Junkers Ju 87 The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka ( from " Sturzkampfflugzeug " , " dive bomber " ) was a two - man ( pilot and rear gunner ) German dive bomber and ground - attack aircraft . Designed by Hermann Pohlmann , the " Stuka " first flew in 1935 and made its combat debut in 1936 as part of the Luftwaffe ' s Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War . The aircraft was easily recognisable by its inverted gull wings , fixed spatted undercarriage and its infamous " Jericho - Trompete " ( " Jericho Trumpet " ) wailing siren , becoming the propaganda symbol of German air power and the " blitzkrieg " victories of 1939 – 1942 . The " Stuka " ' s design included several innovative features , including automatic pull - up dive brake s under both wings to ensure that the aircraft recovered from its attack dive even if the pilot blacked out from the high acceleration . Although sturdy , accurate , and very effective against ground targets , the Ju 87 was vulnerable to modern fighter aircraft , like many other dive bombers of the war . Its flaws became apparent during the Battle of Britain ; poor manoeuvrability and a lack of both speed and defensive armament meant that the " Stuka " required heavy fighter escort to operate effectively . The " Stuka " operated with further success after the Battle of Britain , and its potency as a precision ground - attack aircraft became valuable to German forces in the Balkans Campaign , the African and Mediterranean theaters and the early stages of the Eastern Front campaigns where Soviet fighter resistance was disorganised and in short supply . Once the Luftwaffe had lost air superiority on all fronts , the Ju 87 once again became an easy target for enemy fighter aircraft . In spite of this , because there was no better replacement , the type continued to be produced until 1944 . By the end of the conflict , the " Stuka " had been largely replaced by ground - attack versions of the Focke - Wulf Fw 190 , but was still in use until the last days of the war . An estimated 6 , 500 Ju 87s of all versions were built between 1936 and August 1944 . Some notable airmen flew the Ju 87 . " Oberst " Hans - Ulrich Rudel was the most successful " Stuka " ace and " the " most highly decorated German serviceman of the Second World War . The vast majority of German ground attack aces flew this aircraft at some point in their careers . 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 . 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 . After the Nazis came to power , the design was given priority . Despite initial competition from the Henschel Hs 123 , the " Reichsluftfahrtministerium " ( RLM ) - German for the " Aviation Ministry " - turned to the designs of Herman Pohlmann of Junkers and co - designer of the K 47 , Karl Plauth . During the trials with the K 47 in 1932 , the double vertical stabilizers were introduced to give the rear gunner a better field of fire . The main , and what was to be the most distinctive , feature of the Ju 87 was its double - spar inverted gull wings . After Plauth ' s death , Pohlmann continued the development of the Junkers dive bomber . The Ju A 48 registration D - ITOR , was originally fitted with a BMW 132 engine , producing some 450 kW ( 600 hp ) . The machine was also fitted with dive brake s for dive testing . The aircraft was given a good evaluation and " exhibited very good flying characteristics " . Ernst Udet took an immediate liking to the concept of dive - bombing after flying the Curtiss Hawk II . When he invited Walther Wever and Robert Ritter von Greim to watch Udet perform a trial flight in May 1934 at the Jüterbog artillery range , it raised doubts about the capability of the dive bomber . Udet began his dive at 1 , 000 m ( 3 , 280 ft ) and released his 1 kg ( 2 lb ) bombs at 100 m ( 330 ft ) , barely recovering and pulling out of the dive . The Chief of the Air Weapons Command Bureau , Walther Wever , and the Secretary of State for Aviation , Erhard Milch , feared that such high - level nerves and skill could not be expected of " average pilots " in the Luftwaffe . Nevertheless , development continued at Junkers . Udet ' s " growing love affair " with the dive bomber pushed it to the forefront of German aviation development . Udet went so far as to advocate that all medium bomber s have dive - bombing capabilities . Ju 87 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 , 2 shillings and sixpence . The first Ju 87 prototype was built by 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 was not completed until October 1935 . However , the mostly complete Ju 87 V1 W . Nr . 4921 ( less non - essential parts ) took off for its maiden flight on 17 September 1935 . The aircraft originally did not carry any registration , but later was given the registration D - UBYR . The flight report , by " Hauptmann " Willy Neuenhofen , stated the only problem was with the small radiator , which caused the power plant to overheat . 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 Dresden , killing Junkers ' chief test pilot , Willy Neuenhofen , and his engineer , Heinrich Kreft . The square twin fins and rudders proved too weak ; they collapsed and the aircraft crashed after it entered an inverted spin during the testing of the terminal dynamic pressure in a dive . The crash prompted a change to a single vertical stabiliser tail design . To withstand strong forces during a dive , heavy plating was fitted , along with brackets riveted to the frame and longeron , to the fuselage . Other early additions included the installation of hydraulic dive brakes that were fitted under the leading edge and could rotate 90° . 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 DB 600 in - line engine , with the final variant to be equipped with the Jumo 210 . This was accepted by the RLM as an interim solution . The reworking of the design began on 1 January 1936 . The test flight could not be carried out for over two months due to a lack of adequate aircraft . The 24 January crash had already destroyed one machine . The second prototype was also beset by design problems . It had its twin stabilizers removed and a single tail fin installed due to fears over stability . Due to a shortage of power plants , instead of a DB 600 , a BMW " Hornet " engine was fitted . All these delays set back testing until 25 February 1936 . By March 1936 , the second prototype , the V2 , was finally fitted with the Jumo 210Aa power plant , which a year later was replaced by a Jumo 210 G ( W . Nr . 