Flying Stukas?

[von Poop]

In a similar vein to the 'Flying Mosquitos' thread...

I noticed in passing a reference to one N87LL as the only currently flying Stuka, had a shufti round the web and it appears that the airframe is a 7/10 size replica, possibly with a sister: Junkers aircraft on display. There's other talk on there of replicas.

Is this/are these the only potential Ju87's I'm ever likely to see in the air one day?

The thing was an absolute favourite as a kid, something utterly 'martial' about it. Didn't I see one flying in 'The Battle of Britain' film last week? Very little in the 'making of' film brochure I've got so I wonder what happened to that?

Footage of a Stuka attack throwing what look like French tanks about like toys here.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Gnomey]

As far as I know yes. There are lots of static ones around but none are in an airworthy condition.

[Andy in West Oz]

Adam, I think the Stukas used in The Battle of Britain film were flying models. However, I also seem to remember something about Proctors being modified. Don't know why that just popped into my head.

I think the best chance to have a flying Stuka was in the mid-late 90s before Sir Tim Walllis in New Zealand had his accident in the Spit Mk XIV. That was when the Alpine Fighter Collection was at its height with the Oscar doing hops etc. They acquired a couple of 110s and at least one Stuka. The 110s are now in a German museum, in fact I think one is restored and on display. I don't know what happened to the Stuka but it was pretty substantial wreckage from the pics I saw.

There was a rumour floating a few years ago of an airline pilot who got diverted to a fairly deserted airport in Russia "somewhere". While they were waiting around, he (he left the plane so how big was the plane he was flying, did he have passengers etc) checked out some of the hangars and came across one that was locked. He looked through the gap between the doors and could see heaps of Stukas all sitting on their noses, tails in the air.

I took that with about a bucket of salt but it's a pretty cool story anyway. With the stuff that's been coming out of Russia - Hurricanes, the occasional Spit, P-39s, P-40s, Il-2s, Yaks, 109s, 110s, Fw189, 190s etc etc, it is very likely a good Stuka will be recovered, if one hasn't been already.

Sorry, that was a bit long-winded.

Cheers

Andy

[von Poop]

Gotta love those 'Russian tales', underground squadrons and mafia owned 109's, It's the same in the tank world... We can only hope our cynicism will be disproved one day .
You really never know though, this 190 lying on the surface in the 90's (along with it's pilot nearby ) used to be my avatar, I imagine the sheer fiscal value means that it's stored away somewhere by now.

From: here, 'haxodku' for the gallery, built in translation quite good from there.

[Andy in West Oz]

Ju-87 STUKA salvaged in Greece - Aircraft of World War II - Warbird Forums

Greek Ju87 recovered in October last year. Gnomey posted in this thread!

A bit more surfing has turned up a Stuka registered on the British civil registry - G-STUK I think it was - long-term restoration project.

Cheers

Andy

[Gnomey]

Why is that so amazing, lol. Yeah there is that one but it won't fly again and will just remain on static display like most of the others around the world (there is one at Hendon).

[Andy in West Oz]

VP, if that's the 190 I'm thinking about, the forest setting looks familiar, she was featured in Warbirds Worldwide in the late 90s. The article was a very in depth look at the restoration project. Don't know whether she's still under active resto or what but there are a couple of 190s very close to flying so perhaps she's one. I used to be right into the Warbird scene, in case you can't tell, but keeping up with it all becomes very obsessive and time-consuming! Still have a great interest in it but am not right up on the latest first flights and recoveries. I can say that every now and then I hear news of a first flight and think, "Wow, I remember when they pulled that out of the lake" or "Wow, I can't believe they've found one"!

It'll happen for Stukas for sure!

Cheers

Andy

[Andy in West Oz]

Originally Posted by Gnomey

Why is that so amazing, lol. Yeah there is that one but it won't fly again and will just remain on static display like most of the others around the world (there is one at Hendon).

Saw her 18 years ago when I was 12. Still can't get over how big they are.

[von Poop]

I've never seen over a million posts by one forum user before, and on a different thread about that stuka you've got another gent I recognise from elsewhere with over 1 million too... Crikey.


Greek air force report with pictures.

[Gnomey]

The edited the post counts so all the moderators had 1 million posts (on top of what they had before)...