Author Topic: Clipped-wing Stuka? (Read 628 times)

DiabloTX · « **on:** April 05, 2007, 07:26:08 PM »

So I an sitting here at work watching a WWII documentary how on PBS, you know the one with alot of historical black and white footage. During one of the clips there were 2 stuka's that were rolling inverted and diving into attack runs. It seemed as if they had squared-off clipped wings. I have never seen this model stuka, if it existed. I thought maybe the tips were painted darker, and they may have been, but it seemed they were clearly clipped winged stuka's. Was I seeing things?

Gianlupo · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2007, 07:58:52 PM »

Uhhhh... Never heard of a "clipped wing" stuka. But some variants (like the D5) had a larger wingspan than usual... maybe you saw both of them and thought the larger wingspan was the rule?

DiabloTX · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2007, 08:12:40 PM »

Maybe so. I have no idea what it was exactly but the wing tips definitely looked squared off and not tapered like the usual stuka wingtip.

DiabloTX · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2007, 09:04:02 PM »

This is the typical stuka wingtip that I am used to:

What I noticed on the video was this wingtip:

I guess I never realised that the stuka had 2 different types of wingtips during it's time.

DiabloTX · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2007, 09:13:55 PM »

Or the radically 'clipped wing' version:

ridley1 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2007, 10:21:05 PM »

that first 'clipped wing' stuka you show...that's condor legion markings, isn't it? so that would put it as a real early variant...the wheel spats appear to be a different shape, too.

and in the extremely clipped picture......is that an arrestor hook I see?

Airscrew · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2007, 10:44:15 PM »

From Vital Guide, Bombers of the 20th Century, Jim Winchester

Ju-87D-5 had longer span wings with pointed tips as did the Ju-87G with two 37mm cannon

The Ju-87C was intended for aircraft carrier use and had folding wings, but the 40 built all flew from land.

The Ju87R was basically a B with improved fuel system and drop tanks. The B was extremely effective in the Blitzkrieg attacks of 1939-40

DiabloTX · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2007, 10:56:59 PM »

The navalized version was just a joke, I knew about that. You can clearly see even the navalized version had the square-tips. I just didn't realise that the stuka had squared wingtips in it's early incarnations.

Airscrew · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2007, 11:03:32 PM »

I figured you knew Diablo, I was helping Ridley just in case.

DiabloTX · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2007, 11:20:44 PM »

Nope, never knew it. Then again I've never been a stuka fan.

Gianlupo · « **Reply #10 on:** April 06, 2007, 04:26:06 AM »

Indeed, Diablo, the first picture you posted is a D5, with the longer, pointy wingtips. The second one should be a B (or maybe even an A?), and yes, it's a Spanish camo. The tipical Stuka wingtip is the "clipped" one, even AH D3 has it.

I never saw pictures of the navalized Ju87, thanks for posting them (lexicon der wehrmacht, very nice site, too bad it's in German only!

)

EDIT: Yes, the "Spanish" one is an A, as ridley noted, the wheel spats are in their original shape.

ridley1 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 06, 2007, 09:03:13 AM »

I just look at the shape of the radiator cowling to distinguish between early and later models.