Junkers Ju 87
Ju 87 | |
---|---|
Ju 87Ds in October 1943 | |
Role | Dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft |
National origin | Nazi Germany |
Manufacturer | Junkers |
Designer | Hermann Pohlmann |
First flight | 17 September 1935 |
Introduction | 1936 |
Retired | 1945 |
Primary users | Luftwaffe |
Number built | 6,000[a] |
The Junkers Ju 87, popularly known as the "Stuka",
The aircraft is easily recognisable by its inverted gull wings and fixed spatted undercarriage. Upon the leading edges of its faired main gear legs were mounted ram-air sirens known as Jericho trumpets, which became a propaganda symbol of German air power and of the so-called Blitzkrieg victories of 1939–1942, as well as providing Stuka pilots with audible feedback as to speed. The Stuka's design included several innovations, including automatic pull-up dive brakes under both wings to ensure that the aircraft recovered from its attack dive even if the pilot blacked out from the high g-forces, or suffered from target fixation.
The Ju 87 operated with considerable success in
After the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe deployed Stuka units in the
Germany built an estimated 6,000 Ju 87s of all versions between 1936 and August 1944.
Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel became the most successful Stuka pilot and the most highly decorated German pilot of the war.
Development
Early design
The Ju 87's principal designer, Hermann Pohlmann, held the opinion that any dive-bomber design needed to be simple and robust.[4] This led to many technical innovations, such as the retractable undercarriage being discarded in favour of one of the Stuka's distinctive features, its fixed and "spatted" undercarriage. Pohlmann continued to carry on developing and adding to his ideas and those of Dipl Ing Karl Plauth (Plauth was killed in a flying accident in November 1927), and produced the Ju A 48, which underwent testing on 29 September 1928. The military version of the Ju A 48 was designated the Ju K 47.[4]
After the
Evolution
The design of the Ju 87 had begun in 1933 as part of the Sturzbomber-Programm. The Ju 87 was to be powered by the British Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine. Ten engines were ordered by Junkers on 19 April 1934 for £20,514, two shillings and sixpence.[10] The first Ju 87 prototype was built by AB Flygindustri in Sweden and secretly brought to Germany in late 1934. It was to have been completed in April 1935, but, due to the inadequate strength of the airframe, construction took until October 1935. The mostly complete Ju 87 V1 W.Nr.[c] 4921 (less non-essential parts) took off for its maiden flight on 17 September 1935. The aircraft was later given the registration D-UBYR.[11] The flight report, by Hauptmann Willy Neuenhofen, stated the only problem was with the small radiator, which caused the engine to overheat.[12]
The Ju 87 V1, powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel V12 cylinder liquid-cooled engine, and with a twin tail, crashed on 24 January 1936 at Kleutsch near
The RLM was still not interested in the Ju 87 and was not impressed that it relied on a British engine. In late 1935, Junkers suggested fitting a
On 27 July 1936, Udet crashed the He 118 prototype, He 118 V1 D-UKYM.[18] That same day, Charles Lindbergh was visiting Ernst Heinkel, so Heinkel could communicate with Udet only by telephone. According to this version of the story, Heinkel warned Udet about the propeller's fragility. Udet failed to consider this, so in a dive, the engine oversped and the propeller broke away.[19] Immediately after this incident, Udet announced the Stuka the winner of the development contest.[18]
Refinements
Despite being chosen, the design was still lacking and drew frequent criticism from Wolfram von Richthofen. Testing of the V4 prototype (A Ju 87 A-0) in early 1937 revealed several problems. The Ju 87 could take off in 250 m (820 ft) and climb to 1,875 m (6,152 ft) in eight minutes with a 250 kg (550 lb) bomb load, and its cruising speed was 250 km/h (160 mph). Richthofen pushed for a more powerful engine.[20] According to the test pilots, the Heinkel He 50 had a better acceleration rate, and could climb away from the target area much more quickly, avoiding enemy ground and air defences. Richthofen stated that any maximum speed below 350 km/h (220 mph) was unacceptable for those reasons. Pilots also complained that navigation and powerplant instruments were mixed together, and were not easy to read, especially in combat. Despite this, pilots praised the aircraft's handling qualities and strong airframe.[21]
These problems were to be resolved by installing the DB 600 engine, but delays in development forced the installation of the Jumo 210 D inverted V-12 engine. Flight testing began on 14 August 1936. Subsequent testing and progress fell short of Richthofen's hopes, although the machine's speed was increased to 280 km/h (170 mph) at ground level and 290 km/h (180 mph) at 1,250 m (4,100 ft), while maintaining its good handling ability.[22]
Design
Basic design (based on the B series)
The Ju 87 was a single-engined all-metal
The Ju 87 was fitted with detachable hatches and removable coverings to aid and ease maintenance and overhaul. The designers avoided welding parts wherever possible, preferring moulded and cast parts instead. Large airframe segments were interchangeable as a complete unit, which increased speed of repair.[23]
The airframe was also subdivided into sections to allow transport by road or rail. The wings were of standard Junkers double-wing construction. This gave the Ju 87 considerable advantage on take-off; even at a shallow angle, large lift forces were created through the
In accordance with the Aircraft Certification Centre for "Stress Group 5", the Ju 87 had reached the acceptable structural strength requirements for a dive bomber. It was able to withstand diving speeds of 600 km/h (370 mph) and a maximum level speed of 340 km/h (210 mph) near ground level, and a flying weight of 4,300 kg (9,500 lb). Performance in the diving attack was enhanced by the introduction of dive brakes under each wing, which allowed the Ju 87 to maintain a constant speed and allow the pilot to steady his aim. It also prevented the crew from suffering extreme g forces and high acceleration during "pull-out" from the dive.[23]
The fuselage had an oval cross-section and housed, in most examples, a Junkers Jumo 211 water-cooled inverted V-12 engine. The cockpit was protected from the engine by a firewall ahead of the wing centre section where the fuel tanks were located. At the rear of the cockpit, the bulkhead was covered by a canvas cover which could be breached by the crew in an emergency, enabling them to escape into the main fuselage. The canopy was split into two sections and joined by a strong welded steel frame. The canopy itself was made of Plexiglas and each compartment had its own "sliding hood" for the two crew members.[23]
The engine was mounted on two main support frames that were supported by two tubular struts. The frame structure was triangulated and emanated from the fuselage. The main frames were bolted onto the engine's top quarter. In turn, the frames were attached to the firewall by universal joints. The firewall itself was constructed from asbestos mesh with dural sheets on both sides. All conduits passing through had to be arranged so that no harmful gases could penetrate the cockpit.[24]
The fuel system comprised two fuel tanks between the main (forward) and rear spars of the (inner) anhedral wing section of the port and starboard wings, each with 240-litre (63 US gal) capacity.
