Junkers 87 in the SCW.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little on this and some doubts .........................................

The Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" in Spain during the CW.

Ju-87A.

Well first of all we must remember that there were other Sturzkampfflugzeug (dive-bomber) that arrived before like the He-50G and the He-123, so the first dive-bomber Junkers 87 that arrived in Spain in November 1936, was a pre-production version of the Series A-0 (V4) manned by Uffz. Herrmann Beurer and Uffz. Zitzewitz. The idea was to test the dive bombing techniques in real operations. On December 20, 1936, were operating with the V(ersuch) J./88 (experimental squadron) in Tablada three Bf-109 (V3, V5 and V6), a He-112 (V4) and a Ju-87A-0. According to some versions the plane returned to Germany in secret in early 1937, however in a list of Flight material available to the Legion Condor dated July 7, 1937 there was still a Ju-87 A as experimental dive-bomber and AFAIK it carried the code 29-2 (the 29-1 possibly was for the He-50G plane arrived previously and which did not make a good impression). [Here the first doubts other sources specify the code like 29-1 and in which date the airplane returned to Germany?]

It was not until January 15, 1938 that the first three Ju-87 A-1 arrived under the command of Lt. Hermann Haas; These aircraft were successfully assembled in the Aviation Park Workshops of Leon. The crews and machines (I guess) came from the 11. Staffel of the IV./ LG 1 in Barth, which was under Oberstleutnant Günthher Schwartzkopf and from mid-1937 had this model of dive-bomber plane. Precisely Schwartzkopf was the one who recommended to send the Stuka to Spain to be tried in real combat missions.

On February 7, a Kette (chain of three aircraft) was deployed at the Calamocha airfield (Teruel) and integrated into the J. / 88, initially as Stukakette and then as the 5. J / 88 with the codes 29-2 to 29-4. Twenty technicians had come from Germany for the maintenance of the aircraft, including mechanics, gunsmiths and other auxiliary personnel. The normal load was of a bomb of 250 kg, but it could carry a bomb of 500 kg in central position (according to the tests performed in Rechlin in this case only the pilot was flying). [Another doubt, with the Jumo 210D engine the Ju-87A-1 could carry a bomb of 500 kg and both crew? According to Ries & Ring it operated with bombs of 250 kg]

Members of the 5. Staffel J./ 88 (Ju-87A).

01) Haas, Hermann / Leutnant / Führer der Kette (29-4)
02) Weyert, Gerhard / Leutnant / Flugzeugführer (29-3)
03) Bartels, Ernst / Unteroffizier / Flugzeugführer (29-2)
04) Kramer, Emil / Feldwebel / Bordfunker (29-4)
05) Göller, Ernst / Unteroffizier / Bordfunker (29-3)
06) Fleisch, Alfred / Unteroffizier / Bordfunker (29-2)

Sources: Legion Condor. Ries & Ring
Myths and fallacies of the bombing of the Maestrazgo by airplanes Stuka (May of 1938). Aportes nº90, year XXXI (1/2016).
Condor: The Luftwaffe in Spain, 1936-39. Patrick Laureau.
Http://reibert.info/threads/legion-kond ... dor.30929/

Cheers. Raúl M .

[Ironmachine]

On December 20, 1936, were operating with the V(ersuch) J./88 (experimental squadron) in Tablada three Bf-109 (V3, V5 and V6), a He-112 (V4) and a Ju-87A-0.

As I wrote in another thread, the He 112 was the V3 and the Bf 109s were the V3, V4 and V6.

According to some versions the plane returned to Germany in secret in early 1937, however in a list of Flight material available to the Legion Condor dated July 7, 1937 there was still a Ju-87 A as experimental dive-bomber and AFAIK it carried the code 29-2 (the 29-1 possibly was for the He-50G plane arrived previously and which did not make a good impression). [Here the first doubts other sources specify the code like 29-1 and in which date the airplane returned to Germany?]