19310 ) . Although the testing went well , and the pilot , Flight Captain Hesselbach , praised its performance , Wolfram von Richthofen told the Junkers representative and Construction Office chief engineer that the Ju 87 stood little chance of becoming the Luftwaffe ' s main dive bomber , as it was underpowered in his opinion . On 9 June 1936 , the RLM ordered cessation of development in favour of the Heinkel He 118 , a rival design . Udet cancelled the order the next day , and development continued . On 27 July 1936 , Udet crashed the He 118 prototype , He 118 V1 D - UKYM . That same day , Charles Lindbergh was visiting Ernst Heinkel , so Heinkel could only communicate with Udet 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 . Immediately after this incident , Udet announced the " Stuka " the winner of the development contest . Honing the design . 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 just 250 m ( 820 ft ) and climb to 1 , 875 m ( 6 , 150 ft ) in just eight minutes with a 250 kg ( 550 lb ) bomb load , and its cruising speed was 250 km / h ( 160 mph ) . However , Richthofen pushed for a more powerful engine . 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 ( 217 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 . These problems were to be resolved by installing the Daimler - Benz DB 600 engine , but delays in development forced the installation of the Jumo 210 Da in - line 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 ( 173 mph ) at ground level and 290 km / h ( 179 mph ) at 1 , 250 m ( 4 , 100 ft ) , while maintaining its good handling ability . Design . Basic design ( based on the B series ) . The Ju 87 was a single - engined all - metal cantilever monoplane . It had a fixed undercarriage and could carry a two person crew . The main construction material was duralumin , and the external coverings were made of Duralumin sheeting . Parts that were required to be of strong construction , such as the wing flaps , were made of Pantal and its components made of Elektron . Bolts and parts that were required to take heavy stress were made of steel . 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 . 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 aerofoil , reducing take - off and landing runs . In accordance with the Aircraft Certification Center 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 ( 373 mph ) and a maximum level speed of 340 km / h ( 211 mph ) near ground level , and a flying weight of 4 , 300 kg ( 9 , 480 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 . The fuselage had an oval cross - section and housed a water - cooled inverted - V V - 12 engine . The cockpit was protected from the engine by a firewall ahead of the wing center 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 . 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 power plant in its top quarter . In turn , the frames were attached to the firewall by universal joint s . 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 . 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 L ( 52 . 8 Imp / 63 . 4 US gal ) capacity . The tanks also had a predetermined limit which , if passed , would warn the pilot via a red warning light in the cockpit . The fuel was injected via a pump from the tanks to the power plant . Should this shut down , it could be pumped manually using a hand - pump on the fuel cock armature . The powerplant was cooled by a 10 L ( 3 US gal ) ring - shaped aluminium water container situated between the propeller and engine . A further container of 20 L ( 5 US gal ) was positioned under the engine . 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 . The wing was the most unusual feature . It consisted of a single center section and two outer sections installed using four universal joints . The center section had a large negative dihedral ( anhedral ) and the outer surfaces a positive dihedral . This created the inverted gull , or " cranked " , wing pattern along the Ju 87 ' s leading edge . The shape of the wing improved the pilot ' s ground visibility and also allowed a shorter undercarriage height . The center section protruded by only 3 m ( 9 ft 10⅛ in ) on either side . The offensive armament was two 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17 machine gun s fitted one in each wing outboard of undercarriage , operated by a mechanical pneumatics system from the pilot ' s control column . The rear gunner / radio operator operated one 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 15 machine gun for defensive purposes . 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 . Diving procedure . Flying at 4 , 600 m ( 15 , 000 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 . The dive brakes were activated automatically , the pilot set the trim tabs , retarded 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 - 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 ( 350 - 370 mph ) due to dive - brake deployment , which increased the accuracy of the Ju 87 ' s aim . When the aircraft was reasonably close to the target , a light on the contact altimeter came on to indicate the bomb - release point , usually at a minimum height of 450 m ( 1 , 500 ft ) . The pilot released the bomb and initiated the automatic pull - out mechanism by depressing a knob on the control column . 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 6 g pullout . 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 87s recovery pattern and height , making it easier for ground defences to hit an aircraft . Physical stress on the crew was severe . Human beings subjected to more than 5 g forces in a seated position will suffer vision impairment in the form of a grey veil known to " Stuka " pilots as " seeing stars " . They lose vision while remaining conscious ; after five seconds , they black out . The Ju 87 pilots experienced the visual impairments most during " pull - up " from a dive . Eric " Winkle " Brown RN , a British test pilot and Commanding Officer of Captured Enemy Aircraft Flight section , tested the Ju 87 at RAE Farnborough . He said of the Stuka , " I had flown a lot of dive - bomber s and it ’ s the only one that you can dive truly vertically . Sometimes with the dive - bombers . . . maximum dive is usually in the order of 60 degrees . . When flying the Stuka , because it ’ s all automatic , you are really flying vertically . . . The Stuka was in a class of its own . " 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 . Above 6 g , 50 % of pilots suffered visual problems , or " grey " out . With 40 % , vision vanished altogether from 7 . 5 g upwards and black - out sometimes occurred . Despite this blindness , the pilot could maintain consciousness and was capable of " bodily reactions " . However , 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 ⅔ of pilots could withstand 8 g and perhaps 9 g for three to five seconds without vision defects which , under war conditions , was acceptable . During tests with the Ju 87 A - 2 , new technologies were tried out to reduce the effects of g forces . 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 impressed and interested in the medical flight tests with the Ju 87 . 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 . 