The control surfaces operated in much the same way as other aircraft, with the exception of the innovative automatic pull-out system. Releasing the bomb initiated the pull-out, or automatic recovery and climb, upon the deflection of the dive brakes. The pilot could override the system by exerting significant force on the control column and taking manual control.[26]
The wing was the most unusual feature. It consisted of a single centre section and two outer sections installed using four universal joints. The centre section had a large negative
The offensive armament was two 7.92 mm (.312 in)
The engine and propeller had automatic controls, and an auto-trimmer made the aircraft tail-heavy as the pilot rolled over into his dive, lining up red lines at 60°, 75° or 80° on the cockpit side window with the horizon and aiming at the target with the sight of the fixed gun. The heavy bomb was swung down clear of the propeller on crutches prior to release.[27]
Diving procedure
Flying at 4,600 m (15,100 ft), the pilot located his target through a bombsight window in the cockpit floor. The pilot moved the dive lever to the rear, limiting the "throw" of the control column.[28] The dive brakes were activated automatically, the pilot set the trim tabs, reduced his throttle and closed the coolant flaps. The aircraft then rolled 180°, automatically nosing the aircraft into a dive. Red tabs protruded from the upper surfaces of the wing as a visual indicator to the pilot that, in case of a g-force induced black-out, the automatic dive recovery system would be activated. The Stuka dived at a 60–90° angle, holding a constant speed of 500–600 km/h (310–370 mph) due to dive-brake deployment, which increased the accuracy of the Ju 87's aim.[28]
When the aircraft was reasonably close to the target, a light on the contact altimeter (an altimeter equipped with an electrical contact which triggers at a preset altitude) came on to indicate the bomb-release point, usually at a minimum height of 450 m (1,480 ft). The pilot released the bomb and initiated the automatic pull-out mechanism by depressing a knob on the control column.[28] An elongated U-shaped crutch located under the fuselage swung the bomb out of the way of the propeller, and the aircraft automatically began a 6g pullout.[28] Once the nose was above the horizon, dive brakes were retracted, the throttle was opened, and the propeller was set to climb. The pilot regained control and resumed normal flight. The coolant flaps had to be reopened quickly to prevent overheating. The automatic pull-out was not liked by all pilots. Helmut Mahlke later said that he and his unit disconnected the system because it allowed the enemy to predict the Ju 87's recovery pattern and height, making it easier for ground defences to hit an aircraft.[29]
Physical stress on the crew was severe. Human beings subjected to more than 5g in a seated position will suffer
G-force test at Dessau
Extensive tests were carried out by the Junkers works at their Dessau plant. It was discovered that the highest load a pilot could endure was 8.5 g for three seconds, when the aircraft was pushed to its limit by the centrifugal forces. At less than 4 g, no visual problems or loss of consciousness were experienced.[32] Above 6 g, 50% of pilots suffered visual problems, or greyout. With 40%, vision vanished altogether from 7.5 g upwards and black-out sometimes occurred.[33] Despite this blindness, the pilot could maintain consciousness and was capable of "bodily reactions". After more than three seconds, half the subjects passed out. The pilot would regain consciousness two or three seconds after the centrifugal forces had dropped below 3 g and had lasted no longer than three seconds. In a crouched position, pilots could withstand 7.5 g and were able to remain functional for a short duration. In this position, Junkers concluded that 2⁄3 of pilots could withstand 8 g and perhaps 9 g for three to five seconds without vision defects which, under war conditions, was acceptable.[34] During tests with the Ju 87 A-2, new technologies were tried out to reduce the effects of g. The pressurised cabin was of great importance during this research. Testing revealed that at high altitude, even 2 g could cause death in an unpressurised cabin and without appropriate clothing. This new technology, along with special clothing and oxygen masks, was researched and tested. When the United States Army occupied the Junkers factory at Dessau on 21 April 1945, they were both impressed at and interested in the medical flight tests with the Ju 87.[34]
Other designs
The concept of dive bombing became so popular among the leadership of the Luftwaffe that it became almost obligatory in new aircraft designs. Later bomber models like the Junkers Ju 88 and the Dornier Do 217 were equipped for dive bombing. The Heinkel He 177 strategic bomber was initially supposed to have dive bombing capabilities, a requirement that contributed to the failure of the design,[35] with the requirement not rescinded until September 1942 by Göring.[9]
Once the Stuka became too vulnerable to fighter opposition on all fronts, work was done to develop a replacement. None of the dedicated close-support designs on the drawing board progressed far due to the impact of the war and technological difficulties. So the Luftwaffe settled on the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter aircraft, with the Fw 190F becoming the ground-attack version. The Fw 190F started to replace the Ju 87 for day missions in 1943, but the Ju 87 continued to be used as a night nuisance-raider until the end of the war.[36]
Variants
Ju 87 A
The second prototype had a redesigned single vertical stabiliser and a 610 PS (601.7 hp; 448.7 kW) Jumo 210 A engine installed, and later the Jumo 210Da. The first A series variant, the A-0, was of all-metal construction, with an enclosed cockpit under a "greenhouse" well-framed canopy; bearing twin radio masts on its aft sections, diagonally mounted to either side of the airframe's planform centreline and unique to the -A version. To ease the difficulty of mass production, the leading edge of the wing was straightened out and the ailerons' two aerofoil sections had smooth leading and trailing edges. The pilot could adjust the elevator and rudder trim tabs in flight, and the tail was connected to the landing flaps, which were positioned in two parts between the ailerons and fuselage. The A-0 also had a flatter engine cowling, which gave the pilot a much better field of vision. In order for the engine cowling to be flattened, the engine was set down nearly 0.25 m (9.8 in). The fuselage was also lowered along with the gunner's position, allowing the gunner a better field of fire.[37]
The RLM ordered seven A-0s initially, but then increased the order to 11. Early in 1937, the A-0 was tested with varied bomb loads. The underpowered Jumo 210A, as pointed out by von Richthofen, was insufficient, and was quickly replaced with the Jumo 210D engine.[37]
The A-1 differed from the A-0 only slightly.[38] As well as the installation of the Jumo 210D, the A-1 had two 220 L (58 US gal; 48 imp gal) fuel tanks built into the inner wing, but it was not armoured or protected.[38] The A-1 was also intended to be fitted with four 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 17 machine guns in its wings, but two of these—one per side—were omitted due to weight concerns; the pair that remained were fed a total of 500 rounds of ammunition, stored in the design's characteristic transverse strut-braced, large-planform undercarriage "trousers", not used on the Ju 87B versions and onward. The pilot relied on the Revi C 21C gun sight for the two MG 17s. The gunner had a single 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 15, with 14 drums of ammunition, each containing 75 rounds. This represented a 150-round increase in this area over the Ju 87 A-0. The A-1 was also fitted with a larger 3.3 m (11 ft) propeller.[38]
The Ju 87 was capable of carrying a 500 kg (1,100 lb) bomb, but only if not carrying the rear gunner/radio operator as, even with the Jumo 210D, the Ju 87 was still underpowered for operations with more than a 250 kg (550 lb) bomb load. All Ju 87 As were restricted to 250 kg (550 lb) weapons (although during the Spanish Civil War missions were conducted without the gunner).[39]
The Ju 87 A-2 was retrofitted with the Jumo 210Da fitted with a two-stage supercharger. The only further significant difference between the A-1 and A-2 was the H-PA-III controllable-pitch propeller.[40] By mid-1938, 262 Ju 87 As had been produced, 192 from the Junkers factory in Dessau and a further 70 from Weser Flugzeugbau ("Weserflug" – WFG) in Lemwerder near Bremen. The new, more powerful, Ju 87B model started to replace the Ju 87A at this time.[41]
Prototypes[42]
- Ju 87 V1 : W.Nr 4921. Flown on 17 September 1935
- Ju 87 V2 : W.Nr 4922, registration D-IDQR. Flown on 25 February 1936. Flown again as registration D-UHUH on 4 June 1937
- Ju 87 V3 : W.Nr 4923. Flown on 27 March 1936
- Ju 87 V4 : W.Nr 4924. Flown on 20 June 1936
- Ju 87 V5 : W.Nr 4925. Flown on 14 August 1936
Production variants
- Ju 87 A-0 : Ten pre-production aircraft, powered by a 640 PS (471 kW or 632 hp) Jumo 210C engine.[43]
- Ju 87 A-1 : Initial production version.
- Ju 87 A-2 : Production version fitted with an improved 680 PS (500 kW or 670 hp) Jumo 210E engine.
Ju 87 B
The Ju 87 B series was to be the first mass-produced variant. A total of six pre-production Ju 87 B-0 were produced, built from Ju 87 A airframes.[44] The first production version was the Ju 87 B-1, with a considerably larger engine, its Jumo 211D generating 1,200 PS (883 kW or 1,184 hp), and completely redesigned fuselage and landing gear, replacing the twin radio masts of the "A" version with a single mast mounted further forward on the "greenhouse" canopy, and much simpler, lighter-weight wheel "spats" used from the -B version onwards, discarding the transverse strut bracing of the "A" version's maingear design. This new design was again tested in Spain, and after proving its abilities there, production was ramped up to 60 per month. As a result, by the outbreak of World War II, the Luftwaffe had 336 Ju 87 B-1s on hand.[28]
The B-1 was also fitted with "Jericho trumpets", essentially sirens driven by propellers with a diameter of 0.7 m (2.3 ft)[45] The devices caused a loss of 20–25 km/h (12–15 mph) through drag, and over time the sirens were no longer installed on many units, although they remained in use to various extent. As an alternative, some bombs were fitted with whistles on the fin to produce the noise after release.[46] The trumpets were a suggestion from Udet, but some authors say the idea originated from Adolf Hitler.[47]
The Ju 87 B-2s that followed had some improvements and were built in several variants that included ski-equipped versions (the B-1 also had this modification)
Production of the Ju 87 B started in 1937. 89 B-1s were to be built at Junkers' factory in Dessau and another 40 at the Weserflug plant in Lemwerder by July 1937. Production would be carried out by the Weserflug company after April 1938, but Junkers continued producing Ju 87 up until March 1940.[50]
Ju 87 R
A long range version of the Ju 87 B was also built, known as the Ju 87 R, the letter being an abbreviation for Reichweite, "(operational) range". They were primarily intended for anti-shipping missions. The Ju 87 R had a B-series airframe with an additional oil tank and fuel lines to the outer wing stations to permit the use of two 300 litres (79 US gal) standardised capacity under-wing drop tanks, used by a wide variety of Luftwaffe aircraft through most of the war. This increased fuel capacity to 1,080 litres (290 US gal) (500 litres in main fuel tank of which 480 litres were usable + 600 litres from drop tanks). To prevent overload conditions, bomb carrying ability was often restricted to a single 250 kg (550 lb) bomb if the aircraft was fully loaded with fuel.