The first Ju-87 carried the code 23-1, that had been previously assigned to the He 50.
AFAIK, the exact date of return of this Ju-87 to Germany is not known, but its last registered service was carried out on 9 January 1937.
Regarding the presence in Spain of a Ju-87 in July 1937, I have never seen any reference to it. Highly unprobable, IMHO. AFAIK, the code 29-1 was not used during the SCW. The first Ju-87 was 23-1, as I have already told, and then the code "23" was used for the BR 20 bombers. The Ju-87s that arrived later were assigned the "29" and began numbering the examples from "2", as there has already been a "1": 23-1.

[tigre]

Thanks for shedding light on this. The codes, dates and models changes according to the sources you are referring to. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more.........................................

The Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" in Spain during the CW.

Ju-87A-0.

I found this photo on the web, according to the caption, the picture shows the first Ju-87A-0 in Spain during 1936 ..............................

Sources: http://www.ebay.de/itm/371834761283?clk ... rmvSB=true

Cheers. Raúl M .

[kglass]

Thank you tigre and Ironmachine for posting this thread. Very interesting reading.

Regards,
Ken Glass

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a query.........................................

Emblem of the Ju-87A-1.

According to all references I've found, the first kette of Ju-87 A was incorporated into the J./88 as its 5. Staffel and carried as an emblem the "Jolanthe" due to the German film "Krach um Jolanthe" (Troubles with Jolanthe), but also carried another emblem a bowler hat with an umbrella inside a rhomboid figure (see photos below) ..........

Source: Waffen Arsenal 151 - Junkers Ju-87 Stuka.

Any idea about this emblem and in what period they carried it? Cheers. Raúl M .

Regarding to the previous photo the characteristic geometric stain in the undercarriage gear identifies it as the Ju-87 A-1 "29-5" and therefore very far from 1936................

[von thoma]

Any idea about this emblem and in what period they carried it?

Hello Tigre:

Early 1st insignia of StG 163 ( Jolanthe Kette ) in Spain.
Later was forbidden by the High Command ( By obscene ?? ), and they adopted the pig "Jolanthe"
Used during the first months of 1938.

Condor-Legion-Spain-1938-.jpg

[Maxschnauzer]

Hello Tigre,
The story as I have heard it is that the bowler hat and umbrella where adopted as a joke to say that in accordance with the propaganda of the time they were merely volunteer "Civil Servants" and not regular Luftwaffe. Apparently the High Command lacked a sense of humor and put a stop to that.

[von thoma]

Two highly recommended books :

Unidades Experimentales de la Legión Cóndor ; " Las escuadrillas VJ/88 y VB/88 en la GCE ".
by Rafael A. Permuy y Lucas Molina.

81DNKZv6GdL.jpg

Stukas en España.
"Las Unidades de Bombardeo en picado de la Legión Cóndor".
by Rafael A. Permuy y Lucas Molina.

716uJilplNL.jpg

Photo:https://www.amazon.es/

[tigre]

Hello von thoma and Maxschnauzer ; thank you very much to both of you for those inputs . Cheers. Raúl M .

[durb]

IIRC, the Ju 87 was called "Stupido" in Spain. This probably because the nose of the plane looked somehow like as a shark smiling in silly way. (look the bookcover above and see the "smile" below the propeller)

[Ironmachine]

AFAIK, only the Ju-87A was so nicknamed, not the Ju-87B. And it was due to its flight behavior, not to its appearance. It seems that this byname was not much used, anyway. And I also wonder about the origin of the nickname, because "Stupido" is not an Spanish word; it is said "Estúpido" in Spanish.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more.........................................

The Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" in Spain during the CW.

Ju-87A.

The Kette of Ju-87A, which would later go down in history as "Stuka" (abbreviated to Sturzkampfflugzeug - dive bomber) and that from February 15, 1938 5. J / 88 (Ries & Ring), carried out its First operational flight on February 17, 1938 in close air support to the national troops on the Teruel front. The planes carried 250 kg bombs (Ries & Ring), however, on this day not only went on the wrong target but the bombs fell out of it. The operations lasted until February 22, 1938.

During the first day before mentioned two flights were carried out, the targets being the concentrations of enemy troops in Aldehuela and on the cemetery of Teruel. In later days the services were realized in Valdecebro and Castralbo, Puebla de Valverde, Cobla, again Aldehuela and the road to the South of Teruel, as well as the columns of enemy tanks and trucks in retreat, realizing several exits, according to the days. Each plane carried in its undercarriage, an emblem of "Jolanthe", a little pig. (any idea of ​​when the change of emblem took place? ).

