'' Ju-87G Tank killer ''
Prior to the invasion of Russia, the Luftwaffe had determined that dive-bombing was the proper way to attack armored vehicles. However, June 26, 1941, Stuka Geschwader 2 attacked 60 Soviet tanks south of Grodno, later discovering that only one had been knocked out. During the rest of 1941 and 1942, the inadequacy of dive-bombing tanks became more and more evident.
In answer to this problem, a Ju-87D-3 was converted in 1942 to carry a pair of 37mm Flak 18 cannon, slung outboard of the main landing gear. This became the Ju-87G-1, Originally, these cannon were detachable, and could be replaced with bomb racks when not used for attacking tanks. The aircraft was tested operationally that summer by several pilots, including Oberleutnant Hans-Ulrich Rudel. In late 1942, a Panzerjaeger staffel was formed within St.G.2, which enjoyed such success that, after October 1943, a similar unit was added to each Stuka Geschwader. The Ju-87G-2, based on the Ju-87D-5 airframe with extended wingtips, replaced the Ju-81G-1s during 1944. This was a dedicated Kannonenvogel, with no secondary dive-bombing capability.
The Ju-87 was already slow and unwieldy before being equipped with the twin Flak 18 cannon, and was easy prey for Soviet fighters. By the fall of 1944, only Rudel’s Schlachtgeschwader 2 still operated the Ju-87D and Ju-87G-2 for daylight operations, together with two Panzerjaeger staffels, 10.(Pz)/SG 2 and 10 (Pz)/SG 77.
During the war, Rudel was credited with the destruction of 519 Soviet tanks while flying the Ju-87G-1 and Ju-87G-2.
Eén uitvoering mogelijk;
- Luftwaffe Kdr./SG2 Eastern Front 1944.
Afmeting:
- Lengte 232 mm
- Spanwijdte 313 mm.
Aantal onderdelen; 113 stuks.
Features:
- Cockpit detail: seats, control stick, floor, center bulkhead and rollover bracing, twin 7.92mm machine gun and flexible mount,
- instrument panel decal
- Two wing mounted anti-tank cannons and underwing radiators
- Exhaust stacks are separate for easy painting
- 4 piece canopy may be posed open or closed
