Ju 87 G-1

This page is about the German strike aircraft Ju 87 G-1. For other uses, see Ju 87 (Family).

Ju 87 G-1

Ju 87 R-2

Ju 87 G-2

Ju 87 G-1

Ju 87 R-2

Ju 87 G-2

Germany

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.0	1.3	2.7

Class:

Strike aircraft

Research:5 900

Purchase:6 300

Show in game

Description

The Ju 87 G-1 is a rank I German strike aircraft with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB), 1.3 (RB), and 2.7 (SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The differences between the G-1 and G-2 variants are the wing types utilized. The G-1 employs the same wing type as the Ju 87 D-3 while the G-2 instead utilizes the same wing area as the Ju 87 D-5 variant.

Regarded highly by famed German ace Hans-Ulrich Rudel, the Ju 87 G is one of the deadliest ground attack aircraft in War Thunder. Building upon the classic "Stuka" design, German engineers fitted a pair of Bordkanone 37mm cannons to early Ju 87 D models, creating a beast. Instead of bombs, this aircraft utilizes its twin synchronized 37 mm anti-tank cannons to demolish any armour it faces. Able to fire the German 37mm high-velocity armour piercing round, the Ju 87 G is more than a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, each cannon only holds 12 rounds of ammunition each, for a total of 12 individual shots. This puts a cap on how much total damage the Ju 87 G can do.

The Ju 87 G's armament, a pair of Bordkanone BK 3,7 cannons, are deadly in all regards. They are able to destroy most ground units and aircraft with a single press of the trigger. Equip air targets or armoured targets belt depending on what your target is. The armoured targets belt is fairly ineffective against aircraft and the air targets belt does next to nothing to armoured ground units.

The Ju 87 G-1 differs from its later counterpart, the Ju 87 G-2 in that it utilizes the earlier D models such as the Ju 87 D-3. The G-2 model uses the later Ju 87D-5 model.

By early 1943 the Luftwaffe, or rather the whole German army at the Eastern Front, faced a critical problem fighting Soviet armoured forces. The equipment intended to stop the "Russian steam roller" included a special anti-tank version of the Stuka that appeared in late 1942.

The first anti-tank variant, the Ju 87G-1, was based on the Ju 87D-3 variant. The main distinction of the G-1 was that it had two containers fitted under the wings to house 37 mm Bordkanone BK 3.7 cannons (an airborne version of the Rheinmetall Flak 18 anti-aircraft gun), with 6 rounds each. The shells were kept in magazines protruding beyond the sides of the container. The long-barrelled anti-aircraft gun brought the tungsten-core sabots to an initial velocity of 1,170 m/s, allowing the gun to be fired at a distance of about 800 m. This was quite sufficient to pierce the rear or upper plating of the T-34 tank.

When D-3s were converted to G-1s, the wing-mounted machine guns and the bomb racks were removed. The aircraft's armour was weakened. Unlike those on the standard Ju 87D-3, the radio operator/gunner's station, the fuel tanks in the centre wing section, and the radiator were not armoured on the anti-aircraft Stuka.

Tests showed that the Ju 87G-1's speed was reduced by 30-40 km/h and its manoeuvrability was noticeably impaired, which, in addition to its weakened armour and poor defensive armament, made the machine almost a perfect target for fighter attacks. Due to the aircraft's poor longitudinal stability, it was difficult to aim. The BK 3.7 cannon had quite a low rate of fire and low reliability as far as its automatic equipment was concerned. In fact, for a Ju 87G, success on the battlefield was possible only if it was flown by an experienced pilot and only if enemy anti-aircraft gunners and fighters provided little opposition.

However, if operated by an experienced gunner, the Gustav was able to hit the tank's most vulnerable parts, such as its engines, fuel tanks, and ammunition stowage bins. This was the reason why the Ju 87G-1's tests were considered successful, and the military came to the conclusion that the prospect of its use in combat was reasonable, since the situation was hopeless otherwise, as there were no other aircraft anywhere near suitable for fighting tanks.