Sources: Legion Condor. Ries&Ring
Mitos y falacias de los bombardeos del Maestrazgo por aviones Stuka (Mayo de 1938). APORTES nº90, año XXXI (1/2016).
Condor: The Luftwaffe in Spain, 1936-39. Patrick Laureau.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more.........................................

The Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" in Spain during the CW.

Ju-87A.

In March 1938 operations began on the Aragon front and it was on March 6 that two "Stuka" attacked the Ebro bridge in Sástago, unsuccessfully, as the bombs fell near the target, without reaching it. The next day, the three Junkers Ju 87 bombed, again the bridge of Sástago, without achieving the objective. Since the day before the patrol of Junkers Ju 87A had not been successful, on March 8 came two squadrons of Heinkel He-111 of the K. / 88. The twin-engines, in attacks less than 50 meters high, approached the bridge of the Ebro of Sástago, nevertheless, in spite of reaching both accesses of it, did not obtain the complete destruction of the bridge. Two Ju 87 "Stuka" of 5. J/ 88 successfully succeeded in launching two 500-kilogram bombs on the railway embankment east of Puebla de Híjar, interrupting the Zaragoza-Alcañiz railway line.

On the 9th, three more flights were carried out with the Kette of Junkers Ju 87, under the protection of the fighters, against enemy positions and concentrations in Azuara and Casilta, 6 kilometers west of Belchite, launching 3.15 tons of explosives and obtaining good targets, which indicates the use of 500 kilogram bombs.

On the 10th, four services were carried out against enemy concentrations in Belchite and on the crossing of roads to the east of the village, yielding a total of 4.5 tons, once again using half-ton bombs.

The next day, the "Stuka" carried out an attack against the road junction at Azaila, dropping the bombs on target. On March 12, at noon, the 5. J/ 88, with its three Junkers Ju 87 A, bombed the Azaila railway station and enemy concentrations in Sástago, impacting the station building and the roads of Azaila, as well as in the population of Sástago and affected the rear of the government troops, leaving them blocked.

Sources: Legion Condor. Ries&Ring
Mitos y falacias de los bombardeos del Maestrazgo por aviones Stuka (Mayo de 1938). APORTES nº90, año XXXI (1/2016).
Condor: The Luftwaffe in Spain, 1936-39. Patrick Laureau.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more.........................................

The Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" in Spain during the CW.

Ju-87A.

It was on the 15th that the three "Stuka" carried out two flights each against the road bridge southeast of Caspe and, although the bombs fell very close, they did not achieve their goal to destroy the bridge, but the traffic was interrupted momentarily. The next day, the Ju 87 "Stuka", escorted by Bf 109 fighters, attacked enemy batteries at Caspe and a column of Ammunition on the Maella road.

Until March 22, the 5. J./88 remained inactive due to bad weather. In the course of the aforementioned day of 22, the Junkers Ju 87 A attacked bunkers of reinforced cement north of Lierta. Three days later, the Stukakette aircrafts blew, with a direct impact, an ammo dump during their first service, and in the second bombed the crossroad northwest of Alcala del Obispo (Alcalá d'o Bispe), with full success, Although the disruption of traffic achieved had no lasting effects, as Republicans simply diverted traffic through the fields around the crater caused by a 500 kilogram bomb.

In successive days the activity of the Junkers Ju 87 took place on the fronts of Huesca and Lerida, especially in Monzón and Fraga, and on the 29th, in the two services carried out, the deposits of CAMPSA were attacked, And the car park located northeast of Lérida.

Sources: Legion Condor. Ries&Ring
Mitos y falacias de los bombardeos del Maestrazgo por aviones Stuka (Mayo de 1938). APORTES nº90, año XXXI (1/2016).
Condor: The Luftwaffe in Spain, 1936-39. Patrick Laureau.
http://reibert.info/threads/legion-kond ... dor.30929/

Cheers. Raúl M .