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 . Variants . Ju 87A . The second prototype had a redesigned single vertical stabiliser and a 610 PS ( 449 kW , 602 hp ) Junkers Jumo 210 A engine installed , and later the Jumo 210 Da . The first A series variant , the A - 0 , was of all - metal construction , with an enclosed cockpit . 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 . 25 m ( 10 in ) . The fuselage was also lowered along with the gunner ' s position , allowing the gunner a better field of fire . 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 power plant . The A - 1 differed from the A - 0 only slightly . As well as the installation of the Jumo 210D , the A - 1 had two 220 L ( 60 US gal ) fuel tanks built into the inner wing , but it was not armoured or protected . The A - 1 was also intended to be fitted with two 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17 machine guns in each wing , but this was dropped due to excessive weight . The two that remained were fed a total of 500 rounds of ammunition , stored in the undercarriage " spats " . The pilot relied on the Revi C 21C gun sight for the two MG 17s . The gunner had only a single 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 ) 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 ( 10 . 8 ft ) propeller . 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 power plant , 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 ) . 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 . 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 . Prototypes Production variants Ju 87B . 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 . Test flights began from the summer of 1937 . A small number , at least three , served as conversion Cs or Es for potential naval variants . The first production version was the Ju 87 B - 1 , with a considerably larger engine , its Junkers Jumo 211 D generating 1 , 200 PS ( 883 kW , 1 , 184 hp ) , and completely redesigned fuselage and landing gear . 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 . The B - 1 was also fitted with " Jericho trumpets " , essentially propeller - driven siren s with a diameter of 0 . 7 m ( 2 . 3 ft ) mounted on the wing ' s leading edge directly forward of the landing gear , or on the front edge of the fixed main gear fairing . This was used to weaken enemy morale and enhance the intimidation of dive - bombing . After the enemy became used to it , however , they were withdrawn . The devices caused a loss of some 20 – 25 km / h ( 10 - 20 mph ) through drag . Instead , some bombs were fitted with whistles on the fin to produce the noise after release . The trumpets were a suggestion from " Generaloberst " Ernst Udet ( but some authors say the idea originated from Adolf Hitler ) . The Ju 87 B - 2s that followed had some improvements and were built in a number of variants that included ski - equipped versions ( the B - 1 also had this modification ) , and at the other end , with a tropical operation kit called the Ju 87 B - 2 trop . Italy ' s Regia Aeronautica received a number of the B - 2s and named them the " Picchiatello " , while others went to the other members of the Axis , including Hungary , Bulgaria and Romania . The B - 2 also had an oil hydraulic system for closing the cowling flaps . This continued in all the later designs . The tropicalised versions were initially named the Ju 87 B - 2 / U1 . This was eventually designated the Ju 87 B - 2 trop , equipped with tropical emergency equipment and sand filters for the powerplant . 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 . Total production amounted to 697 B - 1s ( 311 by Junkers , 386 by Weserflug ) and 225 B - 2s ( 56 by Junkers , 169 by Weserflug ) . The last Ju 87B rolled off the production lines in October 1940 . Ju 87R . A long range version of the Ju 87 B was also built , known as the Ju 87 R . They were primarily intended for anti - shipping missions . The Ju 87R 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 L ( 79 , 25 US gal ) under - wing drop tanks . This increased fuel capacity to 1 , 080 litres ( 500 L in main fuel tank of which 480 L where usable + 600 L 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 after the addition of the extra fuel tanks . 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 . Due to an increase in overall weight by some 700 kg ( 1 , 540 lb ) , the Ju 87 R - 2 was 30 km / h ( 20 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 ) . 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 . Total production amounted to 972 Ju 87R ( 105 R - 1 , 472 R - 2 , 144 R - 4 ) , all built by Weserflug . The last Ju 87R rolled off the production lines in October 1941 . Known prototypes Ju 87C . 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 just two months and was to begin in February and end in April 1938 . The prototype V10 was to be a fixed wing test aircraft , while the following V11 would be modified with folding wing s . The prototypes were Ju 87 B - 0 airframes powered by Jumo 211 A engines . Owing to delays , the V10 was not completed until March 1938 . It first flew on 17 March and was designated Ju 87 C - 1 . 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 the arresting gear winch was too weak and had to be replaced . Tests showed the average braking distance was 20 – 35 metres ( 65 – 115 feet ) . 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 . Among the " special " equipment of the Ju 87 C was a two - seat rubber dinghy with signal ammunition and emergency ammunition . 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 . 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 ( 82 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 . Known prototypes Ju 87D . 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 . 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 . 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 coolant radiator . The D - series also introduced an aerodynamically refined cockpit with better visibility and space . In addition , armor 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 , 1 , 401 hp ) . Bomb carrying ability was nearly quadrupled from 500 kg ( 1 , 100 lb ) in the B - version to 1 , 800 kg ( 3 , 970 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 , 650 lb ) . The internal fuel capacity of the Ju 87D was raised to 800 L ( of which 780 L were usable ) by adding additional wing tanks while retaining the option to carry two 300 L drop tanks . Tests at " Rechlin " revealed it made possible a flight duration of 2 hours and 15 minutes . With an extra two 300 L ( 80 US gal ) fuel tanks , it could achieve four hours flight time . 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 " . The D - 3 was an improved D - 1 with more armour for its ground - attack role . A number of Ju 87 D - 3s were designated D - 3N or D - 3 trop and fitted with night or tropical equipment . The D - 4 designation applied to a prototype torpedo - bomber version , which could carry a 750 – 905 kg ( 1 , 650 - 2 , 000 lb ) aerial torpedo on a PVC 1006 B rack . The D - 4 was to be converted from D - 3 airframes and operated from the aircraft carrier " Graf Zeppelin " . 