Junkers JU87 Stuka Dive Bomber

In earlier blog entries I mentioned my admiration
for the German Luftwaffe of World War II. My office
is filled with models of Messerschmidt's, Fock-Wolfes,
etc...
My latest entry is a Junkers JU87 dive bomber.. It
was more commonly referred to as a "Stuka", after the
German term Stuka Geschwader, which translates to
dive bomber. The Stuka was updated through 14
different models beginning with the original in 1935.
It was powered by a Jumo 211J-1 engine putting out
over 1,400 horsepower. The Stuka was the most
notorious weapon that Germany used in World War II.
The blitzkrieg (lightening war) tactics used by Germany
had the Luftwaffe hitting the enemy first, followed by
huge waves of tanks and mechanized infantry. The
high command learned that the high pitched scream of
the Stuka's as they dived from 20,000 feet had a
terrorizing effect on their victims. So, to boost the
effect they mounted sirens on the wings of the Stuka's
to make it scream even louder. The plane was extremely
effective in the conquest of Poland, Czechoslovakia,
Belgium, France, and most of Europe. The success of
the Stuka lasted until August of 1940 when Germany
launched its aerial offensive against the British Isles.
Poorly armed and outmaneuvered by the defending
Spitfires and Hurricanes, the Stuka paid a heavy price.
By the end of 1940 the last of the Stuka attacks were
ordered over Great Britain. Even the paper pushers
back in Berlin could see that the Stuka was past its
prime.