The Ju 87 R-1 had a B-1 airframe with the exception of a modification in the fuselage which enabled an additional oil tank. This was installed to feed the engine due to the increase in range with the extra fuel tanks.[51]
The Ju 87 R-2 had the same airframe as the B-2, and strengthened to ensure it could withstand dives of 600 km/h (370 mph). The Jumo 211D in-line engine was installed, replacing the R-1s Jumo 211A.[51] Due to an increase in overall weight by 700 kg (1,500 lb), the Ju 87 R-2 was 30 km/h (19 mph) slower than the Ju 87 B-1 and had a lower service ceiling. The Ju 87 R-2 had an increased range advantage of 360 km (220 mi).[50] The R-3 and R-4 were the last R variants developed. Only a few were built. The R-3 was an experimental tug for gliders and had an expanded radio system so the crew could communicate with the glider crew by way of the tow rope. The R-4 differed from the R-2 in the Jumo 211J powerplant.[52]
Known prototypes[53]
- Ju 87 V6 : W.Nr 0870027. Flown on 14 June 1937 (A-0 to B-0 conversion)
- Ju 87 V7 : W.Nr 0870028. Prototype of the Ju 87B, powered by a 1,000 PS (735 kW or 986 hp) Jumo 211A. Flown on 23 August 1937 (A-0 to B-0 conversion)
- Ju 87 V8 : W.Nr 4926. Flown on 11 November 1937
- Ju 87 V9 : W.Nr 4927. Flown on 16 February 1938 as D-IELZ. Flown again as WL-IELZ on 16 October 1939
- Ju 87 V15: W.Nr 0870321. Registration D-IGDK. Destroyed in a crash in 1942.
- Ju 87 V16: W.Nr 0870279. Stammkennzeichen code of GT+AX.
- Ju 87 V17 and Ju 87 V18 may never have been built.[44]
Ju 87 C
On 18 August 1937, the RLM decided to introduce the Ju 87 Tr(C). The Ju 87 C was intended to be a dive and torpedo bomber for the Kriegsmarine. The type was ordered into prototype production and available for testing in January 1938. Testing was given two months and was to begin in February and end in April 1938.[54] The prototype V10 was to be a fixed wing test aircraft, while the following V11 would be modified with folding wings. The prototypes were Ju 87 B-0 airframes powered by Jumo 211 A engines.[54] Owing to delays, the V10 was not completed until March 1938. It first flew on 17 March and was designated Ju 87 C-1.[54] On 12 May, the V11 also flew for the first time. By 15 December 1939, 915 arrested landings on dry land had been made. It was found that the arresting gear winch was too weak and had to be replaced. Tests showed the average braking distance was 20–35 metres (66–115 ft).[55] The Ju 87 V11 was designated C-0 on 8 October 1938. It was fitted out with standard Ju 87 C-0 equipment and better wing-folding mechanisms. The "carrier Stuka" was to be built at the Weserflug Company's Lemwerder plant between April and July 1940.[56]
Among the "special" equipment of the Ju 87 C was a two-seat rubber dinghy with a flare gun, signal ammunition and other emergency supplies. A quick fuel dump mechanism and two inflatable 750 L (200 US gal) bags in each wing and a further two 500 L (130 US gal) bags in the fuselage enabled the Ju 87 C to remain afloat for up to three days in calm seas.[56] On 6 October 1939, with the war already underway, 120 of the planned Ju 87 Tr(C)s on order at that point were cancelled. Despite the cancellation, the tests continued using catapults. The Ju 87 C had a takeoff weight of 5,300 kg (11,700 lb) and a speed of 133 km/h (83 mph) on departure. The Ju 87 could be launched with a SC 500 kg (1,100 lb) bomb and four SC 50 kg (110 lb) bombs under the fuselage. The C-1 was to have two MG 17s mounted in the wing with a MG 15 operated by the rear gunner. On 18 May 1940, production of the C-1 was switched to the R-1.[57]
Known prototypes[53]
- Ju 87 V10: Registration D-IHFH (changed to Stammkennzeichen of TK+HD). W.Nr 4928. First flown 17 March 1938
- Ju 87 V11: Stammkennzeichen of TV+OV. W.Nr 4929. First flown 12 May 1938
Ju 87 D
Despite the Stuka's vulnerability to enemy fighters having been exposed during the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe had no choice but to continue its development, as there was no replacement aircraft in sight.[58] The result was the D-series. In June 1941, the RLM ordered five prototypes, the Ju 87 V21–25. A Daimler-Benz DB 603 powerplant was to be installed in the Ju 87 D-1, but it did not have the power of the Jumo 211 and performed "poorly" during tests and was dropped.[59] The Ju 87 D-series featured two coolant radiators underneath the inboard sections of the wings, while the oil cooler was relocated to the position formerly occupied by the single, undernose "chin" coolant radiator. The D-series also introduced an aerodynamically refined cockpit with better visibility and space.[60] Armour protection was increased and a new dual-barrel 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 81Z machine gun with an extremely high rate of fire was installed in the rear defensive position. Engine power was increased again, the Jumo 211J now delivering 1,420 PS (1,044 kW or 1,400 hp).[60] Bomb carrying ability was nearly quadrupled from 500 kg (1,100 lb) in the B-version to 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) in the D-version (max. load for short ranges, overload condition), a typical bomb load ranged from 500–1,200 kg (1,100–2,600 lb).[61]
The internal fuel capacity of the Ju 87 D was raised to 800 L (of which 780 L were usable) by adding wing tanks while retaining the option to carry two 300 L drop tanks. Tests at
The D-2 was a variant used as a glider tug by converting older D-series airframes. It was intended as the tropical version of the D-1 and had heavier armour to protect the crew from ground fire. The armour reduced its performance and caused the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe to "place no particular value on the production of the D-2".[60] The D-3 was an improved D-1 with more armour for its ground-attack role. Some Ju 87 D-3s were designated D-3N or D-3 trop and fitted with night or tropical equipment.[60] The D-4 designation applied to a prototype torpedo-bomber version, which could carry a 750–905 kg (1,653–1,995 lb) aerial torpedo on a PVC 1006 B rack—this setup would have had the capacity to carry the Luftorpedo LT 850, the German version of the well-proven Japanese Type 91 aerial torpedo of 848 kg (1,870 lb). The D-4 was to be converted from D-3 airframes and, in place of the carrier-specific Ju 87C series designs, operated from the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin.[62] Other modifications included a flame eliminator and, unlike earlier D variants, two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, while the radio operator/rear gunner's ammunition supply was increased by 1,000 to 2,000 rounds.[63]
The Ju 87 D-5 was based on the D-3 design and was unique in the Ju 87 series as it had wings 0.6 metres (2 ft) longer than previous variants. The two 7.92 mm MG 17 wing guns were exchanged for more powerful 20 mm MG 151/20s to better suit the aircraft's ground-attack role. The window in the floor of the cockpit was reinforced and four, rather than the previous three, aileron hinges were installed. Higher diving speeds were obtained of 650 km/h (400 mph) up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft). The range was recorded as 715 km (444 mi) at ground level and 835 km (519 mi) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft).[61]
The D-6, according to "Operating instructions, works document 2097", was built in limited numbers to train pilots on "rationalised versions". Due to shortages in raw materials, it did not go into mass production.[64] The D-7 was another ground attack aircraft based on D-1 airframes upgraded to D-5 standard (armour, wing cannons, extended wing panels), while the D-8 was similar to the D-7 but based on D-3 airframes.[64] The D-7 and D-8 were both were fitted with exhaust flame dampers, and could conduct night operations.[64]
Production of the D-1 variant started in 1941 with 495 ordered. These aircraft were delivered between May 1941 and March 1942. The RLM wanted 832 machines produced from February 1941. The Weserflug company was tasked with their production. From June to September 1941, 40 Ju 87 Ds were expected to be built, increasing to 90 thereafter.[65] Various production problems were encountered. One of the planned 48 was produced in July. Of the 25 the RLM hoped for in August 1941, none were delivered.[65] In September did the first two of the planned 102 Ju 87s came off the production lines.[66] The shortfalls continued to the end of 1941. During this time, the WFG plant in Lemwerder moved production to Berlin. Over 165 Ju 87s had not been delivered and production was only 23 Ju 87 Ds per month out of the 40 expected. By the spring of 1942 to the end of production in 1944, 3,300 Ju 87s, mostly D-1s, D-2s and D-5s had been manufactured.[66]
In January 1943, a variety of Ju 87 Ds became "test beds" for the Ju 87 G variants. At the start of 1943, the coastal Luftwaffe
Known prototypes
- Ju 87 V 21. Registration D-INRF. W.Nr 0870536. Airframe conversion from B-1 to D-1. First flown on 1 March 1941.