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 . 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 ( 1 foot ) 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 ( 408 mph ) up to 2 , 000 m ( 6 , 560 ft ) . The range was recorded as 715 km ( 443 mi ) at ground level and 835 km ( 517 mi ) at 5 , 000 m ( 16 , 400 ft ) . The D - 6 , according to " Operating instructions , works document 2097 " , was built in limited numbers to train pilots on " rationalised versions " . However , due to shortages in raw materials , it did not go into mass production . The D - 7 was another ground attack aircraft based on D - 1 airframes upgraded to D - 5 standard ( armor , wing cannons , extended wing panels ) , while the D - 8 was similar to the D - 7 but based on D - 3 airframes . The D - 7 and D - 8 were both were fitted with flame dampers , and could conduct night operations . 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 . Various production problems were encountered . Just one of the planned 48 was produced in July . Of the 25 the RLM hoped for in August 1941 , none were delivered . Only in September 1941 did the first two of the planned 102 Ju 87s roll off the production lines . 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 . Total production amounted to 3639 Ju 87D ( 592 D - 1 , 1559 D - 3 and 1448 D - 5 ) , all built by Weserflug . The last Ju 87 D - 5 rolled off the production lines in September 1944 . The Ju 87 E and F proposals were never built , and Junkers went straight onto the next variant . Another variant derived from the Ju 87D airframe , the Ju 87H saw service as a dual - control trainer . In January 1943 , a variety of Ju 87 Ds became " test beds " for the Ju 87 G variants . At the start of 1943 , the Luftwaffe test centre at " Tarnewitz " tested this combination from a static position . " Oberst " G . Wolfgang Vorwald noted the experiments were not successful , and suggested the cannon be installed on the Messerschmitt Me 410 . However , testing continued , and on 31 January 1943 , Ju 87 D - 1 W . Nr 2552 was tested by " Hauptmann " Hans - Karl Stepp near the Briansk training area . Stepp noted the increase in drag , which reduced the aircraft ' s speed to 259 km / h ( 162 mph ) . Stepp also noted that the aircraft was also less agile than the existing D variants . D - 1 and D - 3 variants operated in combat with the 37 mm ( 1 . 46 in ) BK 37 cannon in 1943 . Known prototypes Ju 87G . With the G variant , the aging 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 huge numbers of well - armoured Soviet tanks caused Junkers to adapt the existing design to combat this new threat . The Hs 129 B had proved a potent ground attack weapon , but its large fuel tanks made it vulnerable to enemy fire , prompting the RLM to say " that in the shortest possible time a replacement of the Hs 129 type must take place . " With Soviet tanks the priority targets , the development of a further variant as a successor to the Ju 87D began in November 1942 . On 3 November , Erhard Milch raised the question of replacing the Ju 87 , or redesigning it altogether . It was decided to keep the design as it was , but to upgrade the powerplant to a Jumo 211J , and add two 30 mm ( 1 . 18 in ) cannon . The variant was also designed to carry a 1 , 000 kg ( 2 , 200 lb ) free - fall bomb load . Furthermore , the armoured protection of the Ilyushin Il - 2 " Sturmovik " was copied - a feature pioneered by the 1916 - 17 origin Junkers J . I of World War I Imperial Germany ' s " Luftstreitkräfte " - to protect the crew from ground fire now that the Ju 87 would be required to conduct low level attacks . Hans - Ulrich Rudel , a " Stuka " ace , had suggested using two 37 mm ( 1 . 46 in ) Flak 18 guns , each one in a self - contained under - wing gun pod , as the " Bordkanone BK 3 , 7 " , after achieving success against Soviet tanks with the 20 mm MG 151 / 20 cannon . These gun pods were fitted to a Ju 87 D - 1 , W . Nr 2552 as " Gustav the tank killer " . The first flight of the machine took place on 31 January 1943 , piloted by " Hauptmann " Hans - Karl Stepp . The continuing problems with about two dozens of the Ju 88P - 1 , and slow development of the Hs 129 B - 3 , each of them equipped with a large " Bordkanone " BK 7 , 5 cm ( 2 . 95 in ) cannon in a conformal gun pod beneath the fuselage , meant the Ju 87G was put into production . In April 1943 , the first production Ju 87 G - 1s were delivered to front line units . The two 37 mm ( 1 . 46 in ) cannons were mounted in under - wing gun pods , each loaded with a six - round magazine of armour - piercing tungsten carbide ammunition . With these weapons , the " Kanonenvogel " ( " cannon - bird " ) , as it was nicknamed , proved spectacularly successful in the hands of " Stuka " aces such as Rudel . The G - 1 was converted from older D - series airframes , retaining the smaller wing , but without the dive brakes . The G - 2 was similar to the G - 1 except for use of the extended wing of the D - 5 . 208 G - 2s were built and at least a further 22 more were converted from D - 3 airframes . Only a handful of production Gs were committed in the Battle of Kursk . On the opening day of the offensive , Hans - Ulrich Rudel flew the only " official " Ju 87 G , although a significant number of Ju 87D variants were fitted with the 37 mm ( 1 . 46 in ) cannon , and operated as unofficial Ju 87 Gs before the battle . In June 1943 , the RLM ordered 20 Ju 87Gs as production variants . The G - 1 later influenced the design of the A - 10 Thunderbolt II , with Hans Rudel ' s book , " Stuka Pilot " being required reading for all members of the A - X project . Night - harassment variants . The Soviet Air Force practice of harassing German ground forces using antiquated Polikarpov Po - 2 and R - 5 biplanes at night to drop flares and fragmentation bombs , inspired the Luftwaffe to form its own " Störkampfstaffeln " ( harassment squadrons ) . On 23 July 1942 , Junkers offered the Ju 87 B - 2 , R - 2 and R - 4s with " Flammenvernichter " ( " flame eliminators " ) . On 10 November 1943 , the RLM GL / C - E2 Division finally authorised the design in directive No . 1117 . This new equipment made the Ju 87 more difficult to detect from the ground in darkness . 