Bombers and Ground Attack Aircraft

Weight: 9600kg (21,165lb).

Max Speed: 435kmh (260mph).

Service Ceiling: 7000m (22,970ft).

Range: 1950km (1212 miles).

Crew: 4

Armament: 1 x 7.92mm MG15 in nose, ventral dustbin and dorsal positions, bombload up to 2000kg (4410lb)

In the early 1930's, Heinkel began to design a new passenger aircraft. The first example of the Heinkel He-70 Blitz Lightning rolled off the production line in 1932 and immediately started breaking records. The design quickly garnered the interest of the Luftwaffe, which was looking for medium bombers for military service.
The future Heinkel He-111 was a more powerful twin-engine version of the Blitz, incorporating many of its features, including the elliptical inverted gull wing, small rounded control surfaces and BMW engines.
The first prototype, the He-111V1, first flew from Rostock-Marienehe on the 24th of February 1935. It's flight performance and handling were impressive, although it dropped its wing in the stall. As a result future variants had their wing span reduced from 25 to 23m.
The first prototypes were underpowered, using only 578hp BMW VI 6.0 six-cylinder in-line engines. This was eventually increased to 999hp, with the fitting of the Daimler-Benz 600 engines into the V5, which became the prototype for the B series.
The first He-111B made its maiden flight in the autumn of 1936. After improvements, the Air Ministry ordered 300 He-111B1's, the first of which was delivered in January 1937. The B-2 variant had its engines upgraded to the supercharged DB 600C, providing 850hp or in some cases the 600G, of 925hp. The B-2 began to roll off the production lines at the Heinkel works in Oranienburg in 1937. In late 1937 the D-1 series entered production. Heinkel then switched to Jumo engines and the 999hp Jumo 211 A-1 power plant was fitted on the E series aircraft.
The He-111E came off the production line in February 1938, and a number of these aircraft experienced great success with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War in 1938, where they served as fast bombers, able to outrun many of the fighters sent against them. However, the positive performance influenced the Luftwaffe to believe that because the E variant outran enemy fighters there was no need to upgrade defensive weaponry, which would prove a weakness in later campaigns.
The fuselage bomb bay housed four bomb racks, in later versions eight modular standard bomb racks, each designed to carry one SC 250, 250kg bomb or four SC50, 50kg bombs. The E-3 series was produced with only a few modifications, such as external bomb racks. The bomb bay was reduced on the E-5 to make way for fuel tanks, which increased the aircraft's range.
The next variant was He-111F, which moved from the elliptical wing to one with straight leading and trailing edges, improving ease of manufacture. The F-1 Series was entirely exported to Turkey and the F-4's entered Luftwaffe service.
At this time development began on the He-111J. It was powered by the DB 600 and was intended as a torpedo bomber. As a result, it lacked an internal bomb bay and carried two external torpedo racks. The Air Ministry gave an order for the bomb bay to be retrofitted and this variant became known as the J-1. In all but powerplant it was identical to the F-4.
The He-111P incorporated the updated Daimler-Benz DB 601 and featured a newly designed nose section, including an asymmetric Ikaria nose mounting for an MG 15 machine gun, implemented in 1937 following pilot reports indicating problems with visibility. This replaced the stepped cockpit with a roomier and aerodynamically favourable glazed dome over the front of the aircraft. These improvements allowed the aircraft to reach 475 km/h, although a full bomb load reduced this figure to 300km/h. During the Polish Campaign, the He-111, alongside the Dornier Do-17 formed the backbone of the Kampfwaffe.
In 1940, the Air Ministry abandoned further production of the P series, in favor of the H versions, mostly because the P-series Daimler-Benz engines were sorely needed for Messerschmitt Bf-109 and Bf-110 fighter production.
The next variant, the He-111H was produced in larger numbers than any other than any other variant. Owing to the uncertainty surrounding the delivery and availability of the DB 601 engines, Heinkel began tests with the 1,100hp Junkers Jumo 211 power plants. The somewhat larger size and greater weight of the Jumo 211 engines were unimportant considerations for a twin engine design, and the Jumo was used on almost all early-war bomber designs.
The P-series was gradually replaced with the new the H-2, powered by Jumo 211 A-3 engines. Production of the H-3, powered by the 1,200hp Jumo 211 D-1, began in November 1939. After the Battle of Britain a smaller scale production of the H-4s began. This variant differed from the H-3 in that could either carry 2000kg of bombs internally or mount one or two external racks to carry one 1800kg or two 1000kg bombs. As these external racks blocked the internal bomb bay doors, a combination of internal and external storage was not possible. The H-5 series followed in February 1941, with heavier defensive armament. Some H-3 and H-4s were equipped with barrage balloon cutting equipment in the shape of cutter installations forward of the engines and cockpit. They were designated H-8, but later re-named H8/R2. These aircraft were difficult to fly and the production soon ended. The H-6 initiated some all around improvements in design. The Jumo 211 F-1 engine of 1,350hp increased its speed, while the defensive armament was upgraded with one MG FF in the nose position, one MG 15 in the ventral turret and in each of the fuselage side windows. Some H-6 variants carried tail-mounted MG 17 defensive armament. With the H-11 the Luftwaffe had at its disposal a powerful medium bomber with heavier armor and increased defensive armament.
At 14,000kg take-off weight (carrying 2000kg of bombs internally), the He-111H achieved a top speed of 405 km/h, improving to 435 km/h without the bomb load and at 50% fuel load. However, this was still considerably slower than the newer Junkers Ju-88 which entered service in 1940, so the He-111 was gradually withdrawn from the bomber role. The He-111 became a jack-of-all-trades as the war progressed, carrying out missions not even imagined even when the war started.
One of the most interesting variants was as a glider tug, the He-111Z, standing for Zwilling or twin. It was built from two H-6's joined together with a connecting wing and a fifth engine. They were used to tow the giant Messerschmitt Me-321 or two Gotha Go-242 gliders. Ten He-111Z's were built, and all served until destroyed one way or another.
Despite its shortcomings, the He-111 remained in production until 1944 because the Air Ministry failed to provide a successor. The He 177 Greif heavy bomber was plagued by engine problems and the Bomber B program was eventually abandoned.