- Ju 87 V 22 Stammkennzeichen of SF+TY. W.Nr 0870540. Also airframe conversion from B-1 to D-1. First flown on 1 March 1941.
- Ju 87 V 23 Stammkennzeichen of PB+UB. W.Nr 0870542. Also airframe conversion from B-1 to D-1. First flown on 1 March 1941.
- Ju 87 V 24 Stammkennzeichen of BK+EE. W.Nr 0870544. Also airframe conversion from B-1 to D-1/D-4. First flown on 1 March 1941.
- Ju 87 V 25 Stammkennzeichen of BK+EF. W.Nr 0870530. Also airframe conversion from B-1 to D-4 trop. First flown on 1 March 1941.
- Ju 87 V 30, the only known prototype of the Ju 87 D-5. W.Nr 2296. First flown on 20 June 1943.
- Ju 87 V 26-28, Ju 87 V 31, and V 42-47 were experiments of unknown variants.[53]
Ju 87 G
With the G variant, the ageing airframe of the Ju 87 found new life as an anti-tank aircraft. This was the final operational version of the Stuka, and was deployed on the Eastern Front. The reverse in German military fortunes after 1943 and the appearance of
Night-harassment variants
The Ju 87 had been used in the
The need to equip night units and the phasing out of Ju 87s from ground attack groups in favour of the Fw 190, enabled the use of D-5 airframes awaiting repair and D-7 and 8s already in conversion units. The latter variants were either conversions or modified D-1 and D-3 air frames. Adding the necessary equipment, radios and dampeners was a requirement regardless of whether the aircraft was a production D-5 or a D-1 or 3 that had undergone wing changes. The change in designations due to conversions was not readily apparent, for with wing changes, the serial number and designation was applied to the fuselage by the manufacture which remained unaltered by wing changes. Some sub-contractors added an "N" designation (Nacht) for clarity on D-3 and 5s . Others added the roman numeral VII to the D-7s, perhaps to reflect that the aircraft was fitted with the FuG 7 radio. A great deal of confusion exists concerning the D-7. Its existence has been questioned, but the type is listed in Junkers company records and in the Der Reichsminister der Luftfahrt and Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe Technisches Amt. There was no production "nacht stuka", and modifications could vary according to the sub-contractor and depending on what parts were available.[73]
A Stuka repair centre was set up at Wels-Lichtenegg. From May 1940 to November 1944, 746 were repaired and flight-tested there. In the winter 1943/44, the Metal Works Lower Saxony Brinckmann und Mergell company (Menibum) converted approximately 300 Ju 87D-3 and 5s to night versions. Dive-brakes were removed there, while gun muzzles and dampers were installed to eliminate exhaust and muzzle flash. The
Pilots were also asked to complete the new "Blind Flying Certificate 3", which was especially introduced for this new type of operation. Pilots were trained at night, over unfamiliar terrain, and forced to rely on their instruments for direction. The Ju 87's standard Revi C12D gunsight was replaced with the new Nachtrevi ("Night revi") C12N. On some Ju 87s, the Revi 16D was exchanged for the Nachtrevi 16D. To help the pilot see his instrument panel, a violet light was installed.[74]
On 15 November 1942, the Auxiliary Staffel was created. By mid-1943,
Production
Despite initial production issues with the Ju 87, the RLM ordered 216 Ju 87 A-1s into production and wanted to receive delivery of all machines between January 1936 and 1938. The Junkers production capacity was fully occupied and licensing to other production facilities became necessary. The first 35 Ju 87 A-1s were therefore produced by the Weser Flugzeugbau (WFG). By 1 September 1939, 360 Ju 87 As and Bs had been built by the Junkers factories at Dessau and Weserflug factory in Lemwerder near Bremen. By 30 September 1939, Junkers had received 2,365,196
The range of the B-2 was insufficient, and dropped in favor of the Ju 87 R long-range versions in the second half of 1940. The 105 R-1s were converted to R-2 status and a further 616 production R-2s were ordered. In May 1941, the development of the D-1 was planned and was ordered into production by March 1942. The expansion of the Ju 88 production lines to compensate for the withdrawal of
By 17 August 1942, production had climbed rapidly after Blohm & Voss BV 138 production was scaled down and licence work had shut down at WFG. Production now reached 150 Ju 87 D airframes per month, but spare parts were failing to reach the same production levels. Undercarriage parts were in particularly short supply. Milch ordered production to 350 Ju 87s per month in September 1942. This was not achievable due to the insufficient production capacity in the Reich.[82]
The RLM considered setting up production facilities in Slovakia. But this would delay production until the buildings and factories could be furnished with the machine tools. These tools were also in short supply, and the RLM hoped to purchase them from Switzerland and Italy. The Slovaks could provide 3,500–4,000 workers, but no technical personnel.[83] The move would produce only another 25 machines per month at a time when demand was increasing. In October, production plans were dealt another blow when one of WFGs plants burned down, leaving a chronic shortage of tailwheels and undercarriage parts. Junkers director and member of the Luftwaffe industry council Carl Frytag reported that by January 1943 only 120 Ju 87s could be produced at Bremen and 230 at Berlin-Tempelhof.[83]
Decline and end of production
After evaluating Ju 87 operations on the Eastern Front, Göring ordered production limited to 200 per month in total. General der Schlachtflieger ("General of Ground Attack"[84]) Ernst Kupfer decided continued development would "hardly bring any further tactical value". Adolf Galland, a fighter pilot with operational and combat experience in ground attack, said that abandoning development would be premature, but 150 machines per month would be sufficient.[83]
On 28 July 1943, strike and bomber production was to be scaled down, and fighter and bomber destroyer production given priority. On 3 August 1943, Milch contradicted this and declared that this increase in fighter production would not affect production of the Ju 87, Ju 188, Ju 288 and Ju 290. This was an important consideration as the life expectancy of a Ju 87 had been reduced (since 1941) from 9.5 months to 5.5 months to just 100 operational flying hours.[85] On 26 October, Kupfer reported the Ju 87 could no longer survive in operations and that the Focke-Wulf Fw 190F should take its place. Milch finally agreed and ordered the minimal continuance of Ju 87 D-3 and D-5 production for a smooth transition period.[85] In May 1944, production wound down. 78 Ju 87s were built in May and 69 rebuilt from damaged machines. In the next six months, 438 Ju 87 Ds and Gs were added to the Ju 87 force as new or repaired aircraft. It is unknown whether any Ju 87s were built from parts unofficially after December 1944 and the end of production.[85]
