Ju 87 D-3

Ju 87 D-3

Hs 129 B-2

Ju 87 D-5

Ju 87 D-3

Hs 129 B-2

Ju 87 D-5

Germany

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.3	2.0	2.3

Class:

Bomber

Dive bomber

Research:9 200

Purchase:16 000

Show in game

This page is about the German dive bomber Ju 87 D-3. For other uses, see Ju 87 (Family).

Description

The Ju 87 D-3 is a rank II German dive bomber with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB/SB) and 2.0 (RB). This dive bomber has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

At the current Battle Rating at 2.3, the Ju 87 D3 is not very fast, however, it is decently fast in a dive. The Ju 87 is fairly durable as well, taking a decent amount of 7.7 mm and 12.7 mm fire before being fully disabled, but this doesn't mean you should fly in a straight line. This dive bomber has a very low stall speed and is very manoeuvrable at lower speeds giving it an edge in a dive bomb run or a turn fight. The offensive and defensive armament are a bit underwhelming, but given the chance, it can still take down planes. In a dive attack on tank columns, it can deploy air brakes so you don't slam into the ground.

Its armament consists of 2 x MG 17s mounted in the wings, very good for killing soft ground targets like Armored cars and AA, and has a good bomb load for killing medium tanks, pillboxes, destroyers and bases easily. Its defensive turret consisted of two fast-firing Mg 81Zs but still not enough to shoot down planes reliably.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
367	358	7,500	39.2	33.9	0.5	1.7	513
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
404	385	7,500	29.3	33.0	9.5	4.2	513

Details

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

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
730	800	500	~11	~5

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 270	< 270	< 350	> 250

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

• No armour plating
• No armour glazing
• Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
• More fuel tanks located in wings near fuselage

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Ju 87 D-3 is armed with:

• 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine gun, wing-mounted (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)

Suspended armament

The Ju 87 D-3 can be outfitted with:

• 1 x 250 kg SC250 bomb (250 kg total)
• 4 x 50 kg SC50 bombs + 1 x 250 kg SC250 bombs (450 kg total)
• 3 x 250 kg SC250 bombs (750 kg total)
• 1 x 500 kg SC500 bomb (500 kg total)
• 4 x 50 kg SC50 bombs + 1 x 500 kg SC500 bombs (700 kg total)
• 2 x 250 kg SC250 bombs + 1 x 500 kg SC500 bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 3 x 500 kg SC500 bombs (1,500 kg total)
• 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000 bomb (1,000 kg total)
• 4 x 50 kg SC50 bombs + 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000 bomb (1,200 kg total)
• 2 x 250 kg SC250 bombs + 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000 bomb (1,500 kg total)

Defensive armament

The Ju 87 D-3 is defended by:

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

Usage in the battles

In Arcade Battles you should concentrate on killing tanks and pillboxes first (if any) with your bombs, and use your offensive machine guns to kill soft targets like armoured cars, artillery, howitzers and AA. In this mode, you won't need your air brakes since you can't break your wings and it's easy to pull up from a fast dive attack, and it's recommended that you keep as much of your speed up from the dives so you are harder to intercept by enemy aircraft.

In Realistic Battles, you should keep your altitude, and look for tank columns to attack. Once you've chosen which tank column you wish to attack(I recommend some ground targets as far from the battlefield or enemy airfield as possible, so you are less likely to be intercepted). Once you are right over your intended target, set your throttle to 0% and point your nose at the at the tank you want to destroy (since you have no bombsight, there will not be a bomb-drop indicator like in Arcade, and you will have to guess where the bombs will drop) once you are nearing your target, you will have to deploy your air-brakes or you won't be able to pull up at high speeds. (you can tell when you are reaching a high speed with the sounds that the air and wings make) Once you drop your bomb(s) point your nose up to pull up. At this point you may or may not have killed your intended target, but it is OK if you didn't you will get better at it with more practice, but you still have your offensive armament to kill soft targets like AA or you can engage enemy fighters that are nearby (which is very likely).

Dog fighting the RB with Ju 87 is a very difficult task if the enemy knows your advantages and disadvantages and uses them to his advantage. I recommend that you avoid doing head-on attacks a much as possible, for you don't have the armament to risk it. I also recommend that you stay low and slow in a combat situation with enemy aircraft(because bad control ability at high speeds ) and try to get the enemy to engage in a turn fight. If he falls for your turn fight, you should end up on his 6 o'clock in 3-5 turns on most enemies, it really depends on if its a British, American or Russian plane, British being generally the better turn fighter. If he doesn't fall for your turn fight, you are most likely going to go down...this plane is not a fighter plane.