Weight: 14,000kg (30,800lb).

Speed: 471kmh (294mph).

Service ceiling: 8140m (5087ft).

Range: 1800km (1125miles).

Crew: 4

Armament: 1 x 7.92mm MG81 in the front, 1 x 7.92mm MG81-Z in the bottom and rear, 2 x 7.92mm MG81 in the upper part and rear, bombload up to 1000kg.

The multipurpose Ju88 aircraft was developed in 1936 and production of the aircraft began in 1937. It was a low-wing monoplane, which had a streamlined cockpit canopy with a fully glazed nose and two Jumo 211B-1 engines. The fully glazed nose gave the pilot and crew an excellent field of vision from the cockpit. An under fuselage gondola was installed on the aircraft and the lying gunner also controlled the rear 7.9mm MG15 machine-gun. The basic armament consisted of one 7.9mm MG 81 machine-gun placed in the front fuselage, a 7.9mm MG 81Z machine-gun in the under fuselage gondola and two rear-firing MG81 machine-guns placed in the aft cockpit. To enable the Ju-88 to be used as a dive-bomber, the plane was equipped with dive brakes placed under the front spar on the outside of the gondolas. The aircraft was structurally excellent and had good flight performance, was highly manoeuvrable and reasonably well armed. It also combined a large internal fuel capacity with great load carrying capability.
The most common aircraft of the A series became the Ju88A-4 aircraft, production of which began in 1940. It differed from the first production series through its larger wingspan, strengthened landing gear and improved armour protection for the crew.
The Ju88A was used throughout the war on all fronts and was one of the most versatile aircraft in service with any nation, with numerous variants and roles including dive-bomber, conventional bomber, torpedo-bomber, night fighter, ground attack, reconnaissance, communications aircraft, mine layer and a radio-controlled flying bomb.