Production Ju 87D-3s were converted to G-1s on site by the troops. For this conversion, the cannon-housing containers could be easily removed and replaced with standard bomb racks. None of the aircraft had dive flaps, but the brackets to fit them remained. A total of about 40 machines were converted in this fashion.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 4 000 m380 km/h

Turn time32 s

Max altitude7 000 m

EngineJunkers Jumo 211J

TypeInline

Cooling systemWater

Take-off weight7 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	363	352	7000	33.8	36.0	9.0	8.9	513
Upgraded	398	380		30.4	32.0	14.8	11.6

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
730	800	N/A	454	320	~10	~4

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 270	< 350	< 380	> 325

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
4,000 m	1,180 hp	1,390 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew2 people

Speed of destruction

Structural730 km/h

Gear800 km/h

• 4 mm Steel - Under engine plate
• 4 mm Steel - Cockpit tub
• 4 mm Steel - Rear gunner plate
• 4 mm Steel - Rear glass plates
• 8 mm Steel - Behind pilot's chair
• 8 mm Steel - Headrest
• 50 mm Bulletproof Glass

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB253 → 325

RB322 → 413

SB707 → 908

Total cost of modifications5 970

4 500

Talisman cost410

Crew training1 800

Experts6 300

Aces80

Research Aces135 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

20 / 50 / 80 %

106 / 106 / 106 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 400 Cost: 300 65 Radiator Research: 400 Cost: 300 65 Compressor Research: 450 Cost: 340 70 Wings repair Research: 500 Cost: 380 80 Engine Research: 500 Cost: 380 80 Engine injection Research: 640 Cost: 480 105	Airframe Research: 450 Cost: 340 70 Cover Research: 640 Cost: 480 105	bk37_belt_pack Research: 400 Cost: 300 65 mg_turret_belt_pack Research: 450 Cost: 340 70 bk37_new_gun Research: 500 Cost: 380 80 mg81_turret_new_gun Research: 640 Cost: 480 105

Unlocking the 37 mm belts is a must for this aircraft. The default belt is a mix of HE and AP rounds, resulting in only half of the trigger pull hitting what you want. Instead of staggering the rounds one trigger pull is HE one trigger pull is AP, it is mixed. After that, it matters not which way the Stuka pilot researches his or her modules.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 37 mm BK 3.7 cannon

Ammunition24 rounds

Fire rate160 shots/min

The Ju 87 G-1 is armed with:

• 2 x 37 mm BK 3.7 cannons, wing-mounted (12 rpg = 24 total)

Defensive armament

Turret2 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun

Ammunition2000 rounds

Fire rate1597 shots/min

The Ju 87 G-1 is defended by:

• 2 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun, dorsal turret (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)

Usage in battles

The Stuka has always been famous for its ground strike capabilities. The Stuka G-1 is no exception; with twin 37 mm Bordkanone, destructive power is at your command. However, the Stuka G-1 cannot be used to hunt bombers or fighters: you can try, but the results will be disappointing.

(The guns have a convergence range of 700m with vertical targeting on)

In simulator battles, before delving into basic attacking procedure, it is recommended to trim the aircraft before anything else (once after taking off). This is to ensure the ease of aiming the turret gun, as that is your only 'offensive' weaponry. (Elevation -10%, Rudder around -1 ~ -2%?)

After taking off and trimming, fly to around 600m above ground and lower throttle to around 80% ~ 90%. Avoid any AAA zones as much as possible, as your plane is no IL-2. Use your slow speed to your advantage to spot any possible ground targets.

Once a potential target is spotted, increase throttle to 95%. It is best that the angle of attack is shallow and maintain a speed 300km/h and above. When climbing after an attack, it is recommended to shallow climb, as it increases the distance between the Stuka and the target, allowing better readjustments and maintaining high energy to turn. Coming in at a shallow angle of attack is important because the AI tanks may bounce shells at high angles, so coming in at a shallow angle of attack reduce the chances of these ricochets from occurring.

When attacking, always have your Stuka fly towards the direction that is in path of the ground target. It is not recommended to 'chase' the target as that will bleed energy. Unlike the Hs. 129, the Stuka G-1 does not have forward firing light machine guns to help guide your shots, so it is best to practice a lot in custom battles on tank missions with AI tanks.

For beginners, it is best to make a habit of "one-shot-per-run", as firing multiple times to make a hit are wasteful and risky. Remember, the plane essentially have two anti-tank guns that fires at the same time, meaning firing multiple times will reduce energy and increase risk of stall. So, if a pair of shots miss, control your urge: let go, pull up, WEP, climb, level, build energy, and try again.

The greater threat is not the ground AAs nor the enemy plane: it is the lack of patience. Have composure, memorize the mistakes, and adapt.

If an enemy plane comes towards the area of operation, ignore the enemy. Complete the Stuka's job as the objective is more important. Try your very best to squeeze in a few more grounded targets with a clear mind, as it will contribute with your Spawn Points and economy. Dealing with the enemy should be done after the objective is completed or the ammunition runs out.

It is understandable that many players want to start flying their desired fighters, but a sloppy job will contributes nothing to your team and yourself. The plane is also rewarding on good runs, so try your best. The plane may be cheap, but repeating the process is very taxing on motivation.

