JU-88 as a dive bomber vs conventional bombing

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The JU-88 had dive bombing capabilities.

Does anyone know (or have sources) that identify:

1. When did the JU-88 dive bomb and when did it perform conventional bombing?

2. What percentage of bombing sorties were dive bombing?

[Felix C]

I believe the shallow dive replaced the steeper dive as was used on the attack on HMS Ark Royal in 1939.
There were so many sorties, thousands or more, I think it is a herculean task to differentiate.

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I believe the shallow dive replaced the steeper dive as was used on the attack on HMS Ark Royal in 1939.
There were so many sorties, thousands or more, I think it is a herculean task to differentiate.

Presumably the dive was a more efficient use of bombload, due to the higher accuracy. I am looking for doctrine behind this use.

Besides conventional bombing roles (interdiction) and attacks on shipping the JU-88 was also used to hunt down trains, particularly on the Eastern Front. There were even specialized squadrons for this role. IT seems that the dive was more likely in this scenario, I am still in the process of researching.

As for the success claims of the German bomber (KG) units, Soviet armored trains/box cars, Soviet airfields/destroyed aircraft on the ground, and destroyed vehicles factor heavily.

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This is a flying game simulation of JU-88 dive bombing. Not sure how accurate it is but it is an interesting watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65Jw-CkRq3w

footage of JU 88 dive bombing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJooYDwvWw0

[Cult Icon]

In reading personal accounts, the JU-87 is cited as releasing the bombs at 400 meters, the JU-88 at 800 meters.

[Sheldrake]

The Germans had an analogue computer based bomb site for dive bombing Bombenzielanlage ("Bomb Target System"), sometimes referred to as the Bomb Ziel Automat (BZA). In 1941 the BZA-2 was introduced and consistent bombing results were claimed.
This was designed to calculate the precise release of bombs during dive-bombing. It was fitted to a number of aircraft types, including the Junkers Ju 88. The unit controlled an aiming mark on sight in front of the pilot. The computer assessed the angle of dive, aircraft track, and altitude. The operator set other variables, such as barometric pressure, target altitude, airspeed and wind speed. During operation, the bomb(s) were released when an aiming mark coincided with the target.
There is a picture of the system on this webpage
http://www.donhollway.com/graveneymarsh/index.html

There is a discussion of Ju88 as a Dive bomber on this IL2 combat flight simulator forum
https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/56 ... procedure/

[Urmel]

Here's an example. Dive would have been used for any kind of precision attack I suppose.

https://rommelsriposte.com/2012/02/26/l ... 19-jan-42/

[Pips]

If you can get your hands on the book "The Life And Death Of The Luftwaffe" by Werner Baumbach, it makes for interesting reading.

Baumbach flew the Ju88 through the early years of the war, and became something of an anti-shipping expert. In France he flew both dive bomb and level attacks, depending upon the target. For example on 10th May he flew an anti-flak mission, which involved dive bombing the target. On the 11th he flew level bombing missions. During the Battle of Britain he flew mostly level attack missions. In the time between end of the BoB and the start of the Greece campaign he flew anti shipping missions out over the Norwegian Sea, all involving dive bombing attacks against shipping. Over the Med he flew almost exclusively anti-shipping dive bomber missions against convoys and ships. Occasionally broken up by level bombing attacks over Libya.

So almost from the very start of the war the Ju88 was employed in both the dive bomber and a level bomber role, the actual tactic dependant upon the target.

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Thanks for the recommendations.

[Cult Icon]

7:00 Maritime interdiction with DO-17, appears that they are diving

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9TdWfOKnCw&t=2s

[Denniss]

it seems more like they had a very creative cutter mixed with some fake/model images. Plus mix of footages from Ju 88 and Do 17