Last Operational Use of JU 87 in WWII?

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Old Git, Sep 19, 2018.

  1. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    This is something has been on my mind for a couple months now and finally thought I'd ask the question, does anyone have any documentary proof of the last operational use of the Stuka Ju 87 during WWII. I ask because I have War Diary references to a couple of Ju 87's skip bombing 13 Fd Sqn, RE, attempts to put a Bailey bridge across the Wesser, at Stolzenau, on April 6th 1945 and I guess that this has got to be a contender...maybe! Anyone got any other info on JU 88's being used in a offensive role after April 6th, 1945?

    Pete
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Last edited: Sep 19, 2018
  3. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    I think April 6th might be too early for thr last sortie by JU-88's.

    A few easily found examples:
    References to a JU-88 loss on May 3, 1945 but no indication of the mission, defensive or offensive.
    "Shot down by two RAF Spitfires over Husum. Forced landed and burned out. Pilot Oberstleutnant Willi Bichmann and crew safe."

    "Smoke and flame erupt from a German Junkers Ju 88 torpedo-bomber as it crashes into the North Sea while Royal Air Force De Havilland Mosquitos of the Banff Strike Wing (144, 235, 248, 333 (Norwegian) Squadrons, RAF) circle overhead. Twelve Ju 88s of II./KG 26 and six Ju 188s of III./KG 26 were underway from Stavanger, Norway, to attack a convoy off the Scottish coast when they were spotted by 45 Mosquitos of the Wing which were returning at dusk from an uneventful anti-shipping patrol in the Kattegat. They succeeded in shooting down eight Ju 88s and one Ju 188 without loss to themselves."

    Date 21 April 1945
    Ju_88_shot_down_by_Mosquitoes_over_Kattegat_1945.jpg
     
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  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  5. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    Yes, Ju 87. Late at Night, half a bottle of Merlot and fingers that don't work anyways thanks to a 500lb car bomb and a shredded spine!
     
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  6. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    Hopefully, your degree of inebriation allowed you to skip over my now irrelevant post on the JU-88.
     
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  7. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    Now that the aircraft in question has been confirmed, Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel's Schlachtgeschwader 2 is reported to have supported German ground forces with the JU-87 in the East until at least May 8th when he flew to Kitzingen and surrendered to the Americans.
     
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