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 ( " Nightrevi " ) 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 . On 15 November 1942 , the Auxiliary " Staffel " were created . By mid - 1943 , " Luftflotte " 1 was given four " Staffeln " while " Luftflotte " 4 and " Luftwaffe Kommando Ost " ( Luftwaffe Command East ) were given six and two respectively . In the first half of 1943 , 12 " Nachtschlachtgruppen " had been formed , flying a multitude of different types of aircraft , including the Ju 87 , which proved itself ideally suited to the low - level slow flying needed . Production . Despite teething problems 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 Reichsmark ( RM ) for Ju 87 construction orders . The RLM paid another 243 , 646 RM for development orders . According to audit records in Berlin , by the end of the financial year on 30 September 1941 , 3 , 059 , 000 RM had been spent on Ju 87 airframes . By 30 June 1940 , 697 Ju 87 B - 1s and 129 B - 2s alone had been produced . Another 105 R - 1s and seven R - 2s had been built . The range of the B - 2 was not sufficient , and it was dropped in favour 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 . It was ordered into production by March 1942 . However , the expansion of the Junkers Ju 88 production lines to compensate for the withdrawal of Dornier Do 17 production meant this did not take place . The Weserflug plant in Lemwerder experienced production shortfalls . This prompted Erhard Milch to visit and threaten the company into meeting the RLM ' s Ju 87 D - 1 requirements on 23 February 1942 . To meet these demands , 700 skilled workers were needed . Skilled workers had been called up for military service in the " Wehrmacht " . Junkers were able to supply 300 German workers to the Weserflug factory , and as an interim solution , Soviet prisoners of war and Soviet civilians deported to Germany . Working around the clock , the shortfall was made good . WFG received an official commendation . By May 1942 , demand increased further . Chief of Procurement General Walter Herthel found that each unit needed 100 Ju 87s as standard strength and an average of 20 per month to cover attrition . Not until June – December 1942 did production capacity increase , and 80 Ju 87s were produced per month . 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 some 150 Ju 87 D airframes per month , but spare parts were failing to reach the same production levels . Undercarriage parts were particularly in 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 " . 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 . The move would only produce 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 . Decline and end of production . After evaluating Ju 87 operations on the Eastern Front , Hermann Göring ordered production limited to 200 per month in total . " General der Schlachtflieger " ( General of Close - Support Aviation ) Ernst Kupfer decided continued development would " hardly bring any further tactical value " . Adolf Galland , a fighter pilot with operational and combat experience in strike aircraft , said that abandoning development would be premature , but 150 machines per month would be sufficient . 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 . On 26 October , " General der Schlachtflieger " Ernst 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 . 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 . Overall , some 550 Ju 87 As and B2s were completed at the Junkers factory in Dessau . Production of the Ju 87 R and D variants were transferred to the Weserflug company , which was to produce 5 , 930 of the 6 , 500 Ju 87s produced in total . 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 . At Berlin - Tempelhof , little delay and 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 . Operational history . Condor Legion and the Spanish Civil War . Among the many German aircraft designs that participated in the " Legion Condor " , and as part of other German involvement in the Spanish Civil War , a single Ju 87 A - 0 ( the V4 prototype ) was allocated serial number 29 - 1 and was assigned to the VJ / 88 , the experimental " Staffel " of the Legion ' s fighter wing . The aircraft was secretly loaded onto the ship " Usaramo " and departed Hamburg harbor on the night of 1 August 1936 , arriving in Cadiz five days later . The only known information pertaining to its combat career in Spain is that it was piloted by " Unteroffizier " Herman Beuer , and took part in the Nationalist offensive against Bilbao in 1937 . Presumably the aircraft was then secretly returned to Germany . In January 1938 , three Ju 87 As arrived . Several problems became evident - the spatted undercarriage sank into muddy airfield surfaces , and the spats were temporarily removed . In addition , 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 . The A - 1s were replaced by five Ju 87 B - 1s . With the war coming to an end , they found little to do and were used to support Heinkel He 111 s attacking Republican positions . As with the Ju 87 A - 0 , the B - 1s were returned discreetly to the " Reich " . The experience of the Spanish Civil War proved invaluable - air and ground crews perfected their skills , and equipment was evaluated under combat conditions . Although no Ju 87s had been lost in Spain , however , the Ju 87 had not been tested against numerous and well - coordinated fighter opposition , and this lesson was to be learned later at great cost to the " Stuka " crews . 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 cloud , expecting to release their practice bombs and pull out of the dive once below the cloud ceiling , unaware that on that particular day the ceiling was too low and unexpected ground mist formed , leaving them no time to pull out of the dive . Poland . On 1 September 1939 , the " Wehrmacht " invaded Poland , triggering World War II . " Generalquartiermeister der Luftwaffe " records indicate a total force of 366 Ju 87 A and Bs were available for operations on 31 August 1939 . At exactly 0426 , a " Kette " ( " chain " or flight of three ) of Ju 87s of 3 . / StG 1 led by " Staffelkapitän " " Oberleutnant " Bruno Dilly carried out the first bombing attack of the war . The aim was to destroy the Polish demolition charges wired to the bridges over the Vistula River at Dirschau ( now Tczew , Poland . The " Stukas " attacked 11 minutes before the official German declaration of hostilities and hit the targets . However , the mission failed and the Poles destroyed the bridge before the Germans could reach it . A Ju 87 achieved the first air victory during World War II on the morning of 1 September 1939 , when " " " Leutnant " Frank Neubert of I . / StG 2 " Immelmann " shot down a Polish PZL P . 