- For the Steel Division II unit see SD2:Ju 87 G Tank Buster
Ju 87 G Tank Buster is a German Air unit. Nicknamed Stuka, the plane was a fearsome dive bomber in the early years of the war and could drop its bomb load with incredibly precision and accuracy on enemy troops in close air support with advancing German troops. Indeed, the tactical advantage of having a mobile 'artillery piece' undoubtedly helped German troops in countless engagements. However, it proved vulnerable to enemy fighter aircraft and the type suffered heavy losses in the battle of Britain. Multiple variants were developed as the war progressed, giving the JU 87 increased capacities. The Ju 87G series was the final version of the Stuka and it was employed as a capable anti-tank aircraft.
The JU 87G is a powerful but slow anti-tank aircraft available to about half of all German divisions ingame. Its Bordkanone are quite capable of penetrating a good many Allied vehicles as well as tanks, especially from the sides.
Overview[ | ]
The Junkers Ju 87 Sturzkampfflugzeug (Stuka) was an iconic dive bomber employed by the Luftwaffe. Created by Hermann Pohlmann, the Ju 87 had a long and rough design phase, plagued by flaws and technical shortcomings ever since work started in 1933. The first plane flew in 1935, with the combat debut coming two years later, with the Condor Legion during the Civil War. The inverted gull wings and dive brakes gave it excellent air handling characteristics, allowing Stuka pilots to make vertical dives and recover from them safely thanks to automated pull-up dive brakes. It served on all fronts of the war and became a symbol of Nazi Germany's blitzkriegs, but its vulnerability to enemy fighters only increased as the war went on and eventually it had to be relegated to support roles.
The G variant gave the aging Stuka a new lease of life. Converted from D-series aircraft, the new variant first flew in January 1943, mounting a pair of Bordkanone BK 3,7 37mm anti-tank autocannons. Frontline units first received the G in April 1943 and the Kanonenvogel (Cannonbird or Gunbird) quickly proved its combat worth in the hands of talented pilots, such as Hans Rudel.
Strategy[ | ]
- The G is a powerful anti-tank aircraft platform, with one caveat: It is an old design, meaning it's relatively slow and lacks agility. In order to use it effectively, always deploy it with fighter escort unless you are confident you've established air superiority. Otherwise, the sorties will be very, very short and very, very deadly for the pilots.
- Account for the quirk of the Stuka's attack pattern. It needs to close in and dive on enemy tanks, meaning it is quite a bit more vulnerable than the HS 129 B3 Tank Busters.
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