The "Stuka", like most other dive-bombers of its era, came about because, until the advent of more sophisticated bombsights, a steep-diving airplane could attain better accuracy with its bombs. The Stuka had its design roots laid in 1933 and the first operational versions saw combat in the Spanish Civil War. Purposely built for nothing but dive bombing, it was a stable and strong aircraft but very slow compared to the monoplane fighters that appeared during the same time period. What made the Stuka so successful as a bomber during 1939 and 1940 was the Luftwaffe's absolute mastery of the air, swept clear by Bf 109s and Bf 110s. During the Battle of Britain, this was not possible and on several occasions Stuka formations were attacked and decimated by RAF fighters. So heavy were the losses that Stukas were withdrawn from the Battle by mid-August. It continued to be a useful aircraft for several more years in Africa, the Balkans, and on the Russian front.
DEFENSIVE GUNS: The Ju 87's weak defensive armament consists only of a single 7.92mm machinegun firing to the rear, partially blocked by the airplane's tail structure.