11 c fighter while it was taking off from Balice airfield ; its pilot , Captain Mieczysław Medwecki , was killed . The Luftwaffe had a few anti - shipping naval units such as 4 . ( St ) / TrGr 186 . This unit performed effectively , sinking the 1540 - ton destroyer ORP " Wicher " and minelayer ORP " Gryf " of the Polish Navy ( both moored in a harbour ) . On one occasion , six Polish divisions trapped by encircling German forces were forced to surrender after a relentless four - day bombardment by StG 51 , 76 and 77 . Employed in this assault were 50 kg ( 110 lb ) fragmentation bombs , which caused appalling casualties to the Polish ground troops . Demoralised , the Poles surrendered . The " Stukas " also participated in the Battle of Bzura which resulted in the breaking of Polish resistance . The " Sturzkampfgeschwader " alone dropped 388 tonnes ( 428 tons ) of bombs during this battle . Once again , enemy air opposition was light ; the " Stukawaffe " ( " Stuka " force ) lost just 31 aircraft during the campaign . Norway . Operation Weserübung began on 9 April 1940 with the invasions of Norway and Denmark , Denmark capitulated within the day whilst Norway continued to resist with British and French help . The campaign was not the classic " Blitzkrieg " of fast - moving armoured divisions supported by air - power as the mountainous terrain ruled out close " Panzer " / " Stuka " cooperation . Instead , the Germans relied on " Fallschirmjäger " ( paratroops ) , airborne troops transported by Junkers Ju 52 s and specialised ski troops . The strategic nature of the operation made the " Stuka " essential . The Ju 87s were given the role of ground attack and anti - shipping missions . The " Stuka " proved to be the most effective weapon in the Luftwaffe ' s armoury carrying out the latter task . 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 . StG 1 caught the 735 ton Norwegian destroyer " Æger " off Stavanger and hit her in the engine room . " Æger " was run aground and scuttled . The " Stukageschwader " 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 . The " Stukas " , however , had numerous successes against Allied naval vessels . was sunk on 30 April . The French large destroyer " Bison " was sunk along with by " Sturzkampfgeschwader " 1 on 3 May 1940 during the evacuation from Namsos . " Bison " s forward magazine was hit , killing 108 of the crew . " Afridi " , which attempted to rescue " Bison " s survivors , was sunk with the loss of 63 sailors . France and the Low Countries . The " Stukawaffe " had learned some lessons from the Polish and Norwegian campaigns . The failures of Poland and the " Stukas " of I . StG 1 to silence the Oscarborg 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 . When " Fall Gelb " began on 10 May 1940 , the " Stuka " helped swiftly neutralise the fortress of Eben Emael . The headquarters of the commander responsible for ordering the destruction of the bridges along the Albert Canal was stationed in the village of Lanaken ( 14 km / mi to the north ) . However , the " Stuka " demonstrated its accuracy when the small building was destroyed by four direct hits . As a result , only one of the three bridges was destroyed , allowing the German Army to rapidly advance . The " Sturzkampfgeschwader " were also instrumental in achieving the breakthrough at the Battle of Sedan . The " Stukawaffe " flew 300 sorties against French positions , with StG 77 alone flying 201 individual missions . When resistance was organised , the Ju 87s were vulnerable . For example , on 12 May , near Sedan , six French Curtiss H - 75 s from Groupe de Chasse I / 5 attacked a formation of Ju 87s , shooting down 11 out of 12 unescorted Ju 87s without loss . 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 . " Oberstleutnant " Hans Seidemann ( Richthofen ' s Chief of Staff ) said that " never again was such a smoothly functioning system for discussing and planning joint operations achieved " . During the Battle of Dunkirk , many Allied ships were lost to Ju 87 attacks . The French destroyer " Adroit " was sunk on 21 May 1940 , followed by the paddle steamer " Crested Eagle " on 28 May . The British destroyer was sunk on 29 May and several other vessels damaged by " Stuka " attack . By 29 May , the Allies had lost 31 vessels sunk and 11 damaged . In total , 89 merchantmen ( of 126 , 518 grt ) were lost , and the Royal Navy lost 29 of its 40 destroyers used in the battle ( 8 sunk , 23 damaged and out of service ) . Allied air power was ineffective and disorganised , and as a result , " Stuka " losses were mainly due to ground fire . Some 120 machines , one - third of the " Stuka " force , were destroyed or damaged by all causes . Battle of Britain . For the Battle of Britain , the Luftwaffe ' s Order of battle consisted of five " Geschwader " equipped with the Ju 87 . Lehrgeschwader 2 ' s IV . ( St ) , " Sturzkampfgeschwader " 1s " III . Gruppe " and " Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 ' s " " III . Gruppe " , " Sturzkampfgeschwader 51 " and " Sturzkampfgeschwader " 3s " I . Gruppe " were committed to the battle . As an anti - shipping weapon , the Ju 87 proved a potent weapon in the early stages . On 4 July 1940 , StG 2 made a successful attack on a convoy in the English Channel , sinking four freighters : " Britsum " , " Dallas City " , " Deucalion " and " Kolga " . Six more were damaged . That afternoon , 33 Ju 87s delivered the single most deadly air assault on British territory in history , when 33 Ju 87s of III . / StG 51 , avoiding Royal Air Force ( RAF ) interception , sank the 5 , 500 ton anti - aircraft ship in Portland Harbour , killing 176 of its 298 crew . One of " Foylebank ' s " gunners , Leading Seaman John F . Mantle continued to fire on the " Stukas " as the ship sank . He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for remaining at his post despite being mortally wounded . Mantle may have been responsible for the single Ju 87 lost during the raid . 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 ) . Messerschmitt Bf 109 s of " Jagdgeschwader 26 " were sent out in advance of the main strike and successfully drew off RAF fighters , allowing 86 Ju 87s of StG 1 to attack RAF Detling unhindered . The attack killed the station commander , destroyed 20 RAF aircraft on the ground and a great many of the airfield ' s many buildings . However , Detling was not an RAF Fighter Command station . 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 . 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 . 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 ; and the myth of the " Stuka " shattered . The Ju 87s did succeed in sinking six warships , 14 merchant ships , badly damaging seven airfields and three radar stations , and destroying 49 British aircraft , mainly on the ground . On 19 August , the units of " VIII . Fliegerkorps " moved up from their bases around Cherbourg - Octeville and concentrated in the Pas de Calais under " Luftflotte 2 " , closer to the area of the proposed invasion of Britain . On 13 September , the Luftwaffe targeted airfields again , with a small number of Ju 87s crossing the coast at Selsey and heading for Tangmere . After a lull , anti - shipping operations attacks were resumed by some Ju 87 units from 1 November 1940 , as part of the new winter tactic of enforcing a blockade . Over the next 10 days , seven merchant ships were sunk or damaged , mainly in the Thames Estuary , for the loss of four Ju 87s . On 14 November 19 " Stukas " from III . / St . G 1 with escort drawn from JG 26 and JG 51 went out