Germany's Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka", Sturzkampfflugzeug, dive bomber1,2

Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber:
Germany's Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber
United States Army in World War II, Pictorial Record, The War Against Germany and Italy: Mediterranean and Adjacent Areas, 1951, pg 42

Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber, Italian plane captured by British:
Germany's Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber, Italian plane captured by British
United States Army in World War II, Pictorial Record, The War Against Germany and Italy: Mediterranean and Adjacent Areas, 1951, pg 42

Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber, cabin:
Germany's Junkers Ju 87D-2 dive bomber, cabin

Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber:
Germany's Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber

Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber:
Germany's Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber

Design

Dive control

A device allowed the Ju 87 to pull out of a dive even when a pilot blacked out.1

Undercarriage

During the winters on the eastern front some had skis installed.1

Fuselage

To aid in mass production the fuselage was made in two halves and joined at the centerline by a metal frame.1

Wing

To allow for a short undercarriage and allow for a large bomb, the wings were of a cranked wing design.1

Prototype

The Ju 87 prototype had a Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine (640 HP) and first flew in the spring of 1935.1,2

Early prototypes had twin fins but this was replaced by a single fin.1

Production

Over 5,700 were produced until September 1944.1

Starting in 1939 all production of the Ju 87 Stuka was at Weser at Tempelhof.1

Variants

Usage

The Ju 87 was used by Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, and Slovakia.1

The Ju 87 Stuka was used on all fronts during the war.1

Typically a pilot would start their dive at 6,000' / 2,000 m and go down to 900' / 300 m before releasing their bombs.1 The dive angle was between 60° and 90°.1

Hans-Ulrich Rudel

Flying a Ju 87G, Hans-Ulrich Rudel destroyed over 500 / 5192 Soviet tanks.1 He also sunk a battleship, a cruiser, and a destroyer with his Stuka.2

Blitzkrieg in Poland

There were five Stukageschwader equipped with Ju 87s that were used in the invasion of Poland in 1939.2

  Junkers Ju 87D-1 Stuka1 Junkers Ju 87D-7 Stuka2
Type Dive Bomber1 Dive bomber2
Crew 21
Pilot, rear gunner1
22
Engine (Type) Junkers Jumo 211J-1 piston1 Junkers Jumo 211P pison2
Cylinders Inverted V-121 Inline2
Cooling    
HP 1,4101 1,5002
Propeller blades 31 32
Fuel capacity    
Dimensions    
Span 45'1
13.8 m1
49' 2.5"2
15 m2
Length 38'1
11.5 m1
37' 8.75"2
11.5 m2
Height 13'1
3.9 m1
12' 9.5"2
3.9 m2
Wing area 343 ft2 1
31.9 m2 1
362.7 ft2 2
33.6 m2 2
Weight    
Empty 8,580 lb1
3,900 kg1
8,686 lb2
3,940 kg2
Loaded 14,520 lb1
6,600 kg1
14,550 lb2
6,600 kg2
Performance    
Speed @ 12,600' /
3,840 m
254 mph1
410 kph1
 
Speed @ 15,750' /
4,800 m
  248 mph2
400 kph2
Climb    
Service ceiling 23,910'1
7,290 m1
27,885'2
8,500 m2
Range 950 miles1
1,535 km1
410 miles2
660 km2
Armament    
Wings 2: 7.92 mm MG 171  
Forward firing   2: 20 mm MG 151/202
Rear cockpit 2: 7.92 mm MG 81Z1 2: 7.92 mm MG 812
Bombs 3,960 lb1
1,800 kg1
 
Bomb under fuselage   1: 3,958 lb2
1: 1,800 kg2
Bomb under wings   2: 1,102 lb2
2: 500 kg2

Sources:

  1. Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
  2. Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
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