Overall, 550 Ju 87 As and B2s were completed at the Junkers factory in Dessau. Production of the Ju 87 R and D variants was transferred to the Weserflug company, which produced 5,930 of the 6,500 Ju 87s produced in total.[86] During the course of the war, little damage was done to the WFG plant at Lemwerder. Attacks throughout 1940-45 caused little lasting damage and succeeded only in damaging some Ju 87 airframes, in contrast to the Focke-Wulf plant in Bremen.[87] At Berlin-Tempelhof, little delay or damage was caused to Ju 87 production, despite the heavy bombings and large-scale destruction inflicted on other targets. The WFG again went unscathed. The Junkers factory at Dessau was heavily attacked, but not until Ju 87 production had ceased. The Ju 87 repair facility at the Wels aircraft works was destroyed on 30 May 1944, and the site abandoned Ju 87 links.[88]
Operational history
Spanish Civil War
Among the many German aircraft designs that participated in the
In January 1938, three Ju 87 As from the Legion Condor arrived. Several problems became evident—the spatted undercarriage sank into muddy airfield surfaces, and the spats were temporarily removed. The maximum 500 kg (1,100 lb) bomb load could only be carried if the gunner vacated his seat, therefore the bomb load was restricted to 250 kg (550 lb). These aircraft supported the Nationalist forces and carried out anti-shipping missions until they returned to Germany in October 1938.[89] During the Catalonia Offensive in January 1939, the Junkers Ju 87 returned to Spain. On the morning of 21 January 1939, 34 Heinkel He 111, along with some escorts and three Ju 87B, attacked the Port of Barcelona, five days before the city was captured by the Nationalists.[90] 29 Republican fighters were defending the city. There were more than 100 aircraft operating over the city and, while a Ju 87 was dive-bombing a ship, a Republican Polikarpov I-15 pilot, Francisco Alférez Jiménez, claimed it destroyed near El Vendrell, in Comarruga, but the Stuka was capable of landing on the beach without crashing. That was the only time a Stuka attacked the capital of Catalonia.[91] On 24 January 1939, a group of Stukas prevented the destruction of a bridge near Barcelona by strafing the demolition engineers on Molins de Rei. During the attack the Republican ground defenders, equipped with a quadruple PM M1910 mounting, hit one pilot (Heinz Bohne) in both legs and the Stuka crashed, seriously injuring Bohne, and his machine gunner, Albert Conrad. Those two were the only Stuka casualties of the war.[92]
As with the Ju 87 A-0, the B-1s were returned discreetly to the Reich.[93] The experience of the Spanish Civil War proved invaluable—air and ground crews perfected their skills, and equipment was evaluated under combat conditions. The Ju 87 had however not been tested against numerous and well-coordinated fighter opposition; this lesson was learned later at great cost to the Stuka crews.[94]
Second World War
All Stuka units were moved to Germany's eastern border in preparation for the invasion of Poland. On the morning of 15 August 1939, during a mass-formation dive-bombing demonstration for high-ranking commanders of the Luftwaffe at Neuhammer training grounds near Sagan, 13 Ju 87s and 26 crew members were lost when they crashed into the ground almost simultaneously. The planes dived through clouds, expecting to release their practice bombs and pull out of the dive once below the cloud ceiling. They were unaware that the ceiling was too low and unexpected ground mist formed, leaving them no time to pull out of the dive.[95]
Poland
On 1 September 1939, the Wehrmacht invaded Poland, beginning
A Ju 87 achieved the first air victory during World War II on the morning of 1 September 1939, when
The Ju 87s reverted to ground attack missions for the campaign after the opening air attacks. Ju 87s were involved in the controversial but effective attacks
The Luftwaffe had a few anti-shipping naval units such as 4.(St)/TrGr 186 to deal with Polish naval forces. This unit performed effectively, sinking the 1540-ton destroyer Wicher and the minelayer Gryf of the Polish Navy (both moored in a harbour).[98] The torpedo boat Mazur (412 tons) was sunk at Oksywie; the gunboat General Haller (441 tons) was sunk in Hel Harbour on 6 September—during the Battle of Hel—along with the minesweeper Mewa (183 tons) and its sister ships Czapla and Jaskolka with several auxiliaries. The Polish naval units trapped in the Baltic were destroyed by Ju 87 operations.[102] Once again, enemy air opposition was light, and the Stukawaffe (Stuka force) lost 31 aircraft during the campaign.[103]
Norway
On 9 April, the first Stukas took off at 10:59 from occupied airfields to destroy Oscarsborg Fortress, after the loss of the German cruiser Blücher, which disrupted the amphibious landings in Oslo through Oslofjord. The 22 Ju 87s had helped suppress the Norwegian defenders during the ensuing Battle of Drøbak Sound, but the defenders did not surrender until after Oslo had been captured. As a result, the German naval operation failed.[104] StG 1 caught the 735 ton Norwegian destroyer Æger off Stavanger and hit her in the engine room. Æger was run aground and scuttled.[105] The Stuka wings were now equipped with the new Ju 87 R, which differed from the Ju 87 B by having increased internal fuel capacity and two 300l underwing drop tanks for more range.[103]
The Stukas had numerous successes against Allied naval vessels and in particular the Royal Navy which posed a formidable threat to German naval and coastal operations. The British heavy cruiser
The Stukas also had an operational effect, even when little damage was done. On 1 May 1940,
In the following weeks, StG 1 continued their sea operations. Off Namsos on 5 May 1940, they caught and sank the Royal Norwegian Navy transports Aafjord (335 tons) and Blaafjeld (1,146 tons). The Ju 87s then took to bombing the town and the airstrip to support the German forces under the command of Eduard Dietl. The town fell in the first week of May. In the remaining four weeks of the campaign in Norway, the Ju 87s supported German forces in containing the Allied land forces in Narvik until they withdrew in early June.[107]
France and the Low Countries
The Ju 87 units had learned lessons from the Polish and Norwegian campaigns. The failures in Poland, and of the Stukas of I./StG 1 to silence the Oscarsborg fort, ensured even more attention was paid to pin-point bombing during the Phoney War period. This was to pay off in the Western campaign.[112]
When
The Ju 87s also assisted German forces in the
The Ju 87 units were also instrumental in the
The Luftwaffe benefited from excellent ground-to-air communications throughout the campaign. Radio equipped forward liaison officers could call upon the Stukas and direct them to attack enemy positions along the axis of advance. In some cases the Stukas responded in 10–20 minutes.
