The Ju 87 Stuka Dive bomber, designed by Dipling Hans Pohlmann of Junkers, made its first flight in the early part of 1935. Even today it would still be in any 'top ten' awards for ugliness, but beauty was hardly its business.

To put it as generously as possible, its design was strictly functional, and there is no doubt that this objective was achieved. The initial Ju 87A version, blooded in the Spanish Civil War from December 1937, was soon superseded by the improved Ju 87B with (though it may not have looked like it) aerodynamic improvements and a substantially more powerful engine. Able to carry up to 1,000kg of bombs, according to version, the Ju 87B also was fitted with small sirens near the tops of the main undercamage leg fairings, to add a devastating and demoralising scream to the whine of its engine and the whistle of its falling bombs. Hailed as the 'supreme weapon' by the German propaganda machine, it did indeed appear to justify this title as it screamed and bombed its way through Poland, Norway, France and the Low Countries during World War 2, against little or no effective fighter opposition. Then, at Dunkirk and in the Battle of Britain, it came up against the Hurricane and Spitfire - and was quickly proved to be clumsy, poorly an-ned and extremely vulnerable. Before the end of August 1940 it had been withdrawn from major operations against Britain, though later, in conditions more favourable to it, it succeeded again in Greece, in Crete and on the Russian Front. But the 'supreme weapon' myth had by then been exploded, and even its quite successful use as a tank-buster (Ju 87D) and anti-shipping aircraft (Ju 87R) was not enough to restore fully its tarnished reputation.

This is one by Chauncy Green for Fiddlers Green and he spent a lot of time and effort to get it right. We think it's his best yet. Enjoy! The Ju-87 folder contains two sizes. The larger version has a wingspan of approx 10 inches.
During the first stages of the Second World War, the Ju 87 proved a decisive weapon. Abbreviated from Sturzkampfflugzeug (dive bomber), the word Stuka entered the general vocabulary as a vital component of the Blitzkrieg, the "lightning war". They fitted a wind whistle into the LG so it would emit a deathly screeeem as it dove on its unfortunate target.
The Ju 87 prototype flew in 1935 with a tailplane sporting end plate vertical surfaces... but the second prototype and all later aircraft had a single fin and rudder assembly. Early aircraft were evaluated in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). From late 1940 the type was steadily relegated to areas of negligible air opposition. For lack of a replacement the type remained in production long after it became obsolete, production totalled 5,709.

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