15. An Aerial Jack of All Trades
Ju 88 modifications were introduced during the Battle of Britain. While they performed better than other German bombers, Ju 88s were nonetheless vulnerable when stripped of fighter protection, and still suffered from a variety of bugs. However, by battle’s end an improved version that resolved the design shortcomings, the A-4, had been introduced. With a 5500-pound bomb capacity and a 311 mph speed, the A-4 was the successful template upon which all future Ju 88s variants were based.
The improved Ju 88s performed exceptionally well in the 1941 invasion of the USSR. In addition to level bombing, a shortage of Stukas necessitated the use of Ju 88s as dive bombers, a role they performed well. At sea, Ju 88s inflicted heavy losses on Soviet shipping. Ju 88s also met with success in Italy, where they proved exceptionally lethal against allied shipping. It was the most successful twin-engine German bomber of the war, and roughly 16,000, with dozens of variants, were produced during the conflict – more than any other German twin-engine airplane.