During the
In total, 89 merchantmen (of 126,518 grt) were lost, and of 40 RN destroyers used in the battle, eight were sunk (one to an E-boat and one to a submarine), and a further 23 damaged and out of service.[122] The campaign ended after the French surrender on 25 June 1940. Allied air power had been ineffective and disorganised, and as a result, Stuka losses were mainly due to ground fire. 120 machines, one-third of the Stuka force, were destroyed or damaged by all causes from 10 May to 25 June 1940.[123]
Battle of Britain
For the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe's
During August, the Ju 87s also had some success. On 13 August the opening of the main German attacks on airfields took place; it was known to the Luftwaffe as Adlertag ("Eagle Day"). Bf 109s of Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) were sent out in advance of the main strike and drew off RAF fighters, allowing 86 Ju 87s of StG 1 to attack RAF Detling in Kent unhindered. The attack killed the station commander, destroyed 20 RAF aircraft on the ground and a great many of the airfield's buildings. Detling was not an RAF Fighter Command station.[126]
The Battle of Britain proved for the first time that the Junkers Ju 87 was vulnerable in hostile skies against well-organised and determined fighter opposition. The Ju 87, like other dive bombers, was slow and possessed inadequate defences. Furthermore, it could not be effectively protected by fighters because of its low speed, and the very low altitudes at which it ended its dive bomb attacks. The Stuka depended on air superiority, the very thing being contested over Britain. It was withdrawn from attacks on Britain in August after prohibitive losses, leaving the Luftwaffe without precision ground-attack aircraft.[127]
Steady losses had occurred throughout their participation in the battle. On 18 August, known as the Hardest Day because both sides suffered heavy losses, the Stuka was withdrawn after 16 were destroyed and many others damaged.[128] According to the Generalquartiermeister der Luftwaffe, 59 Stukas had been destroyed and 33 damaged to varying degrees in six weeks of operations. Over 20% of the total Stuka strength had been lost between 8 and 18 August;[129] and the myth of the Stuka shattered.[129][130] The Ju 87s did succeed in sinking six warships, 14 merchant ships, badly damaging seven airfields and three Chain Home radar stations, and destroying 49 British aircraft, mainly on the ground.[131]
On 19 August, the units of
Bad weather resulted in a decline of anti-shipping operations, and before long the Ju 87
North Africa and the Mediterranean
After the Italian defeats in the
The first task of the Korps was to attack British shipping passing between Sicily and Africa, in particular the
The Regia Aeronautica was equipped for a while with the Stukas.[136] In 1939, the Italian government asked the RLM to supply 100 Ju 87s. Italian pilots were sent to Graz in Austria to be trained for dive-bombing aircraft. In the spring of 1940, between 72 and 108 Ju 87 B-1s, some of them ex-Luftwaffe aircraft, were delivered to 96° Gruppo Bombardamento a Tuffo. The Italian Stuka, renamed Picchiatello, was in turn assigned to Gruppi 97°, 101° and 102°. The Picchiatelli were used against Malta, Allied convoys in Mediterranean and in North Africa (where they took part in conquering Tobruk). They were used by the Regia Aeronautica up to 1942.[136]
Some of the Picchiatelli saw action in the opening phase of the Italian invasion of Greece in October 1940. Their numbers were low and ineffective in comparison to German operations. The Italian forces were quickly pushed back. By early 1941, the Greeks had pushed into Italian-occupied Albania. Once again, Hitler decided to send military aid to his ally.[137] Before the Luftwaffe could intervene, the Italian Ju 87s achieved some successes. 97 Gruppo (group) and its 239 Squadriglia (squadron) sinking the Hellenic Navy freighter Susanah off Corfu on 4 April 1941 while the torpedo boat Proussa was sunk later in the day. On 21 April the Greek freighter Ioanna was sunk and they accounted for the British tanker Hekla off Tobruk on 25 May and then the Royal Australian Navy destroyer Waterhen on 20 June. The British gunboat Cricket and supply submarine Cachalot became victims. The former was crippled and later sunk by Italian warships.[138]
In March, the
In Greece, despite British aid,
During the
The dive bomber wing supported
By 1943, the Allies enjoyed air supremacy in North Africa. The Ju 87s ventured out in Rotte strength only, often jettisoning their bombs at the first sight of enemy aircraft.[150] Adding to this trouble, the German fighters had only enough fuel to cover the Ju 87s on takeoff, their most vulnerable point. After that, the Stukas were on their own.[151]
The dive bombers continued operations in southern Europe; after the Italian surrender in September 1943, the Ju 87 participated in the last campaign-sized victory over the
Eastern front
Barbarossa; 1941
On 22 June 1941, the Wehrmacht commenced Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. The Luftwaffe order of battle of 22 June 1941 contained four dive bomber wings. VIII. Fliegerkorps was equipped with units Stab, II. and III./StG 1. Also included were Stab, I., II. and III. of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 Immelmann. Attached to II. Fliegerkorps, under the command of General der Flieger Bruno Loerzer, were Stab, I., II. and III. of StG 77. Luftflotte 5, under the command of Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, operating from Norway's Arctic Circle, were allotted IV. Gruppe (St)/Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1).[154]
The first Stuka loss on the
The Ju 87 took a huge toll on Soviet ground forces, helping to break up counterattacks of Soviet armour, eliminating strongpoints and disrupting the enemy supply lines. A demonstration of the Stuka's effectiveness occurred on 5 July, when StG 77 knocked out 18
Elsewhere on the Eastern front, the Junkers assisted Army Group Centre in its drive toward Moscow. From 13 to 22 December 420 vehicles and 23 tanks were destroyed by StG 77, greatly improving the morale of the German infantry, who were by now on the defensive.[162] StG 77 finished the campaign as the most effective dive bomber wing. It had destroyed 2,401 vehicles, 234 tanks, 92 artillery batteries and 21 trains for the loss of 25 Ju 87s to hostile action.[163] At the end of Barbarossa, StG 1 had lost 60 Stukas in aerial combat and one on the ground. StG 2 lost 39 Ju 87s in the air and two on the ground, StG 77 lost 29 of their dive-bombers in the air and three on the ground (25 to enemy action). IV.(St)/LG1, operating from Norway, lost 24 Ju 87s, all in aerial combat.[164]
Fall Blau to Stalingrad; 1942
In early 1942, the Ju 87s gave the Heer yet more valuable support. On 29 December 1941, the Soviet 44th Army landed on the
For the German summer offensive,
Kursk and decline; 1943
The Stuka was also heavily involved in Operation Citadel, the Kursk offensive. The Luftwaffe committed I, II, III./St.G 1 and III./StG 3 under the command of Luftflotte 6. I., II, III. of StGs 2 and 3 were committed under the command of Fliegerkorps VIII.[171] Rudel's cannon-equipped Ju 87 Gs had a devastating effect on Soviet armour at Orel and Belgorod. The Ju 87s participated in a huge aerial counter-offensive lasting from 16 to 31 July against a Soviet offensive at Khotynets and saved two German armies from encirclement, reducing the attacking Soviet 11th Guards Army to 33 tanks by 20 July. The Soviet offensive had been completely halted from the air[172] although losses were considerable. Fliegerkorps VIII lost eight Ju 87s on 8 July, six on 9 July, six on 10 July and another eight on 11 July. The Stuka arm also lost eight of their Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross holders. StG 77 lost 24 Ju 87s in the period 5–31 July (StG had lost 23 in July–December 1942), while StG 2 lost another 30 aircraft in the same period. In September 1943, three of the Stuka units were re-equipped with the Fw 190F and G (ground attack versions) and began to be renamed Schlachtgeschwader (attack wings).[173] In the face of overwhelming air opposition, the dive-bomber required heavy protection from German fighters to counter Soviet fighters. Some units like SG 2 Immelmann continued to operate with great success throughout 1943–45, operating the Ju 87 G variants equipped with 37 mm cannons, which became tank killers, although in increasingly small numbers.[174]
In the wake of the defeat at Kursk, Ju 87s played a vital defensive role on the southern wing of the Eastern Front. To combat the Luftwaffe, the Soviets could deploy 3,000 fighter aircraft. As a result, the Stukas suffered heavily. SG 77 lost 30 Ju 87s in August 1943 as did SG 2 Immelmann, which also reported the loss of 30 aircraft in combat operations.[175] Despite these losses, Ju 87s helped the XXIX Army Corps break out of an encirclement near the Sea of Azov.[176] The Battle of Kiev also included substantial use of the Ju 87 units, although again, unsuccessful in stemming the advances. Stuka units were with the loss of air superiority, becoming vulnerable on the ground as well. Some Stuka aces were lost this way.[177] In the aftermath of Kursk, Stuka strength fell to 184 aircraft in total. This was well below 50 per cent of the required strength.[178] On 18 October 1943, StG 1, 2, 3, 5 and 77 were renamed Schlachtgeschwader (SG) wings, reflecting their ground-attack role, as these combat wings were now also using ground-attack aircraft, such as the Fw 190F-series aircraft. The Luftwaffe's dive-bomber units had ceased to exist.[179]
A few Ju 87s were also retained for anti-shipping operations in the
Operation Bagration to Berlin 1944–1945
Towards the end of the war, as the Allies gained air supremacy, the Stuka was being replaced by ground-attack versions of the Fw 190.
In the final months of the war the ground attack groups were still able to impose operational constraints upon the enemy. Most notably the aircraft participated in the defence of
Post-war research revealed that generally, bombing pilots were far less effective than they claimed. The German Luftwaffe, in particular, did not do a scientific analysis of the Ju 87 pilot claims in 1939–1945 but instead relied on pre-war tests and assumptions, contrary to the Allies who did such research during the war, which showed that pilots, for a number of reasons, misjudged most of their tank kills and revealed the ineffectiveness of dive-bombers as an anti-tank weapon,[185] except for the suppression effect of the bombing.
Operators
- Bulgarian Air Force - Bulgaria received 12 Ju 87 R-2 and R-4s and 40 Ju 87 D-5s.[186]
- Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske Croatia received Ju 87s, delivered to the Lucko bomber unit in January 1944.
