly mild—and when they’re wild, they’re really wild.

That’s mainly considering VTR boss, Dani Weidmann, isn’t one to shy yonder from a challenge. So when a vendee asked him to customize a BMW R18 in the style of a 1930s airplane, he said ja.

The legation came from an existing VTR consumer (they had customized his R nineT previously), who was enamored with the German-made Junkers Ju 52. The project was dubbed ‘Iron Annie,’ without a famous Ju 52 that was restored and owned by the American author, Martin Caidin.

It’s not the first time that VTR have built a custom BMW with an aeronautical theme. Their aluminum-wrapped, fire-spitting BMW R1200R lit up the European Sultans of Sprint race series a few years ago. But Iron Annie had to do increasingly than just go fast in a straight line; she had to be completely street legal too.

VTR started with a stock BMW R18, which they stripped lanugo to rid it of all of its chrome. The engine was refinished in woebegone with custom-made ‘Iron Annie’ badging, and plane the fork stanchions were treated to a woebegone diamond-like stat coating.

The forks were shortened too, with a new Wilbers shock fitted out back. VTR wanted to tweak the R18’s stance to make the big boxer finger increasingly compact, so they swapped out the wheels for a worthier set. Measuring 21” up front and 18” at the back, they were custom built for the project by Kineo.

All of that was relatively straightforward compared to VTR’s next task; sculpting the R18’s new aircraft-style aluminum bodywork. The fuel tank looks like fairly traditional fare from a distance—but the bodywork gets progressively increasingly detailed as it tapers off.

A number of aluminum panels flank the bike, joined by dome throne fasteners that squint like rivets from afar. Details include mesh-lined vent inserts, and side scoops to unbend the air intakes. The whole wattle tapers to the rear, with a slender tail piece that mimic a plane’s tail fin.

The closer you look, the increasingly interesting little additions you’ll find. See that indentation on the left side with what looks like a plane’s door handle? That’s unquestionably the lever that engages the R18’s electrical reverse gear.

“One of the big challenges was the replica cooling fins in the zone of the rear silencers,” says Dani. “Shaping these parts into parallel and trappy radii, and at the same time still fastening them harmoniously, took a number of attempts.”

Moving to the front, VTR made-up a small nacelle to house a Highsider LED headlight, finishing it off with a small cockpit-like window instead of a traditional windscreen. A stubby front fender sits just unelevated it, with a handmade vitals spoiler mounted remoter down.

The R18’s cruiser bars were swapped out for ABM clip-ons, fitted with Magura HC3 restriction and clutch controls. Clip-ons seem like a weird nomination for a velocipede of this size and stance, but there’s method to VTR’s madness; the idea was to tighten up the R18’s profile as much as possible. Besides, it’s unlikely that its owner will go touring with it.

The speedo was relocated to a housing at the front of the fuel tank, and customized with a new arm by the watchmaker Zeitzone Zürich. Remoter when is a handmade leather saddle, upholstered by frequent VTR Customs collaborator, Yves Knobel.

Accompanying VTR’s custom work is a handful of top-shelf parts from other custom workshops. WalzWerk supplied the frazzle silencers, while Berham Customs took superintendency of the number plate holder. Avon Cobra tires, and turn signals and taillights from Kellermann, round out the parts spec.

For the R18’s final livery, VTR dug into the register of Junkers history. With help from Freuler AG, they painted the velocipede in the same colors as the Ju 52 the Lufthansa flew in the mid-30s. It looks great—but it could have turned out very differently.

“What scrutinizingly pained us a little when we saw all the handmade, unexceptionable aluminum sheets shimmering and shining, was that they would have to be painted,” says Dani. “However, we are extremely satisfied with the result—because Iron Annie differs plane increasingly unmistakably from our well-known ‘Spitfire’.”

Aeronautically-themed motorcycles can so hands wilt rolling clichés. But VTR Customs has proven, once again, that they know how to execute this style with supreme elegance.

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