Because of their low speed, permanent landing gear and reasonable durability, all the Ju 87 are quite good for capturing airfields in the Airfield Domination mode.

Returning to base. when returning to base landing and takeoff is simple, and use of the air brakes will help if you came in to fast to land. But you may be coming back on a dead or damaged engine (The Ju 87's engine is prone to damage and overheat) and it would help a lot if you find the nearest friendly airfield and get there as soon as possible.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair, Radiator		Offensive 7 mm, ETC 50/IV
II	Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs, ETC 250/II
III	Wing Repair, Engine		Turret 7 mm, ETC 500/III
IV	Engine Injection	Cover	New 7 mm MGs (turret), ETC 1000/I

It is recommended to research the radiator first, for it gives slight performance improvement and helps with engine overheating, then after radiator research the offensive weapon 7.92 mm belts, after that, you can unlock tier 2 modifications. Performance upgrades will also help greatly in the Ju 87 line.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Best bomb load for the Ju-87 series
• More powerful engine than the previous Ju-87 models
• Extremely helpful in ground forces battles
• Easy landing and takeoff
• Low-speed manoeuvrability
• Precision bombing accuracy, has air brakes, can both level and dive bomb
• Good ammunition amount for the 7.92 machine guns
• Decent defensive armament
• Can perform both level and dive bombing equally
• Well armoured
• Dive siren removed
• Lower profile cockpit and no more large radiator below the engine
• Very high rate of fire for defensive armament

Cons:

• Very slow compared to what it will face
• Poor climb rate
• Truly helpless against higher BR fighters
• No bomb-sight, but with enough flight hours, precision bombing can be easily mastered
• Defensive armament is inadequate against well armoured and well-coordinated foes
• SPAA will rip you apart if not careful

History

During the Battle of Britain, the Ju87 was shown to be outclassed and outdated by modern allied aircraft, but with no replacement in sight, a new modification of Ju 87 was developed. The new Ju 87 designated D1 was fitted with a more powerful Jumo 211 engine and a more aerodynamic air-frame. In addition, more armour was added for protection and a better defensive armament of dual 7.92 mm machine guns. The payload was almost 4 times as much as the Ju 87 R2 with 1800 Kg max bomb load. The fuel capacity was increased as well and had the ability to carry drop tanks, too. The D3 version had improved armour from the D1 for ground attack.

From May 1941 to March 1942 Ju 87 Ds were delivered to front-line units. In total 1559 Ju 87 D3s where built.

The Ju 87 D was used extensively in the eastern front and in North Africa. The Ju 87 was very effective at destroying Soviet counterattacks disrupting supply-lines and in one case on July 5, when StG 77 knocked out 15 trains and 500 vehicles. But everything has to come to an end, the Ju 87 had enjoyed superiority in the early war, but as the war progressed and the Soviet air force grew more effective and obtained better aircraft, the Ju 87 was made obsolete.

Ingame description

The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka was a single-engine dive bomber and attack aircraft of the WWII era. The most famous Stuka pilot of the war was Hans-Ulrich Rudel, the most highly decorated Luftwaffe pilot in history. Despite its slow speed and mediocre aerodynamics (the landing gear was fixed), the Stuka was one of the most effective Luftwaffe aircraft early in the war due to its pin-point accuracy in a dive. The Ju 87 remains one of the most recognizable symbols of the Blitzkrieg.

The Ju 87 D-3, a ground attack variant that still retained dive brakes, had improved armor. The pilot received some armor in the canopy, 8 mm armored sheets were placed on the fuselage, and some examples even had armored sliding panels in the canopy. Additional armor was also installed around the rear gunner’s position. The new GSL-K 81Z turret had improved coverage. However, most aircrews thought that the gunner seat was less successful than that of the 'Bertha', the Ju 87 B.

The D variant also received a 5 mm armor plating under the oil radiator and additional armor around the fuselage fuel tanks. For a ground attack aircraft, the Ju 87 D’s armament was rather weak, the D-3 variant having nothing but twin 7.92 mm MG 17s in the wings, and the D-5 upgraded to twin 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon. Acting in a ground attack role, the Stuka most often used special containers containing 92 fragmentation SC 2 bombs, which were ineffective against armored targets. In addition, much larger bombs were also used, weighing 250 or 500 kg.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• page on aircraft encyclopedia;
• other literature.