Weight: 4340kg (9548lb).

Speed: 380km/h (237mph).

Service ceiling: 8000m (25600ft).

Range: 800km (500miles).

Crew: 2

Armament: 2 x 7.92mm MG17 in the wing, 1 x 7.92mm MG15 in the rear of the canopy, bombload up to 700kg.

The first aircraft of this type, the Ju87A-1, entered service in 1937, with three experimental aircraft, which were dispatched to Spain as part of the Condor Legion, fighting communist forces in the Spanish Civil War. These crude looking aircraft, with gull shaped wings and fixed landing gear, were powered by a single 640hp, Jumo 210Ca power plant. The aircraft were armed with one wing-mounted 7.92mm machine-gun and a further 7.92mm machine-gun mounted in the rear of the cockpit. The power plant was found to be inadequate, with the aircraft only capable of low speeds and able to carry a maximum bomb load of 500kg.
A second variant, the Ju87A-2 was introduced the same year and only differed by having larger fairings over the landing gear and being fitted with a more powerful Jumo 210Da engine. By mid 1938, all the A series aircraft were sent to training units and front line squadrons were equipped with the Ju87B series.
The Ju87B was a major redesign of the basic airframe and used a more powerful Jumo 211A engine. The aircraft was considerably more streamlined than the earlier model, with the landing gear housed in sleeker spats and the under-carriage bracing removed. The aircraft was also equipped with an automatic dive control, which was initially set by the pilot, allowing him to choose the pull out height using a contact altimeter. The pull out would commence automatically as the bombs left their cradles. The improved power plant also lead to an increase in the maximum bomb load to 750kg and improved the top speed by about 65kph (40mph).
Two sub variants of the Ju87B were also introduced. The Ju87C model was developed to operate from the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin and differed from the Ju87B with the incorporation of folding wings, arresting hook and jettisonable landing gear, which allowed it to ditch without over-turning. Only 12 were built before the cancellation of the Graf Zeppelin rendered them moot.
The Ju87R model was built in parallel with the Ju87B, in an effort to extend the aircrafts range. Extra fuel tanks were fitted in the wings and two externally carried drop tanks could be fitted under the wings, increasing the normal range to 510 miles (822 km).
It was found that as the aircraft carried out its dive, the wind flowing through the dive brakes emitted a howling sound. It was decided to fit the aircraft with an actual siren to exploit the effect, which was found to increase the shock effect of an attack on ground troops.
The word Stuka, is an abbreviation for the German word for dive-bomber, Sturzkampfflugzeuge, but became associated with the Ju87 following its decisive role in the defeat of Poland.
The Stuka squadrons would be called for and guided onto their targets by Luftwaffe forward air observers, who would travel with ground units during an attack.
Following successful campaigns in Poland and France, where the Luftwaffe enjoyed almost total air superiority, the Stuka faired badly during the Battle of Britain, where its slow speed and poor rate of climb saw it suffer heavy losses. However the Stuka found a new lease of life during the Russian campaign, as the Luftwaffe's air superiority enabled it to fulfil its dive-bombing role in support of ground troops once more. In addition, the ungainly fixed under-carriage allowed it to operate from crude forward airstrips often experienced on the eastern front.
In early 1942, a new variant was introduced, the Ju87D. The aircraft was equipped with the more powerful 1400hp Jumo 211J engine, which increased the maximum speed to 410kph (255mph). The Ju87D also had an aerodynamically improved front fuselage, with the chin radiator moving to positions underneath the wings and the oil cooler mounted in its place. Protective armament was strengthened by installing a twin 7.92mm machine-gun in an armoured turret for the rear gunner. Other improvements saw the canopy given a more streamlined form, increased armour protection for the crew, an improved fuel system with additional fuel tanks fitted in the wings, as in the R model and gear leg fairings were diminished and simplified. The bomb racks also underwent modernization and the maximum bomb load increased to 1800kg.
Again, several sub variants were introduced. The Ju87D-2 was designed as a dedicated glider tug and was built with a strengthened rear fuselage, although almost any Ju87 could be fitted with the appropriate hardware.
The Ju87D-3 featured increased armour, protecting the engine, radiators and fuselage belly, as the Stuka was being used more commonly in the ground attack role. The dive sirens were also removed.
The Ju87D-5 saw the removal of the dive brakes. The D-5 also saw the replacement of the wing-mounted 7.92mm machine guns with 20mm cannon, featured extended wings to reduce the wing loading and re-introduced the jettisonable undercarriage of the Ju87C, to make belly landings safer.
As the aerial environment became less hospitable for the D types, they were transferred to night ground-attack units (Nachtschlachtgruppen) where their disadvantages were less apparent. The D-7s and D-8s flown by these units were modified from D-3's and D-5's respectively with the substitution of a 1500 hp engine and the addition of flame dampening tubes for the engine exhaust.
In early 1943 a final model was introduced. Designed specifically for the anti tank role, the Ju87G was fitted with two 37mm Bk37 cannons, mounted under the wings behind each gear leg. Nicknamed the Panzerknacker (tank cracker) or Kanonenvogel (cannon bird), the aircraft were converted from D-3 and D-5 variants. Carrying 12 rounds per gun, the 37mm guns proved capable of destroying all but the heaviest Russian tanks with their tungsten-cored shells. The Panzerknackers were extremely vulnerable to enemy fighters, but they flew on regardless until the end of the war, the most famous being flown by Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Weights: 9600kg (21,165 lb)

