The Ju 87G: Hans-Ulrich Rudel’s Tank-Busting Stuka

The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, with its iconic inverted gull wings and terrifying sirens, is one of the most recognizable aircraft of the Second World War. Designed in the 1930s as a precision dive bomber, the Stuka terrorized European skies during the early blitzkrieg campaigns. By the war’s later years, however, the aging design faced an existential problem: it was slow, vulnerable to modern Allied fighters, and no longer suited for the high-speed air war of the mid-1940s. Yet, through adaptation and innovation, the Ju 87 found a new and deadly role — that of a specialized tank-buster.

This new role gave rise to the Ju 87G variant, known colloquially as the Kanonenvogel (“cannon bird”). Armed with two powerful Bordkanone BK 37mm cannons slung beneath its wings, the Ju 87G transformed the outdated dive bomber into a formidable anti-tank platform. And no pilot demonstrated its effectiveness more than Hans-Ulrich Rudel, the Luftwaffe’s most decorated flyer and a figure whose legend remains both celebrated and controversial to this day.

The Evolution of the Stuka

The Stuka had its heyday during the early stages of the war. In Poland, France, and the Low Countries, it symbolized the terrifying speed of blitzkrieg tactics. Its siren — the infamous Jericho Trumpet — turned bombing raids into psychological warfare. But by the Battle of Britain in 1940, the weaknesses of the Ju 87 were glaring. It was slow, poorly defended, and increasingly easy prey for modern fighters like the Spitfire and Hurricane.

By 1942, with the Luftwaffe stretched thin and the Eastern Front demanding new solutions, German engineers sought to repurpose the Ju 87. Rather than retire it, they envisioned a role where speed mattered less but precision and firepower mattered more: close air support against tanks.

The result was the Ju 87G. Instead of bomb racks, it carried the 37mm cannons, each with a six-round magazine. These cannons were modified from anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, capable of piercing the sloped armor of the Soviet T-34 from above.

The Eastern Front: A Battlefield of Steel

By 1943 and 1944, the war on the Eastern Front was dominated by tanks. The Soviet Union had unleashed vast armored forces, spearheaded by the versatile and numerous T-34. The Germans, though technologically advanced in tank design, could not match the sheer numbers of Soviet production.

To stem the tide, the Luftwaffe turned to ground-attack aircraft. The Ju 87G fit perfectly into this desperate need. Unlike fast fighter-bombers, the Stuka could loiter near the battlefield, identify tank concentrations, and swoop down at low altitude to deliver devastating cannon fire.

The Soviets quickly learned to fear the distinctive silhouette of the cannon-armed Stuka. Tank crews reported the near-impossible task of fighting under skies where Rudel and his squadron operated, knowing that no amount of armor could guarantee survival against well-aimed 37mm shells from above.

Hans-Ulrich Rudel: The Stuka Ace

If the Ju 87G was the weapon, then Hans-Ulrich Rudel was its master. Born in 1916, Rudel joined the Luftwaffe early in the war but initially struggled, considered too weak in training to be a frontline pilot. Yet, through persistence and determination, he carved out a career that would make him one of the most famous — and infamous — aviators of the 20th century.

Rudel flew more than 2,500 combat missions, an almost unimaginable number, and became the most decorated pilot in German military history. His official record credits him with destroying over 500 Soviet tanks, hundreds of vehicles and artillery pieces, and even several ships — including the Soviet battleship Marat, crippled during a daring dive-bombing attack.

By 1944, Rudel was flying the Ju 87G-1, the first production tank-busting Stuka. Despite his aircraft being slower and less maneuverable than Soviet Yak and LaGG fighters, Rudel survived repeated dogfights, often escaping with bullet-ridden wings or damaged engines. His survival was partly luck, partly skill, and partly the reputation he cultivated as a fearless, almost reckless pilot who refused to quit.

Even grievous injuries didn’t stop him. In 1945, Rudel lost a leg in combat yet returned to flying within weeks, continuing his attacks against Soviet armor until the war’s final days.

The Ju 87G in Action

The Ju 87G required incredible precision. Its cannons carried limited ammunition, meaning pilots had only a handful of shots per sortie. Success depended on hitting the thin armor on the tops of tanks, usually from a steep dive or low-level strafing run.

Rudel and others perfected this technique. Flying low, they would line up Soviet tank formations, identify command vehicles or heavy armor, and unleash short bursts. Even a single penetration of a T-34’s engine deck could render the tank useless.

Though never produced in the massive numbers of Soviet aircraft, the Ju 87G carved out a psychological reputation that far exceeded its actual presence. Stories spread of Soviet tank crews abandoning vehicles at the mere sight of cannon-armed Stukas circling overhead.

Limitations and Vulnerabilities

For all its effectiveness in the hands of experts, the Ju 87G was still fundamentally an obsolete aircraft design by 1944. Its slow speed and lack of defensive agility made it extremely vulnerable to Soviet fighters. The Red Air Force, growing stronger with each year, increasingly deployed Yak-3s, La-5s, and American-supplied Lend-Lease fighters to counter the Stukas.

Without escort, Ju 87Gs could be slaughtered. Losses were heavy, and the aircraft was eventually phased out in favor of the faster Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in ground-attack roles. Still, in the final chapters of the war, the Ju 87G remained a symbol of German desperation and ingenuity.

Rudel’s Legacy and Controversy

Hans-Ulrich Rudel’s record remains unmatched: the only recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, the highest decoration Nazi Germany could bestow. Yet his legacy is deeply controversial. After the war, Rudel remained unrepentant of his service to the Nazi regime, which has complicated how history remembers him.

From a purely military perspective, however, his feats in the Ju 87G demonstrated how one pilot could redefine the role of a nearly obsolete aircraft. His story illustrates both the brilliance and the tragedy of air warfare in the Second World War: extraordinary individual skill deployed in the service of a destructive regime.

Conclusion: The Tank-Busting Stuka

The Ju 87G was not produced in large numbers, nor did it change the ultimate outcome of the war. Yet its impact on the Eastern Front was undeniable. For Soviet tankers, it embodied a lethal threat from the skies. For the Luftwaffe, it represented a desperate adaptation of an old warhorse. And for Hans-Ulrich Rudel, it became the stage upon which he built his enduring — and controversial — legend.

By 1944, the Eastern Front was a battlefield of attrition, where steel clashed against steel and innovation determined survival. In that brutal theater, the sight of a Ju 87G diving with cannons blazing became one of the most feared experiences for Soviet armor crews.

Today, the “tank-busting Stuka” remains a fascinating example of wartime ingenuity — a reminder of how even outdated designs can find new life in the crucible of war, and how a single pilot’s determination can transform a weapon into a symbol of both fear and fascination.