I'm trying to imagine a bomber with a siren. That must have been scary stuff. Especially with a couple of 37mm cannons to back it up. Is there still a Stuka in flying condition anywhere? I was at an air show once and talked to a woman who flew one of the T-6 trainers modified for "Tora Tora Tora". She said she wished someone would build a Ju-87.

The Stuka had two air sirens each located on the fixed gear and driven by the dive which had an intense psychological panic effect. Armament was varied: Ju-87B had 2x 7.92mm MG-17 in wings plus a single MG-15 for the rear gunner while carrying a 500 kg bomb on the centerline plus 4x 50kg bombs on the wings. The D-1 and 5 had the two wing guns but changed the rear to a twinned MG-81 fring 3200 rpm and carrying a 1800kg bomb on the centerline. Certain D-models changed the rear gun to a single MG-81, changed the wing guns to 20mm, or added 2x WB81 gunpods firing 4800 rpm! The G-model featured the tank-busting BK 3.7s which could hold either 12 or 24 rounds each depending on the Flak gun used! Never truly obsolete as long as it had air cover the Stuka was the most accurate dive bomber of WW2. Rudel's individual record with it is amazing, making him the most skilled pilot of the Luftwaffe as far as destruction goes. Hartmann shot down 352 aircraft but Rudel shot down aircraft, destroyed tanks, AFVs, artillery pieces, a battleship, a cruiser, a frigate, landing craft, bunkers, bridges, and railways. He fired over 1 million rounds of MG ammo, and 5000 of the 37mm, with over 1000 tons of bombs dropped. Was shot down 6 times, performed 8 rescues, and lost his leg below the knee... and STILL fought on even though Hitler forbid him! All in a Stuka.

A slight correction: Rudel was shot-down 32 times not 6 (and always by AA fire never another plane)!!! He also flew 2530 sorties, flew over 600,000km, used 5,000,000 litres of fuel, and fired 150,000 20mm rounds! Downed 11 aircraft too in a Fw-190. Greatest military pilot of all time. No one will ever equal him.

Tomorrow.