Ju 87 G-1
| This page is about the German attacker Ju 87 G-1. For other uses, see Ju 87 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Ju 87 G-1 is a rank I German attacker 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
| 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 | 880 | 680 | ~13 | ~5 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 270 | < 270 | < 350 | > 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
- 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
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
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
The Ju 87 G-1 is armed with:
- 2 x 37 mm BK 3.7 cannons, wing-mounted (12 rpg = 24 total)
Defensive armament
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
- 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
- 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
See also
External links
| 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 |
| Germany strike aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Messerschmitt | |
| Bf 110 | Bf 110 C-6 · Bf 110 C-7 · Bf 110 F-2 · Bf 110 G-2 · Bf 110 G-4 |
| Me 410 | Me 410 A-1 · Me 410 A-1/U4 · Me 410 B-1 · Me 410 B-2/U4 · Me 410 B-6/R3 |
| Dornier | |
| Do 335 | Do 335 A-0 · Do 335 A-1 · Do 335 B-2 |
| Focke-Wulf | |
| Fw 190 | Fw 190 F-8 |
| Heinkel | |
| He 219 | He 219 A-7 |
| Henschel | |
| Hs 129 | Hs 129 B-2 · Hs 129 B-2 (Romania) · Hs 129 B-3 |
| Junkers | |
| Ju 87 | Ju 87 G-1 · Ju 87 G-2 |
| Foreign: | |
| USSR | ▀IL-2 (1942) |
