Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
Does anyone know a good way to explain how the Stuka dive-bombing procedure was performed?
Junkers 87 Stuka dive bombing procedure?
- Thread starter Sturzkampfflugzeug
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In what way?
Killiano92
Recruit
- 4
- Apr 20, 2020
Do you mean the operation of controls or the doctrine of how to execute the bombing/attack itself?
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- #4
Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
I mean both of those.
Killiano92
Recruit
- 4
- Apr 20, 2020
I don't have the answer to either as such but was just pointing it out as it may help you find what you are looking for.
Best I can contribute without some deep internet sleuthing is something I was reading lately that might have some useful info - Analysis of German Air Force Bomber Doctrine, 1912 ... - dtic.milapps.dtic.mil › dtic › fulltext
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- #6
Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
Thank you very much for your help!
- Thread starter
- #7
Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
Any way to be honest. Mainly just what actions pilots had to perform before being able to complete the procedure.
In a book I have is a diagram in German titled 'Sturzflug-Automatik Ju 87B' produced at the time with descriptions next to drawings. In English it reads 1. Initiation. Dive lever pulled back, limits stick movement. Automatic System activates dive brakes, activates auxiliary controls.
At this point the aircraft has entered into the dive - 'sturzflug'.
2. Bomb Release. Push release button. Automatic System releases bomb, moves auxiliary controls back. Pullout.
At the bottom of the dive the aircraft pulls up - 'abfangen'
3. Completion. Dive lever moved forward. Automatic System retracts dive brakes, releases control stick.
Climbing away - Ruckflug.
I hope that's useful.
At this point the aircraft has entered into the dive - 'sturzflug'.
2. Bomb Release. Push release button. Automatic System releases bomb, moves auxiliary controls back. Pullout.
At the bottom of the dive the aircraft pulls up - 'abfangen'
3. Completion. Dive lever moved forward. Automatic System retracts dive brakes, releases control stick.
Climbing away - Ruckflug.
I hope that's useful.
- Thread starter
- #9
Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
Very useful. What is the book called, if that isn't an issue to ask?
Nah, no problem. Book is Bombers and Reconnaissance Aircraft 1935 to the Present by Roderich Cescotti (Schiffer, 2001).
Amazon product ASIN 0764312839
Amazon product ASIN 0764312839
- Thread starter
- #11
Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
Thank you,nuuumannn!
Crimea_River
Marshal
From this document:
I will post the exact extracted screen grab of the section related to dive bombing and offer up a very rudimentary translation using my barely passable German.
Translation (others can chime in if I go astray here):
II. Diving
The pilot has the following sequence to perform:
a. Before Approach
Switch on Revi [bomb/gunsight] and adjust light intensity so that the reticle appears in the center of the Revi
Landing flaps to flight position [?]
b. Shortly before Dive
Neutral trim [not sure about this]
Deploy dive brakes
Supercharger set to low stage
Cooling flaps locked
ASK-V engaged
On ZSK 242 main switch to "ON" [then something about practice in restricted area]
c. In Dive
The target will be tracked in the Revi and the bomb will be released via the DK IX. Before release of bomb, the aircraft must be brought into a stable flight condition. Most important is that any sideslip due to a cross wind be avoided.
At the moment of release, the dive angle can not be more than 80 degrees.
After release, the aircraft is to be immediately brought out of the dive; further diving is in all cases to be avoided.
The release of live ammunition from the dive because of [traffic/formation???] below certain heights is forbidden:
Release of SC250 not under 1000m altitude
Release of SC500 not under 1300m altitude
d. After Dive
Open cooling flaps
Divebrakes retracted
ASK-V switched off
Turn ZSK main switch to "OFF"
I will post the exact extracted screen grab of the section related to dive bombing and offer up a very rudimentary translation using my barely passable German.
Translation (others can chime in if I go astray here):
II. Diving
The pilot has the following sequence to perform:
a. Before Approach
Switch on Revi [bomb/gunsight] and adjust light intensity so that the reticle appears in the center of the Revi
Landing flaps to flight position [?]
b. Shortly before Dive
Neutral trim [not sure about this]
Deploy dive brakes
Supercharger set to low stage
Cooling flaps locked
ASK-V engaged
On ZSK 242 main switch to "ON" [then something about practice in restricted area]
c. In Dive
The target will be tracked in the Revi and the bomb will be released via the DK IX. Before release of bomb, the aircraft must be brought into a stable flight condition. Most important is that any sideslip due to a cross wind be avoided.
At the moment of release, the dive angle can not be more than 80 degrees.
After release, the aircraft is to be immediately brought out of the dive; further diving is in all cases to be avoided.
The release of live ammunition from the dive because of [traffic/formation???] below certain heights is forbidden:
Release of SC250 not under 1000m altitude
Release of SC500 not under 1300m altitude
d. After Dive
Open cooling flaps
Divebrakes retracted
ASK-V switched off
Turn ZSK main switch to "OFF"
B. shortly before the dive
Neutral trim
When you hit the pickle button the aircraft needs to be at the computed (planned) airspeed, angle, and altitude with the pipper in the correct position relative to the target.
Angle = dive angle
Altitude = safe from fragmentation of weapon being dropped, also above most AAA threats if able
Airspeed = In level unaccelerated flight, a properly trimmed aircraft will neither climb or descend. When at pickle altitude one wants to be on airspeed and and trimmed properly for that same airspeed. If the aircraft is out of trim, the nose wants to drop or rise and must be held in position by the pilot. Being held introduces all sorts of errors. In the OV-10 we had a trim indicator gauge, and enroute to the range would do a trim check or dive to drop airspeed and note where the trim was indicated on said gauge. Then on downwind at the range we would run the trim nose down so that at pickle the aircraft was "in" trim.
