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A07115 Junkers Ju87R-2/B-2 Stuka

£39.99

Item code:A07115

1:48 Item Scale

158 Parts Included

3 Skill Level

2 Scheme Options

Product Info

Although usually associated with the Wehrmachts feared Lightning War 

attacks at the beginning of WWII, the Ju87B Stuka was also a highly 

effective maritime strike bomber. Capable of performing precision dive 

bombing attacks against any Allied vessel, the Stuka took a heavy toll 

of shipping in the English Channel, North Africa and in the Mediterranean.

 The Stuka also saw service with the air forces of Italy, Romania, Bulgaria 

and Hungary, as well as remaining in Luftwaffe service throughout WWII. 

The attack dive of the Stuka was so severe, that quite a number of automatic 

features had to be incorporated into the manoeuvre.

At an altitude of approximately 15,000 ft., the pilot would locate his target 

through a bombsight window, which was located in the floor of the cockpit. 

His engine and propeller had automatic controls, to optimise the aircraft 

when in a dive, and an automatic trimmer would make the aircraft tail heavy, 

as the pilot initiated the dive. He would move the dive lever to the rear, 

which would limit the kick of the control column and quickly begin a defined 

sequence of actions, which if done correctly, would see his ordnance detonate 

on his intended target. He quickly set the trim tabs, reduced the throttle and 

closed the engine coolant flaps. The aircraft would automatically become tail 

heavy and pitch over in a 180-degree roll, placing the aircraft in a steep nose-

down dive at the same time, dive breaks were automatically deployed, to 

reduce the speed of the dive, to a constant 360 mph. This was the point of 

no return as the attack sequence had begun.

As the strain on the body of the pilot increased, he still had much work to do. 

The angle of his dive could be checked by looking at a series of red lines on 

the side of his cockpit window and lining them up against the horizon 60, 75,

 or 80 degree angle of attack. He would then look forward through the fixed 

gun sight, to line up his attack, before releasing his heavy main bomb - the 

optimum release height was indicated to the pilot, by a light flicking on in 

his altimeter. The bomb was carried on a large U-shaped cradle, which would 

swing down on release, throwing the bomb safely clear of the large propeller 

and on to the target. As all this action was taking place, the pilot would have

 certainly had at least a couple of reassuring glances at the red pins protruding 

up from the top of the wings, which informed him that the automatic dive 

recovery system was engaged, should he fall victim to a g-induced black-out. 

All this would have been taking place in just a matter of a few, frantic seconds!

Once the bombs had left the aircraft, it automatically began its dive recovery 

sequence. This was the point at which the maximum g loading on the crew 

would be felt and forces in excess of six times the force of gravity were regularly 

experienced, which could result in vision impairment at the very least. Once 

recovered and the nose of the aircraft was above the horizon, the dive breaks 

were automatically retracted, the throttle was opened and the propeller was 

set to climb the pilot then quickly had to manually open the coolant flaps, to

 prevent the engine from overheating and then resume flying the aircraft.

This was the point that the Stuka was at its most vulnerable, flying at low level, 

at relatively slow speed and in hostile territory. His rear gunner may still be 

blacked out and indeed the pilot might still be feeling a little light headed,

 but every anti-aircraft gun, rifle and enemy fighter in the vicinity would be 

taking pot-shots at them, from every angle.