- The Czechoslovakian Air Force operated captured aircraft postwar, five Ju 87 D-5s registrations OK-XAA – OK-XAE - OK-KAC. These were operated by the Czechs under the “B-37" designation.[187]
- Royal Hungarian Air Force - received 33/34 Ju 87 D-3/D-5s and 11/12 B-1 and B-2s.[188]
- Regia Aeronautica - Regia Aeronautica received a delivery of 46 Ju 87 D-2 and D-3 dive bombers and some Ju 87 R-2s.[189]
- Imperial Japanese Army Air Force- Purchased two aircraft from Germany for evaluation. Japan received the Ju 87 A-1 (called a Ju 87 K-1)
- Royal Romanian Air Force - 90 Ju 87 D-3 and D-5s.[190]
- Slovak Air Force- Operated 6 Ju 87 D-1s and 5 more Ju 87s of an unknown variant from 1943.
- Spanish Air Force
- Royal Air Force tested various captured variants during and after the war.[191]
- United States Army Air Forces tested various captured variants during and after the war.
- SFR Yugoslav Air Forceoperated captured aircraft.
Surviving aircraft
Two intact Ju 87s survive, with a third being restored:
- Ju 87 G-2, Werk Nr. 494083
A later, ground-attack variant, this is displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum in London; it was captured by British forces at Eggebek, Schleswig-Holstein in May 1945. It is thought to have been built in 1943–1944 as a D-5 before being rebuilt as a G-2 variant, possibly by fitting G-2 outer wings to a D-5 airframe. The wings have the hard-points for Bordkanone BK 3,7 gun-pods, but these are not fitted. It was one of 12 captured German aircraft selected by the British for museum preservation and assigned to the Air Historical Branch. The aircraft was stored and displayed at various RAF sites until 1978, when it was moved to the RAF Museum. In 1967, permission was given to use the aircraft in the film Battle of Britain and it was repainted and modified to resemble a 1940 variant of the Ju 87. The engine was found to be in excellent condition and there was little difficulty in starting it, but returning the aircraft to airworthiness was considered too costly for the filmmakers and, ultimately, models were used in the film to represent Stukas. In 1998, the film modifications were removed, and the aircraft returned to the original G-2 configuration.[193]
- Ju 87 R-2/Trop. Werk Nr. 5954
This aircraft is displayed in the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. It was abandoned in North Africa and found by British forces in 1941. The Ju 87 was donated by the British government and sent to the US during the war. It was fully restored in 1974 by the EAA of Wisconsin.[194]
One Ju 87 is under restoration:
- Ju 87 R-4, Werk Nr. 6234 (incorporating 857509)
One aircraft is being restored to airworthy condition from two wrecks, owned by
Other aircraft survive as wreckage at or recovered from crash sites:
- A ‘Stuka’ wreck was discovered in 2014 near the island of Žirje in Croatia. It belonged to JU 87R-2 group from 239 squad of the Italian Royal Air Force. On April 12, 1941, during the Balkans Campaign in World War II, it was attacking the Kingdom of Yugoslavia's torpedo boats together with two more Stukas when it was shot down. Today the wreck is a visiting site for many scuba divers, lying at a depth of 28 meters.[198]
- The Deutsches Technikmuseum in Berlin has the wreckage of two complete aircraft that were recovered from separate crash sites near Murmansk in 1990 and 1994. These wrecks were purchased from New Zealand collector Tim Wallis, who originally planned for the remains to be restored to airworthy, in 1996.[199]
- The Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum displays the remains of an aircraft that crashed near Saint-Tropez in 1944 and was raised from the seabed in 1989.[197]
- In October 2006, a Ju 87 D-3/Trop. was recovered underwater, near Rhodes. The aircraft is now in the Hellenic Air Force Museum[197]
- Junkers Ju 87 B-2, Code 98+01, Werk Nr. 870406, is on display at the
- Junkers Ju 87 B-3 Werk Nr. 110757 found in the village Krościenko Wyżne in Poland in October 2015.[200]
-
Ju 87 underwater wreck, Adriatic sea, Croatia (2021)
-
Ju 87 wreck, Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum (2008)
-
Deutsches Technikmuseum, with a veteran gunner speaking of his combat in North Africa
-
The Ju 87 at the Hellenic Air Force Museum, Greece
-
Junkers Ju 87 D G-2, RAF Museum London
Replicas
Replicas at 7/10 scale were built by Louis Langhurst and Richard H. Kurzenberger. Langhurst's aircraft ended up with the Commemorative Air Force. Kurzenburger's was written off in a crash that killed the pilot in 2000.[citation needed]
Specifications (Ju 87D-1)
Data from Warplanes of the Third Reich [201]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 11.5 m (37 ft 8.75 in)
- Wingspan: 13.8 m (45 ft 3.5 in)
- Height: 3.9 m (12 ft 9.25 in)
- Wing area: 31.9 m2 (343.37 sq ft)
- Airfoil: Göttingen 256[202]
- Empty weight: 3,900 kg (8,598 lb) (equipped)
- Max takeoff weight: 6,600 kg (14,550 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Junkers Jumo 211J V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,000 kW (1,400 hp) for take-off
- 1,050 kW (1,410 hp) at 4,300 m (14,100 ft)
- Propellers: 3-bladed Junkers constant-speed propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 410 km/h (255 mph, 222 kn) at 4,100 m (13,500 ft)
- Cruise speed: 319 km/h (198 mph, 172 kn) at 5,100 m (16,700 ft)
- Range: 1,535 km (954 mi, 829 nmi) at 5,100 m (16,730 ft) (maximum)
- Service ceiling: 7,300 m (24,000 ft)
- Time to altitude: 5,000 m (16,400 ft) in 20 minutes
Armament
- Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 17 machine guns forward firing, 1 × 7.92 mm (0.31 in) twin MG 81 machine gun to rear
- Bombs: 1 × 250 kg (550 lb) bomb beneath the fuselage and 4× 50 kg (110 lb) under-wing.
In popular culture
According to Richard King, the Jericho trumpets sound "is often used in movies and TV shows as the classic dive bomber sound, plane crashing sound, or for an anvil dropping on Wile E. Coyote’s head".[203]
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Aichi D3A
- Blackburn Skua
- Breda Ba.65
- Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
- Douglas SBD Dauntless
- Ilyushin Il-2
- Loire-Nieuport LN.401
- Mitsubishi Ki-51
- Nakajima B5N
- Saab 17
- Vultee A-31 Vengeance
Related lists
Notes
- ^ Figures are debated. Griehl cites additions of Chief engineer Pichon's list. This indicates 5,930 produced. Griehl points out this may include all machines, even those that were incomplete. Junkers records give 5,126 aircraft delivered to the Luftwaffe.[1]
- ^ /ˈstuːkə/; German: [ˈʃtuːkə] ⓘ; from Sturzkampfflugzeug 'dive bomber' [2][3]
- ^ Werknummer (W.Nr.) means "works number" of the factory. The number can usually be found on the vertical stabiliser of all German military aircraft of the Second World War.
- ^ a feature pioneered by the 1916–17 origin Junkers J.I all-metal sesquiplane of World War I Imperial Germany's Luftstreitkräfte
References
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 129–130.
- ^ "Stuka". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ "Sturzkampfflugzeug". Wörterbuch Deutsch-Englisch – WordReference.com (in German). Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ a b c Griehl 2001, p. 37
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 38–39
- ^ a b c Griehl 2001, p. 38
- ^ Murray 1983, p. 13
- ^ Murray 1983, p. 16
- ^ a b Griehl & Dressel 1998, p. 53
- ^ Erfurth 2004, p. 27
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 40
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 41
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 28
- ^ Mondey 1996, pp. 111–118
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 27
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 41
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 42–44
- ^ a b Ward 2004, p. 31
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 44
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 46
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 47
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 52–53
- ^ a b c d e f Erfurth 2004, p. 48
- ^ a b c Erfurth 2004, p. 50
- ^ Green 1990, pp. 438–439
- ^ a b Erfurth 2004, p. 49
- ^ Gunston 1984, p. 122
- ^ a b c d e f Griehl 2001, p. 61
- ^ Mahlke 2013, p. 132
- ^ Just 1986, p. 54
- ^ Thompson & Smith 2008, pp. 235–236
- ^ Erfurth 2004, p. 52
- ^ Erfurth 2004, p. 53
- ^ a b Erfurth 2004, p. 54
- ^ Dressel & Griehl 1994, pp. 100–105
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 179
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 50
- ^ a b c Griehl 2001, p. 52
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 53
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 54
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 57
- ^ Erfurth 2004, p. 40
- ^ Erfurth 2004, p. 42
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 63
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 64
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 64–65
- ^ a b Boyne 1994, p. 30
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 65
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 66
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 68
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 79
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 80–81
- ^ a b c Griehl 2001, p. 49
- ^ a b c Griehl 2001, p. 240
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 241
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 242
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 243
- ^ Mondey 1996, p. 114
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 87
- ^ a b c d e Griehl 2001, p. 95.
