Junkers Ju 87

Ju 87
Ju 87Ds in October 1943
Role	Dive bomber
Manufacturer	Junkers
Designer	Hermann Pohlmann
First flight	17 September 1935
Introduction	1936
Retired	1945 (Luftwaffe)
Primary users	Luftwaffe Regia Aeronautica Royal Romanian Air Force Bulgarian Air Force
Number built	Estimated 6,500[a]

The Junkers Ju 87 or Ju 87 was a German light bomber of World War II. It was used as a dive bomber.^[1] Its crew was a pilot with a navigator/radio operator behind him. He also handled the rear machine gun. The Ju 87 could drop 500 kg of bombs. Some Ju-87 were modified as attack aircraft against tanks. More than 6500 were made.

It's universally known as Stuka,^[2] an abbreviation of Sturzkampfflugzeug, German for dive bomber.

The plane was designed by Hermann Pohlmann. It has first flight 17 September 1935. The first time it was used in battle was 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. Junkers Ju 87 attacked Guernica.

In World War II, Ju-87 were used for bombing against Poland, and later against Belgium, Netherlands, France, and Greece. Early in the Battle of Britain Junkers Ju87 were used to attack^[3] Dover, Folkestone and other harbours of the Channel.

Many Ju-87 were used in the Soviet Union against Soviet troops. In the Battle of Stalingrad, they were used to bomb the town.

The Ju-87 B-2 variation had several improvements. Early in the war this aircraft became famous for its "Jericho's Trumpets," or more simply "Stuka Siren," a device with propellers fixed to the front landing struts that spun causing a loud and strange sound, used to panic people. It was removed when enemy forces became accustomed to it.

• Aichi D3A
• Douglas SBD

• Eisenbach, Hans Peter (2009). Fronteinsa¨tze eines Stuka-Fliegers Mittelmeer und Ostfront 1943 - 44. Helios, Aachen. ISBN 9783938208960.
• Mondey, David (1996). Axis Aircraft of World War II. Chancellor Press, London. ISBN 1851529667.