All planes armed with high calibre tank guns requires one virtue to be effective and this plane is no exception to it: patience.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Impressive turn rate at high speeds
• Powerful cannons, light pillboxes and medium, light, and heavy tanks will find that four shells (or two clicks of a mouse) will destroy them
• The "Armored targets" belt has extremely high muzzle velocity, you don't have to lead targets as much
• Good defensive turret
• Armour around the pilot, gunner, and engine
• Able to be used in different roles (attacker, support fighter, etc...)

Cons:

• Lacks any frontal offensive machine guns/cannons whatsoever, making engagement with a fighter difficult
• Very little cannon ammunition
• Cannons are wing mounted which makes it complicated to aim
• Very slow
• Vulnerable to damage
• Incredibly slow roll rate, especially at high speeds
• Bad high altitude performance
• Inability to equip bombs or rockets

History

By 1942, the need for a new ground attack aircraft was ever present. The ageing Ju 87 was proving to be obsolete, and the new Henschel Hs 129 was underpowered and ill-protected. Hans-Ulrich Rudel, a Stuka ace, proposed a pair of 37 mm cannons be added to a Ju 87 D. Thus, the "Kanonenvogel" or "cannon-bird" was born. The Ju 87 G was most famously piloted by Rudel himself, who destroyed a countless amount of Soviet equipment with it. Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, one of Germany's highest awards. The highest-scoring ace of World War II, Erich Hartmann, also held the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds – but his Oak Leaves were not gold. Rudel survived the war and his input was used to create the A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft.

In-game description

By early 1943 the Luftwaffe, or rather the whole German army at the Eastern Front, faced a critical problem fighting Soviet armored forces. The equipment intended to stop the "Russian steam roller" included a special anti-tank version of the Stuka that appeared in late 1942.

The first anti-tank variant, the Ju 87G-1, was based on the Ju 87D-3 variant. The main distinction of the G-1 was that it had two containers fitted under the wings to house 37 mm Bordkanone BK 3.7 cannons (an airborne version of the Rheinmetall Flak 18 anti-aircraft gun), with 6 rounds each. The shells were kept in magazines protruding beyond the sides of the container. The long-barrelled anti-aircraft gun brought the tungsten-core sabots to an initial velocity of 1,170 m/s, allowing the gun to be fired at a distance of about 800 m. This was quite sufficient to pierce the rear or upper plating of the T-34 tank.

When D-3s were converted to G-1s, the wing-mounted machine guns and the bomb racks were removed. The aircraft's armor was weakened. Unlike those on the standard Ju 87D-3, the radio operator/gunner's station, the fuel tanks in the centre wing section, and the radiator were not armored on the anti-aircraft Stuka.

Tests showed that the Ju 87G-1's speed was reduced by 30-40 km/h and its maneuverability was noticeably impaired, which, in addition to its weakened armor and poor defensive armament, made the machine almost a perfect target for fighter attacks. Due to the aircraft's poor longitudinal stability, it was difficult to aim. The BK 3.7 cannon had quite a low rate of fire and a low reliability as far as its automatic equipment was concerned. In fact, for a Ju 87G, success on the battlefield was possible only if it was flown by an experienced pilot and only if enemy anti-aircraft gunners and fighters provided little opposition.

However, if operated by an experienced gunner, the Gustav was able to hit the tank's most vulnerable parts, such as its engines, fuel tanks, and ammunition stowage bins. This was the reason why the Ju 87G-1's tests were considered successful, and the military came to the conclusion that the prospect of its use in combat was reasonable, since the situation was hopeless otherwise, as there were no other aircraft anywhere near suitable for fighting tanks.

Production Ju 87D-3s were converted to G-1s on site by the troops. For this conversion, the cannon-housing containers could be easily removed and replaced with standard bomb racks. None of the aircraft had dive flaps, but the brackets to fit them remained. A total of about 40 machines were converted in this fashion.

Media

The Shooting Range #36 - Pages of History section at 06:02 discusses the Ju 87 Stuka.

See also

• Ju 87 G-2
• Tempest Mk V (Vickers P)

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance
• [Wikipedia] Junkers Ju 87G
• [Wikipedia] Bordkanone 3,7 (BK 3,7)

Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works (Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke Aktiengesellschaft)
Fighters	Ju 88 C-6 · Ju 388 J
Strike Aircraft
Ju 87	Ju 87 G-1 · Ju 87 G-2
Bombers	Ju 88 A-1 · Ju 88 A-4 · Ju 188 A-2 · Ju 288 C
Ju 87	Ju 87 B-2 · Ju 87 D-3 · Ju 87 D-5 · Ju 87 R-2 · Ju 87 R-2 Libya
Export	▄Ju 87 D-3 · ▄Ju 87 R-2 · ▄Ju 88 A-4