against another convoy ; as no targets were found over the estuary , the " Stukas " proceeded to attack Dover , their alternate target . Bad weather resulted in a decline of anti - shipping operations , and before long the Ju 87 " Gruppen " began re - deploying to Poland , as part of the concealed build - up for Operation Barbarossa . By spring 1941 , only St . G 1 with 30 Ju 87s remained facing the United Kingdom . Operations on a small scale continued throughout the winter months into March . Targets included ships at sea , the Thames estuary , the Chatham naval dockyard and Dover and night - bomber sorties made over the Channel . These attacks were resumed the following winter . North Africa and the Mediterranean . In response to the Italian defeats in Greece and North Africa , the " Oberkommando der Wehrmacht " ordered the deployment of some German forces to these theatres . Amongst the Luftwaffe contingent deployed was the " Geschwaderstab " StG 3 , which touched down in Sicily in December 1940 . In the next few days , two " Gruppen " - some 80 " Stukas " - were deployed under X . " Fliegerkorps " . The first task of the " Korps " was to attack British shipping passing between Sicily and Africa . The Ju 87s first made their presence felt by subjecting the British aircraft carrier to heavy attack . The crews were confident that they could sink it as the flight deck had an area of about 6 , 500 square metres . On 10 January 1941 , the " Stuka " crews were told that four direct hits with 500 kg ( 1 , 100 lb ) bombs would be enough to sink the carrier . The Ju 87s delivered six and three damaging near - misses but the ship ' s engines were untouched and she made for the besieged harbour of Malta . The Italian " Regia Aeronautica " was equipped for a while with the " Stukas " . 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 to 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 . 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 . 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 . In March , the pro - German Yugoslav government was toppled . A furious Hitler ordered the attack to be expanded to include Yugoslavia . Operation Marita commenced on 7 April . The Luftwaffe committed StG 1 , 2 and 77 to the campaign . The " Stuka " once again spearheaded the air assault , with a front line strength of 300 machines , against minimal Yugoslav resistance in the air , allowing the " Stukas " to develop a fearsome reputation in this region . Operating unmolested , they took a heavy toll of ground forces , suffering only light losses to ground fire . The effectiveness of the dive bombers helped bring about Yugoslav capitulation in just ten days . The " Stukas " also took a peripheral part in Operation Punishment - Hitler ' s retribution bombing of Belgrade . The dive bombers were to attack airfields and anti - aircraft gun positions whilst the level bombers struck civilian targets . Belgrade was badly damaged , with 2 , 271 people reported killed and 12 , 000 injured . In Greece , despite British aid , little air opposition was encountered . As the Allies withdrew and resistance collapsed , the Allies began evacuating to Crete . The " Stukas " inflicted severe damage on Allied shipping . On 22 April , the 1 , 389 ton destroyers " Psara " and " Ydra " were sunk . In the next two days , the Greek naval base at Piraeus lost 23 vessels to " Stuka " attack . During the Battle of Crete , the Ju 87s also played a significant role . On 21 – 22 May 1941 , the Germans attempted to send in reinforcements to Crete by sea but lost 10 vessels to " Force D " under the command of Rear - Admiral Glennie . The force , consisting of the cruisers , and , forced the remaining German ships to retreat . The " Stukas " were called upon to deal with the British naval threat . On 21 May , the destroyer was sunk and the next day the battleship was damaged and the cruiser was sunk , with the loss of 45 officers and 648 ratings . The Ju 87s also crippled the cruiser that morning , ( she was later finished off by Bf 109 fighter bombers ) while sinking the destroyer with one hit . As the Battle of Crete drew to a close , the Allies began yet another withdrawal . On 23 May , the Royal Navy lost the destroyers and , followed by on 26 May ; " Orion " and " Dido " were also severely damaged . " Orion " had been evacuating 1 , 100 soldiers to North Africa ; 260 of them were killed and another 280 wounded . The " Sturzkampfgeschwader " supported " Generalfeldmarschall " Erwin Rommel ' s " Deutsches Afrikakorps " ( DAK ) in its two year campaign in North Africa ; its other main task was attacking Allied shipping . In 1941 , Ju 87 operations in North Africa were dominated by the Siege of Tobruk , which lasted for over seven months . It served during the Battle of Gazala and the First Battle of El Alamein , as well as the decisive Second Battle of El Alamein , which drove Rommel back to Tunisia . As the tide turned and Allied air power grew in the autumn of 1942 , the Ju 87 became very vulnerable and losses were heavy . The entry of the Americans into North Africa during Operation Torch made the situation far worse ; the " Stuka " was obsolete in what was now a fighter - bomber ' s war . The Bf 109 and Fw 190 could at least fight enemy fighters on equal terms after dropping their ordnance but the " Stuka " could not . The Junkers ' s vulnerability was demonstrated on 11 November 1942 , when 15 Ju 87 Ds were shot down by United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF ) Curtiss P - 40 Fs in minutes . 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 . Adding to this trouble , the German fighters had only enough fuel to cover the Ju 87s on take off , their most vulnerable point . After that , the " Stukas " were on their own . 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 Western Allies , the Dodecanese Campaign . The Greek Dodecanese Islands had been occupied by the British ; the Luftwaffe committed 75 " Stukas " of StG 3 based in Megara ( I . / StG 3 ) and Argos ( II . StG 3 ; from 17 October on Rhodos ) , to recover the islands . With the RAF bases some away , the Ju 87 helped the German landing forces rapidly conquer the islands . 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 " Sturzkampfgeschwader " . " VIII . Fliegerkorps " under the command of " General der Flieger " Wolfram von Richthofen 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 " ) . The first " Stuka " loss on the Soviet - German front occurred early at 03 : 40 – 03 : 47 in the morning of the 22 June . While being escorted by Bf 109 s from JG 51 to attack Brest Fortress , " Oberleutnant " Karl Führing of " StG 77 " was shot down by an I - 153 . The " Sturzkampfgeschwader " suffered only two losses on the opening day of Barbarossa . As a result of the Luftwaffe ' s attention , the Soviet Air Force in the western Soviet Union was nearly destroyed . The official report claimed 1 , 489 Soviet aircraft destroyed . Göring ordered this checked . After picking their way through the wreckage across the front , Luftwaffe officers found that the tally exceeded 2 , 000 . In the next two days , the Soviets reported the loss of another 1 , 922 aircraft . Soviet aerial resistance continued but ceased to be effective and the Luftwaffe maintained air superiority until the end of the year . 