Junkers Ju 87 (Black Cross, 5)

The Ju 87 is simply one of the best known and distinctive aircraft of World War II. It was commonly known as the Stuka, an abbreviation of the German word Sturzkampfflugzeug, meaning dive-bomber. The prototype, ironically powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine, first flew in the Spring of 1935. In 1938 the Ju 87 was used in combat for the time as part of the German Condor Legion sent to assist during the Spanish Civil War. At the outbreak of World War II, all nine of the Luftwaffe's Stuka squadrons took part in the attack on Poland. Operating in conditions of air superiority, the Stuka performed well, wreaking havoc on Polish forces and communications. With its sirens wailing, the Stuka dive-bomber was a weapon of terror used to instill fear into the military and civilians alike. The aircraft played an important role in the campaigns against Norway, France and the Low Countries, but it suffered heavy losses when confronted by the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the RAF and was quickly withdrawn from the Battle of Britain and as the war ground on, the Stuka became more vulnerable and less effective. Depite its increasing obsolescence, the type remained in service until the end of the war.