Pipper = Must be set to the proper mils. When on a diving attack, the nose is placed short of the target by a certain amount and the pipper will track towards the target as you accelerate down final towards pickle altitude and airspeed. When the pipper arrives on target, you pickle off the bomb (no wind). Also enroute to the range / target area you note wind conditions from smoke stacks, water in lakes, fires, etc. There was two ways of doing corrections, mil cranking or combat offset. The flight lead would brief where he was going to set his pipper so that the rest of the flight could go to school on it. Example, winds expected from the left at 10 mph at pickle altitude. The flight lead would compute the correction and brief the flight where he was going to set his pipper at pickle. Then the rest of the flight would watch and make corrections from that.
FYI being fast caused smaller errors than being slow. Being steep caused smaller errors than being shallow. Being lower caused smaller errors than being higher. ROT (rule of thumb), be steep, fast and press (pickle below planned altitude) or Tiger Errors (every man is a tiger).
Cheers,
Biff
Neutral trim
When you hit the pickle button the aircraft needs to be at the computed (planned) airspeed, angle, and altitude with the pipper in the correct position relative to the target.
Angle = dive angle
Altitude = safe from fragmentation of weapon being dropped, also above most AAA threats if able
Airspeed = In level unaccelerated flight, a properly trimmed aircraft will neither climb or descend. When at pickle altitude one wants to be on airspeed and and trimmed properly for that same airspeed. If the aircraft is out of trim, the nose wants to drop or rise and must be held in position by the pilot. Being held introduces all sorts of errors. In the OV-10 we had a trim indicator gauge, and enroute to the range would do a trim check or dive to drop airspeed and note where the trim was indicated on said gauge. Then on downwind at the range we would run the trim nose down so that at pickle the aircraft was "in" trim.
Pipper = Must be set to the proper mils. When on a diving attack, the nose is placed short of the target by a certain amount and the pipper will track towards the target as you accelerate down final towards pickle altitude and airspeed. When the pipper arrives on target, you pickle off the bomb (no wind). Also enroute to the range / target area you note wind conditions from smoke stacks, water in lakes, fires, etc. There was two ways of doing corrections, mil cranking or combat offset. The flight lead would brief where he was going to set his pipper so that the rest of the flight could go to school on it. Example, winds expected from the left at 10 mph at pickle altitude. The flight lead would compute the correction and brief the flight where he was going to set his pipper at pickle. Then the rest of the flight would watch and make corrections from that.
FYI being fast caused smaller errors than being slow. Being steep caused smaller errors than being shallow. Being lower caused smaller errors than being higher. ROT (rule of thumb), be steep, fast and press (pickle below planned altitude) or Tiger Errors (every man is a tiger).
Cheers,
Biff
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #15
Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
Thank you very much!
- Thread starter
- #16
Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
Thank you, too!
I'm no expert, but a typical Stuka dive, at least when in formation, involves turning the plane over, almost, whilst decreasing altitude into the dive. This means that the pilot would pull out of the dive in the opposite direction that they came from. This does not apply to all dives, but this is one of the methods. Here are some pictures to show what I explained.
Also, if anybody knows what is inside of the Stuka Siren, any contributions to the "How To Make A Real Life Stuka Siren" thread would be appreaciated. Thx bros
Also, if anybody knows what is inside of the Stuka Siren, any contributions to the "How To Make A Real Life Stuka Siren" thread would be appreaciated. Thx bros
2banaviator
Airman
It's worthwhile mentioning the use of the Contact Altimeter Fl.22317 in Luftwaffe Dive Bombers. I didn't see it mentioned in the Ju87 A-1 manual above but possibly because that manual was for an early Ju87 model published in 1937. The Contact Altimeter was used in Ju87s and probably Ju88s and some Me110s during the 1940's. The altitude would be set to electrically actuate the bomb release mechanism upon descending to the selected altitude so that the pilot could concentrate on the dive maneuver.
In the image below, the center of the two-part knob marked with the "K" was used to set the trigger altitude shown by the red pointer. The knob's outer rim adjusted for barometric pressure using the inset center scale.
What I don't know is how the contact circuit was set to only trigger on a descent into a dive-bombing run and not when ascending or descending through that altitude in normal flight maneuvering. One might speculate that there was a switch on a panel somewhere to enable the contact altimeter release. Anyone know?
Contact Altimeter
Here is a close up of the Ju87 blind flying panel showing its location.
In the image below, the center of the two-part knob marked with the "K" was used to set the trigger altitude shown by the red pointer. The knob's outer rim adjusted for barometric pressure using the inset center scale.
What I don't know is how the contact circuit was set to only trigger on a descent into a dive-bombing run and not when ascending or descending through that altitude in normal flight maneuvering. One might speculate that there was a switch on a panel somewhere to enable the contact altimeter release. Anyone know?
Contact Altimeter
Here is a close up of the Ju87 blind flying panel showing its location.
- Thread starter
- #19
Sturzkampfflugzeug
Airman
- 42
- Oct 21, 2019
Oh, wow, thats cool!
Crimea_River
Marshal
Actually, the translation I made states "The target will be tracked in the Revi and the bomb will be released via the DK IX." I don't know what the DK IX refers to but the suggestion is that the bomb release is automatic. There's also the requirement, before the dive, to switch on the "ASK-V" and the "ZSK 242". I don't know what these are but I'm speculating that they may be part of this automatic release feature. The ability to turn them on and off would then prevent unintended bomb release at lower altitudes.