Max Speed: 435 kmh (260mph).

Service Ceiling: 7000m (22,970ft)

Range: 1950km (1212 miles)

Armament: 1 x 7.92mm MG15 in nose, ventral dustbin and dorsal positions, bombload up to 2000kg (4410lb)

The Hs 129 was initially designed around a single large tub of steel sheeting that made up the entire nose area of the plane, completely enclosing the pilot up to head level. However this resulted in a very cramped cockpit and the excessive weight resulted in the aircraft being very difficult to control.
However an improved variant was introduced, the Hs 129B-1, which included a series of improvements. The aircraft was fitted with improved engines and a single larger windscreen with a new canopy to improve visibility was added. The aircraft's armament was improved with the fitting of two 20 mm MG 151/20's and two 7.92 mm MG17's, along with the ability to carry four 50kg bombs. This improved variant, the Hs 129B-1, entered service in April 1942, but the aircraft was only introduced slowly.
In June a new variant was introduced, fitted with a 30mm MK 101 cannon under the fuselage. This aircraft, the Hs 129B-2 was introduced side by side with the Hs129 B-1 versions. The B-2 version also featured improvements to the fuel system and a the addition of a direction finding radio antenna. These improvements were gradually adopted into the B-1 variants. Later the B-2 variants were re-fitted with the MK 103 canon which had an increased rate of fire. However by late 1942 this weapon was becoming ineffective against the newer Russian tanks and an improvement was sought. Despite the success of an adapted 37mm gun in conjunction with the JU 87, it was decided to fit an even larger gun, an adapted 75mm gun. A large hydraulic system was used to damp the recoil of the gun, and an auto-loader system with twelve rounds was fitted in the large empty space behind the cockpit. The resulting system was able to knock out any tank, but the weight reduced the already poor performance of the plane to unsuitable levels. The new variant, the Hs 129B-3, was introduced in June 1944 and only 25 had been delivered when production ended in September. A small number were also converted from older B-2 models, but despite their tank killing capability, their small number had little effect.