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 trains and 500 vehicles . As the 1st and 2nd Panzer Groups forced bridgeheads across the Dnieper river and closed in on Kiev , the Ju 87s again rendered invaluable support . On 13 September , " Stukas " from StG 1 destroyed the rail network in the vicinity as well as inflicting heavy casualties on escaping Red Army columns , for the loss of just one Ju 87 . On 23 September , Hans - Ulrich Rudel ( who was to become the most decorated serviceman in the Wehrmacht ) of StG 2 , sank the Soviet battleship " Marat " , during an air attack on Kronstadt harbor near Leningrad , with a hit to the bow with a single 1 , 000 kg ( 2 , 200 lb ) bomb . Also during this action , " Leutnant " Egbert Jaeckel sank the destroyer " Minsk " , while the destroyer " Steregushchiy " and submarine " M - 74 " were also sunk . The " Stuka " s also crippled the battleship " Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya " and the destroyers " Silnyy " and " Grozyashchiy " in exchange for two Ju 87s shot down . Elsewhere on the Eastern front , the Junkers assisted Army Group Centre in its drive toward Moscow . From 13 – 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 . StG 77 finished the campaign as the most effective " Sturzkampfgeschwader " . It had destroyed 2 , 401 vehicles , 234 tanks , 92 artillery batteries and 21 trains for the loss of 25 Ju 87s to hostile action . 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 . Fall Blau to Stalingrad ; 1942 . In early 1942 , the Ju 87s gave the Germany Army ( " Heer " ) yet more valuable support . On 29 December 1941 , the Soviet 44th Army landed on the Kerch Peninsula . The Luftwaffe was only able to dispatch meager reinforcements of four " Kampfgruppen " ( bomber group . Note : not " Kampfgeschwader " , meaning bomber wing ) and two " Sturzkampfgruppen " , ( dive bomber groups ) belonging to StG 77 . With air superiority , the Ju 87s operated with impunity . In the first 10 days of the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula , half the landing force was destroyed , while sea lanes were blocked by the " Stukas " inflicting heavy losses on Soviet shipping . The Ju 87 ' s effectiveness against Soviet armour was not yet potent . Later versions of the T - 34 tank could withstand " Stuka " attack in general , unless a direct hit was scored but the Soviet 44th Army had only obsolescent types with thin armour which were nearly all destroyed . During the Battle of Sevastopol , the " Stukas " repeatedly bombed the trapped Soviet forces . Some Ju 87 pilots flew up to 300 sorties against the Soviet defenders . " Luftflotte 4 " ' s StG 77 flew 7 , 708 combat sorties dropping 3 , 537 tonnes of bombs on the city . Their efforts help secure the capitulation of Soviet forces on 4 July . For the German summer offensive , Fall Blau , the Luftwaffe had concentrated 1 , 800 aircraft into " Luftflotte 4 " making it the largest and most powerful air command in the world . The " Stukawaffe " strength stood at 151 . During the Battle of Stalingrad , " Stukas " flew thousands of sorties against Soviet positions in the city . StG 1 , 2 and 77 flew 320 sorties on 14 October 1942 . As the German Sixth Army pushed the Soviets into a 1 , 000 metre enclave on the west bank of the Volga River , 1 , 208 " Stuka " sorties were flown against this small strip of land . The intense air attack , though causing horrific losses on Soviet units , failed to destroy them . The Luftwaffe ' s " Sturzkampfgeschwader " made a maximum effort during this phase of the war . They flew an average of 500 sorties per day and caused heavy losses among Soviet forces , losing an average of only one " Stuka " per day . The Battle of Stalingrad marked the high point in the fortunes of the Junkers Ju 87 " Stuka " . As the strength of the Soviet Air Forces grew , they gradually wrested control of the skies from the Luftwaffe . From this point onward , " Stuka " losses increased . Kursk and decline ; 1943 . The " Stuka " was also heavily involved in Operation " Citadel " , the Battle of Kursk . 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 Hans Seidemann ' s " Fliegerkorps VIII " . Hauptmann 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 – 31 July against a Soviet offensive at Khotynets and saved two German armies from encirclement , reducing the attacking Soviet 11th Guards Army to just 33 tanks by 20 July . The Soviet offensive had been completely halted from the air . Losses were considerable , however . " 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 190 F and G ( ground attack versions ) and began to be renamed as " Schlachtgeschwader " ( attack wings ) . 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 . 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 some 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 . Despite these losses , Ju 87s helped the XXIX Army Corps break out of an encirclement near the Sea of Azov . 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 . In the aftermath of Kursk , " Stuka " strength fell to 184 aircraft in total . This was well below 50 percent of the required strength . On 18 October 1943 , StG 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 and 77 were renamed " Schlachtgeschwader " ( abbreviated as " 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 . 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 . By early 1944 , the number of Ju 87 units and operational aircraft terminally declined . For the Soviet summer offensive , Operation Bagration , 12 Ju 87 " Gruppen " and five mixed " Gruppen " ( including Fw 190s ) were on the Luftwaffe ' s order of battle on 26 June 1944 . " Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey " , a mixed aircraft unit , which included large numbers of " Stuka " dive bombers , was rushed to the Finnish front in the summer of 1944 and was instrumental in halting the Soviet fourth strategic offensive . The unit claimed 200 Soviet tanks and 150 Soviet aircraft destroyed for 41 losses . By this juncture , the Luftwaffe continued to resist Soviet air attacks but it had little impact on the ground war . By 31 January 1945 , only 104 Ju 87s remained operational with their units . The other mixed " Schlacht " units contained a further 70 Ju 87s and Fw 190s between them . Chronic fuel shortages kept the " Stukas " grounded and sorties decreased until the end of the war in May 1945 . Survivors . Two intact Ju 87s survive : Other aircraft survive as wreckage , recovered from crash sites .