Junkers Ju 87 facts for kids

Quick facts for kidsJu 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

The Junkers Ju 87 or Ju 87 was a German light bomber of World War II. It was used like a dive bomber. Its crew was a pilot with a navigator behind him. He also handled the mobile machine gun. The Ju 87 could drop 500 kg of bombs. Some Ju-87 were modified for attack against tanks. It was built at more than 6 500 ex.

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

History

Ju 87 with ground crew, Eastern Front

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 after against Belgium, Netherlands, France, and Greece. By the Battle of Britain Junkers Ju87 were used to attack Dover, Folkestone and other harbours of the English Channel. This aircraft was very famous for its siren whose whistling panicked people. Many Ju-87 were used in the Soviet Union against Soviet troops. In the Battle of Stalingrad, they were used to bomb the town.

Similar aircraft

Images for kids

The most notable feature of the Stuka was its inverted gull wings, as shown in this photograph. Also visible are the two separate sliding "hoods" of the canopy.
Junkers Jumo 211 inverted V12 powerplant on an aircraft undergoing repair (North Africa, 1941)
A Ju 87 B wreck reveals the main spars and ribs. Just visible (bottom left) is one of the bolts connecting one of the main spars at the point of positive and negative dihedral
Stuka engine and wing
Ju 87 diving procedure
Junkers Ju 87 B during the Battle of Stalingrad
A standard 300 litre drop tank from a Bf 109 - similar in appearance to those used by the Ju 87R.
A Ju-87 towing a DFS 230 over Italy
The powerplant; a Jumo 211D installed in a Ju 87 B — the "Jericho Trumpet" siren housing is faired over on the maingear leg
Kette of Ju 87 Ds in flight, October/November 1943
A Ju 87D during wing installation
Two Junkers Ju 87 Ds near completion
Condor Legion's Junkers Ju 87A with Spanish rebel markings.
Ju 87 Bs over Poland, September/October 1939
Erhard Milch addressing a Ju 87 staffel on a Norwegian airfield
A Ju 87 B of 5/StG 2 is examined by British troops after making an emergency landing in the North African desert, December 1941.
The Eastern Front brought new challenges. A Ju 87 B-2 is fitted with ski undercarriage to cope with the winter weather, 22 December 1941.
Ju 87B over Stalingrad.
Ju 87 D's over the Eastern Front, winter 1943-44
Ju 87G-2 494083 displayed at RAF Chivenor in 1970 wearing inaccurate wing code W8-A, with "W8" belonging to a Me 321 cargo glider unit
Werk Nr. 494083, RAF Museum (2006)
Werk Nr. 494083, RAF Museum (2006)
Ju 87 wreck, Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum (2008)
Deutsches Technikmuseum, with a veteran gunner speaking of his combat in North Africa
Werk Nr. 5954, Chicago Museum of Science and Industry (2010) with StG 1 markings
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka's in flight, Eastern Front