| Junkers Ju 87 |
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| world war ii dive bombers | |
| german bomber aircraft 1930-1939 | |
| world war ii german ground attack aircraft | |
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The Junkers Ju 87 or '''Stuka''' was the best known ''Sturzkampfflugzeug'' (German Dive Bomber ) in World War II , instantly recognisable by its inverted Gull Wing s, fixed Undercarriage and siren. The Stuka's design featured some innovative features, including an automatic pull-up system to ensure that the plane recovered from its attack dive even if the pilot blacked out from the high acceleration, and wind-powered sirens on the wheel covers that wailed during dives to scare its victims. These were named "Trumpets of Jericho" by Junkers and were an early form of psychological warfare.(A similar technique is shown in the movie '' Apocalypse Now ''). Its rugged fixed undercarriage allowed it to land and take-off from improvised airstrips close to the battlefront, giving close support to the advancing German forces. Although sturdy, accurate, and very effective, the Stuka suffered from low speed and manuverabilty, with little defensive armament making it highly vulnerable to enemy fighters. The Germans learned in the Battle Of Britain that air superiority must be obtained before ground attack aircraft could be effectively used. After the Battle of Britain, the Stuka was little used in western Europe, but it remained effective further south where Allied fighters were in short supply (notably in the attacks on Crete and Malta ), and was used in vast numbers on the Eastern Front , although the steady rise in Soviet airpower as the war progressed meant that Stuka squadrons suffered very heavy losses. More than six thousand Ju 87 were built between 1936 and August 1944. Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the most notable Stuka Ace , and in fact the most highly decorated German soldier of the war. General Characteristics Models not listed include the Ju 87C naval derivative of the Ju 87B, intended for use on the aircraft carrier '' Graf Zeppelin ''; the Ju 87E naval derivative of the Ju 87D; the Ju 87R long-range version of the Ju 87B; the Ju 87H disarmed versions of the equivalent D-models for use as trainers; the Ju 87K export models; the Ju 87D-5/D-6 with increased wing span.
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