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 99
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 97
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 98
- ^ a b c Griehl 2001, pp. 101–102
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 102
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 103
- ^ a b c d Griehl 2001, p. 284
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 274
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 274–275.
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 286
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 349
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 209
- ^ a b c Smith 2011, pp. 352–353
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 210
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 210–212
- ^ Parker 1998, p. 208
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 200
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 354
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 356, 363
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 364
- ^ a b Griehl 2001, p. 115
- ^ a b c d e f Griehl 2001, pp. 116–117
- ^ a b c Griehl 2001, p. 118
- ^ McNab 2012, p. 278.
- ^ a b c Griehl 2001, p. 120
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 120–121.
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 131–133.
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 134.
- ^ a b Weal 1997, p. 15
- ^ Gesalí & Íñiguez 2012, pp. 470–472
- ^ Gesalí & Íñiguez 2012, pp. 478–480
- ^ Gesalí & Íñiguez 2012, pp. 482–484
- ^ Weal 1997, pp. 15–16
- ^ Weal 1997, p. 17
- ^ Weal 1997, pp. 18–19
- ^ Weal 1997, pp. 21–22
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 87–88
- ^ a b Weal 1997, p. 22
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 98
- ^ Hooton 2007, p. 91
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 101
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 96–97
- ^ a b c Weal 1997, p. 34
- ^ Weal 1997, pp. 34–35.
- ^ a b Weal 1997, p. 35
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 114
- ^ a b Smith 2011, p. 118
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 113–115
- ^ Weal 1997, p. 37
- ^ Ward 2004, pp. 68–69
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 116.
- ^ a b Weal 1997, p. 43
- ^ a b Smith 2011, p. 124
- ^ Weal 1997, p. 46
- ^ Ward 2004, pp. 73–74
- ^ Boyne 1994, p. 78
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 124, 131–140
- ^ Hooton 2007, p. 67
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 138
- ^ Weal 1997, pp. 52–53
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 138–140
- ^ Hooton 2007, p. 74
- ^ Weal 1997, p. 55
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 94
- ^ Weal 1997, pp. 66–67
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 105
- ^ Bungay 2000, pp. 251–257
- ^ Weal 1997, p. 83
- ^ a b Ward 2004, pp. 108–109
- ^ Weal 1997, p. 66
- ^ a b c d Smith 2007, p. 51
- ^ Wood & Dempster 2003, p. 228
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 109
- ^ Weal 1998, p. 7
- ^ Weal 1998, p. 9
- ^ a b Gunston 1984, p. 137
- ^ Weal 1998, p. 23
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 218
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 120
- ^ Ciglic & Savic 2007, p. 59
- ^ Weal 1998, p. 32
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 121
- ^ Weal 1998, p. 38
- ^ Weal 1998, pp. 38–39
- ^ Ward 2004, p. 123
- ^ Weal 1998, pp. 45–51
- ^ Weal 1998, p. 44
- ^ Weal 1998, p. 65
- ^ Ring, Hans; Shores, Christopher (1968), Luftkampf zwischen Sand und Sonne [Fighters over the Desert], Stuttgart
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Weal 1998, p. 67
- ^ Weal 1998, p. 68
- ^ Weal 1998, pp. 82–83
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 305–314
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 131.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 18.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 20.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 23.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 89.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 69.
- ^ Rohwer 2005, p. 102.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 85.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, pp. 112–113.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 115.
- ^ Bergström 2007a, p. 119.
- ^ Bergström 2007c, p. 30.
- ^ Bergström 2007c, p. 46.
- ^ Bergström 2007c, p. 122.
- ^ Bergström 2007c, p. 49.
- ^ Bergström 2007c, p. 84.
- ^ Hayward 2001, p. 211
- ^ Bergström 2007b, pp. 123–124.
- ^ Bergström 2007b, p. 109.
- ^ Bergström 2007b, p. 118.
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 279
- ^ Bergström 2008, pp. 25–26
- ^ Bergström 2008, p. 27
- ^ Bergström 2008, p. 30
- ^ Weal 2008, p. 74
- ^ Weal 2008, p. 77
- ^ Smith 2011, p. 292
- ^ Bergström 2008, p. 129
- ^ Bergström 2008, p. 59
- ^ Bergström 2008, p. 131
- ^ Bergström 2008, pp. 99–100
- ^ Gooderson 1998, p. 103.
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 135.
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 156.
- ^ Griehl 2001, pp. 151–152.
- ^ Vanags-Baginskis 1982, p. 52.
- ^ Griehl 2001, p. 150.
- ^ "The Stuka Stealers". Aeroplane, February 2009, pp. 14–18.
- ^ a b Bert, Hartmann. "Kennzeichen ab 1939 - Verbandskennzeichen". Das Archiv der Deutschen Luftwaffe.
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 382–383
- ^ Vanags-Baginskis 1982, p. 51
- ^ "FHCAM – Home". Flyingheritage.org. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ^ Flying Heritage Stuka Project
- ^ a b c d Smith 2011, p. 387
- ^ "Croatia: Stuka Bomber Wreck | X-Ray Mag". xray-mag.com. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ Smith 2011, pp. 385–387
- ^ "Odnaleziono wrak bombowca sprzed 71 lat. W jego wnętrzu znajdowały się szczątki pilota". onet.rzeszow (in Polish). Grupa Onet.pl S.A. 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ^ Green 1990, pp. 442
- ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ Andersen, Asbjoern (2 August 2017). "Behind the spectacular sound of 'Dunkirk' - with Richard King". A Sound Effect. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
There are historical recordings of Stukas that date before the war and that sound has been recycled over the generations for movies and TV shows. It's often used as the classic dive bomber sound, or plane crashing sound, or for an anvil dropping on Wile E. Coyote's head.
Bibliography
- Arthy, Andrew (October 2021). "Last Days of the Cannon Birds: Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 87G Anti-tank Operations, Eastern Front, April-May 1945". The Aviation Historian (37): 20–28. ISSN 2051-1930.
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- Dressel, Joachim; Griehl, Manfred (1994). Bombers of the Luftwaffe. London: DAG. ISBN 1-85409-140-9.
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- Hayward, J. S. (2001). Stopped at Stalingrad: The Luftwaffe and Hitler's Defeat in the East 1942–1943. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 0-7006-1146-0.
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- Just, Gunther (1986). Stuka Pilot Hans Ulrich Rudel. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. ISBN 0-88740-252-6.
- Lawrence, Joseph (1945). The Observer's Book Of Airplanes. London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co.
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- ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
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- Vanags-Baginskis, Alex (1982). Ju 87 Stuka. London: Jane's. ISBN 0-7106-0191-3.
- Ward, John (2004). Hitler's Stuka Squadrons: The Ju 87 at War, 1936–1945. London: Eagles of War. ISBN 1-86227-246-8.
- Weal, John (1997). Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937–41. Combat Aircraft 1. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-636-1.
- Weal, John (1998). Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader of North Africa and the Mediterranean. Combat Aircraft 6. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-722-8.
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- Willigenburg, Henk van (March–April 2001). "Graft Zeppelin Afloat". Air Enthusiast (92): 59–65. ISSN 0143-5450.
- Wood, Derek; Dempster, Derek (2003). The Narrow Margin: The Battle of Britain and the Rise of Air Power. London: Pen and Sword. ISBN 0-85052-915-8.
Further reading
- de Zeng, H.L., D.G. Stanket and E.J. Creek. Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933–1945: A Reference Source, Volume 1. London: Ian Allan Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85780-279-5
- de Zeng, H.L., D.G. Stanket and E.J. Creek. Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933–1945: A Reference Source, Volume 2. London: Ian Allan Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-1-903223-87-1
- Eisenbach, Hans Peter. Fronteinsätze eines Stuka-Fliegers: Mittelmeer und Ostfront 1943/1944 (in German). Berlin: Helios Verlag, 2009. ISBN 978-3-938208-96-0
- Zuerl, Walter (1941). Deutsche Flugzeug Konstrukteure. München, Germany: Curt Pechstein Verlag.
External links