The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka

Utilizing this slow and relatively lightly-armed WWII warplane the German Luftwaffe spearheaded the Blitzkrieg assaults from Poland in 1939, through to North Africa and beyond. From the very first day of the second world war to the very last, the Ju 87 operated on the front line. Famed for its precision bombing, the Stukas accuracy paid handsome dividends against such pin-point targets as rail and road bridges, artillery, communications, fortresses, and enemy armour. Its added ability to linger over the combat zone providing continuous close air support to troops in the field and proven capability in the field proved a major asset to the Luftwaffe throughout WWII. For a land-based aircraft, the Stuka earned a formidable reputation as an anti-shipping weapon.