Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
Junkers · Germany · first flew 1935 · bomber
The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka is a two-seat German dive-bomber and ground-attack aircraft, infamous for its near-vertical bombing dives and wailing siren during the early Blitzkrieg campaigns.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Inverted gull (cranked) wing
- Fixed spatted undercarriage
- Two-seat tandem cockpit with long greenhouse
Unmistakable for its inverted gull wing cranked sharply down then up, and its fixed, heavily spatted undercarriage. The long glasshouse canopy over the two-man crew confirms the type.
Specifications
- The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka has a length of 11 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.8 m (45 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 410 km/h (255 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1935, the Ju 87 was built for precision dive-bombing, with automatic dive brakes that could pull the aircraft out of its dive even if the pilot blacked out. Its accuracy made it a feared close-support weapon, though it proved highly vulnerable to fighters. Around 6,000 were built.
Variants
The early B-series saw action over Poland and France, while the D-series brought a more powerful engine and revised cockpit. The G 'Kanonenvogel' carried twin underwing cannon for tank-busting on the Eastern Front. A naval version was developed but little used.
Where you'll see it
The Stuka never served in UK forces and suffered heavy losses against RAF fighters during the Battle of Britain, after which it was withdrawn from operations over Britain. The RAF Museum at Hendon displays an original Ju 87, one of very few surviving examples worldwide. Airworthy Stukas no longer exist.
Related aircraft
- Ju 88
- Junkers Ju 160
- Junkers Ju 86
- Junkers Ju 89
- Arado Ar 81
- B-17 Flying Fortress
- Bolkhovitinov DB-A
- Breguet 460 Vultur
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