Osprey Combat Aircraft 1 : Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937-1941

The Ju 87 Stuka was the most feared weapon in the German arsenal in the first year of World War 2, the Luftwaffe using it to deadly effect during the Blitzkrieg between September 1939 and June 1940. Although vulnerable to the enemy fighters due to its moderate speed in level flight and general lack of manoeuvrability, the Ju 87 nevertheless soon came to symbolise the might of Nazi Germany as the mere handful of Stukageschwader supporting the Wehrmacht rampaging out of the Fatherland took a heavy toll of the Allied forces. This book covers the story of the Luftwaffe's dive-bomber in operational service from its early days within the Condor Legion to its less than successful missions against Britain in the summer of 1940. It also features first-hand combat accounts from Stuka crews of the period, explaining the training and tactics employed, as well as describing just what the Ju 87 was like to fly in combat. Full unit organisational strengths are also included in the appendices, and 30 all-new side view artworks in full-colour complete this benchmark work on the early years of the Ju 87 in Europe. Text by John Weal with illustrations by Mike Chappell.

Contents

• Preparing for War
• The Blitzkrieg Era
• The Myth is Exploded
• Appendices