5. Junkers Ju 87 (Germany)
The infamous Stuka bomber has made its way into all WWII video games and movies. And its safe to say that the fame these bombers have earned is all well deserved. The Junkers Ju 87 was a modern (at the time) dive bomber and a truly lethal weapon with amazing accuracy. They were mainly used as airborne artillery because of their maneuverability and thus provided support to German Armor columns.
The Ju-87 wasn’t a high altitude bomber and carried out raids at low elevation. This was seen as a drawback by the Allies, but in fact this was the very feature that established its superiority. Initially the bomber could only deliver a payload of 700 kg but after a couple of upgrades it could carry 1800 kg worth of munitions, attaining a max speed of 600 km/h.
The bomber’s main source of accuracy was its dive bombing tactic, which made it as accurate as the F-117 stealth aircraft. As if this wasn’t enough, Hitler even ordered frightening measures like loud sirens and machine guns to the design making it one of the most feared bombers during the war.
The bomber saw action on both fronts, Eastern and Western.