Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was the most famous Sturzkampfflugzeug (German dive bomber) in World War II, instantly recognisable by its inverted gull-wings and fixed undercarriage.
The Stuka's design included 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. (A similar technique is shown in the movie Apocalypse Now.)
The Stuka was sturdy, accurate, and very effective, but also slow, unmaneuverable, underarmed, and 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.
Over 5700 Stukas were built.
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;
and the Ju.87 k export models.)
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| Ju.87A-1 | Ju.87B-1 | Ju.87D-1 | Ju.87G-1
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| Role | prototype | ground attack | improved ground attack | anti-tank
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| Length (m) | 10.8 m | 11.0 m | 11.0 m | 11.0 m
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| Wingspan (m) | 13.0 m | 13.2 m | 13.8 m | 13.8 m
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| Height (m) | 3.90 m | 3.77 m | 3.77 m | 3.77 m
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| Wing area (m²) | 30.00 m² | 31.90 m² | 31.90 m² | 31.90 m²
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| Empty weight (kg) | 2273 kg | 2760 kg | 2810 kg | 3600 kg
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| Maximum weight (kg) | 3324 kg | 4400 kg | 5720 kg | 5100 kg
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| Engine | Junkers Jumo 210D | Junkers Jumo 211A | Junkers Jumo 211J | Junkers Jumo 211J
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| Power (hp) | 640 hp | 1200 hp | 1300 hp | 1300 hp
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| Power (kW) | 477 kW | 895 kW | 969 kW | 969 kW
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| Maximum speed (km/h) | 320 km/h | 350 km/h | 354 km/h | 344 km/h
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| Dive speed (km/h) | 550 km/h | 600 km/h | 600 km/h
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| Range (km) | 995 km | 800 km | 1165 km | 1000 km
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| Ceiling (m) | 9430 m | 8100 m | 9000 m | 7500 m
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| Climb | | 3000 m in 8.8 min | 3000 m in 14 min | 3000 m in 13.6 min
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| Forward guns | 1×7.9 mm MG17 | 2×7.9 mm MG17 | 2×7.9 mm MG17 | 2×37 mm BK3,7
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| Rear guns | 1×7.9 mm MG15 | 1×7.9 mm MG15 | 2×7.9 mm MG81Z | 2×7.9 mm MG81Z
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| Bombs (kg) | 500 kg | 1000 kg | 1600 kg | none
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