Lo Stuka Giapponese

[pugio]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only Junkers Ju-87 Stuka received by Japan for evaluation test before the outbreak of WW2. When finished the test, the aircraft, an Ju-87 of the first versions, exactly a Ju-87A-1, knew like Ju-87K-1, was stocked in an hangar at Tokorozawa. Here was destroyed by an Allied air raid toward the end of the war. The photo depicts the Stuka now no more in flight conditions (note, for example, the lack of propeller spinner), on a public display (date, event and location unknown). Victor Sierra

[pugio]

 

Junkers Ju 87A Stuka A Series

The Anton series Stuka

 

....the dive-bomber units already in existence and those forming were gradually equipped with the new 'Stuka'. Three of them were sent very secretly to Spain where they were evaluated operationally by the Condor Legion (even General Franco, the commander of the nationalist troops was not informed).

 

They took part discreetly in operations on the Teruel front, on the Mediterranean coast, on the Ebra front and during the Francist attack in Catalonia. At the end of 1937, the A-1 was replaced by the Ju-87A-2 on the Dessau production lines. It differed from its predecessor by being powered by the Jumo 210Da with two-speed supercharger driving a larger-bladed propeller and some other minor details. None of the three 'Anton' variants was equipped with the automatic pilot first tried out during the dive tests in Sweden carried out on the Ju K-47 before Hitler came to power.

 

The production series of the 'Anton' was stopped after 262 machines had been produced (192 at the Dessau plant and 70 by the Weser Flugzeugbau at Berlin-Templehof). The Japanese military forever interested in German aircraft production, were impressed by the offensive performance of the 'Stukas' during the German invasion of Poland in September 1939; they bought a Ju-87A-1 in 1940. The machine was painted in Japanese colours and production in Japan was considered for a time.....