From the "Discovery Wings" program two days ago. The Stuka landing gear struts carried small explosive charges at their attachment points in order to allow the detachment of the remaining strut if the other strut were shot off. Apparently, according to "Wings", an attempted landing with only one strut would be a disaster. More safe with no struts at all. Practical engineering.

Probably everyone knew this already but I thought I would mention.

Corvid: (addicted to History Channel, need twelve step program)

I didn't know this, thanks...

Peter

Nope, didn't know that, interesting info.

Will we get this modelled in IL-2?

I know that for the naval version of the ju 87 the one made for the german aircraft carrier, but not for standar ju87

According to my new book, the jettisonable landing gear was in the C carrier version and was suppose to be introduced in the D series. However, the explosive bolts never worked properly. Most Stuka pilots who had to belly land really "razed off" the struts utilizing trees or rocks
Stuka pilots were no cowards, apparently

Hum, is why it is so easy to blow the leg off the '87, one has hit the exposives.



[This message has been edited by KraziKanuK (edited 07-18-2002).]

In the book "Aces Against Germany: The American Aces Speak, Volume II" there's an account entitled "Seven Stukas" about a mission flown on October 9th, 1943 in the Italian theatre by P-38 pilot Major Bill Leverette.

In it, he describes a mauling, with himself bagging 7 Stukas and in turn being awarded the DSC. The only American to score more in a single mission was Cmdr. David McCampbell with 9 in the Pacific.

Another pilot in Leverette's formation was credited with 5 Stukas. Altogether the American pilots were credited with 16 Stukas and a Ju-88 that was trailing the dive bombers.

Anyway, back to the point...

An excerpt: "Before we could get within range of the Stukas, several of them made dive-bombing runs on the British warships. At least one hit was scored on a destroyer, which broke in two and sank immediately.

As we closed on the Stukas--it was about 1215-- I told Lieutenant Blue to hold up his flight momentarily in case there were more enemy aircraft, possibly fighters, following the Stukas. With my flight I immediately closed on the rear quarter of the Stuka formation. The obvious plan of attack was to get in close to the Stukas and clobber them with short, accurate bursts from our .50 caliber machine guns.

Before the Germans knew we were there, I attacked the nearest airplane ahead of me. I fired a short burst with the .50s from about 20 degrees. Smoke poured from the left side of the Stuka's engine.

The Stuka pilots who still had bombs jettisoned them as soon as the shooting started. Several of my pilots also reported later that a number of Stukas jettisoned their fixed landing gear as well."


[This message has been edited by DBond (edited 07-18-2002).]

There were probably very few pilots in any of the combatants air arms that would have been cowards. Some were probably crazy.. after a time.. with the knowledge that I would be fighting until wars end (how long?) or until I was killed... well, I figure that I would be a bit off kilter myself.

To borrow a line from "Band of Brothers"...

"Once you get the understanding that you're already dead you won't have any worry or fear."

Or it could be as simple as the statement from one of the first to fly the Merlyn P51 in combat (was it Don Gentile???)... "I seen my duty and I done it".

My hats off to all of them.

(this probably should have been posted in the "How a Fighter Pilot Feels" thread... but I guess all of the threads eventually come to the awful wonderment of it all.

Corvid

Corvid, of course you're right

But from what I read, Stuka pilots had a morale unheard of in other german units. Remember that they continued flying an aircraft which was allready seen as obsolete in 1940 right to the end of the war.
There were "Stuka experts" (not only Rudel, but also Kupfer, Dilley, Lang and serveral others) that had very much experience. These people continued to fly the Stuka for over 1000 missions each and came back every time (ok, sometimes on foot ). Surviving 1000 missions in a high performance combat aircraft is requires skill and luck allready, so how about 1000 missions in a Stuka?

I recall a talk with a veteran from a armoured recovery unit.
He talked to Stuka men on one occasion in Orel and told me " They had apparently no fear".
Not that this is followed word for word,
but if a vet of the eastern front tells it that way he must have been somehow
impressed...