Item no.: 510072010
Designation: 1:72 Junker Ju-87B Stuka

The Junkers JU 87 was a two-seater dive bomber and ground attack aircraft. The aircraft was developed by Hermann Pohlmann. The first flights took place in 1935, and in 1936 the Stuka was used in combat for the first time as part of the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War. It was easily recognisable by its wings, which resembled an inverted seagull, and its characteristic whine during a dive. The Stuka design incorporated a number of technical innovations, including the dive brakes under both wings, which ensured that the aircraft’s manoeuvrability was maintained and that the pilots could keep moving targets in their sights. It became a symbol of the German “Blitzkrieg” in the early stages of the Second World War, providing aerial support for the Wehrmacht’s armoured divisions. It was used by the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, when it proved to be slow and inferior to modern, well-armed fighters such as Hurricanes and Spitfires.