On #ThisDayInHistory in 1937, the #Nazi Condor Legion, working for #Franco's parafascist faction in the #SpanishCivilWar, bombed and destroyed the #Basque town of #Gernika. #Stuka dive-bombers practically erased it in a horrific assault meant to test German preparedness for war.

Two German Ju87-G2’s (anti tank variant) patrol the skies - Slovakia, 1944 #ww2 #stuka #junkers #ju87 #antitank #aviation #aircraft #airforce #luftwaffe #slovakia

Three German Ju87D’s fly over a mountain range in Yugoslavia - Oct 1943 #ww2 #worldwar2 #stuka #ju87 #avaiation #aircraft #airforce -#yugoslavia #mountains

#Weltfrauentag
Was haben ...

Beate Uhse
Melitta Gräfin Schenk von Stauffenberg
Hannah Reitsch

... gemeinsam?

Genau - sie waren #Fliegerinnen. Test- und Überführungspilotinnen der Luftwaffe. M.v.Stauffenberg ist #Stuka geflogen, abgeschossen wurde sie #1945. Die #Biographie wartet auf die #Lektüre.

German ground crew work on Ju87 Stukas as they are readied for action - Northern France 1941 #history #groundcrew #ju87 #stuka #northernfrance #france #aviation #ww2 #worldwar2 #history

A German mountain ranger watches the aftermath of a raid by Junkers Ju87’s on Soviet fortifications - Murmansk region, Eastern Front, June 1941 #murmansk #easternfront #junkers #ju87 #stuka #raid #history

A church is in flames after German Stukas attack a French town during the invasion of France - June 1940 #ww2 #worldwar2 #history #conflict #invasion #france #stuka #church

A German Ju 87B Stuka of I/StG 77 falls earthward in its final moments over Chichester, England. Both airmen seem to be still onboard - Aug 1940. The Stuka suffered such high casualties that it was eventually withdrawn from any missions over Britain
#battleofbritain #chichester #england #stuka #greatbritain #august1940 #england #ju87 #luftwaffe

German Junkers Ju87B-1 dive bombers of II Gruppe of Stukageschwader 77 prepare for another mission - date and location unknown #worldwartwo #worldwar2 #ww2 #worldatwar #secondworldwar #conflict #history #worldwartwopictures #war #worldwar2pictures #historyofwar #historyofwarfare #stuka #junkers #ju87 #luftwaffe

A German Ju 87D of III./St.G17. Staffel is about to take off from the Dnieper border region - Eastern Front, Summer 1942. Note the wheel casings have been removed to avoid the plane flipping over on poor surfaces during landing / take off #worldwartwo #worldwar2 #ww2 #worldatwar #secondworldwar #conflict #history #worldwartwopictures #war #worldwar2pictures #historyofwar #historyofwarfare #luftwaffe #ju87
#Dneiper #easternfront #stuka

#MelittaVonStauffenberg was born #OTD in 1903. One of the first women to fly a #glider, she became a brilliant aeronautical engineer & test pilot. The bust shows her hair merged with her flying cap - part woman part machine. 
Melitta developed the dive sights & dive brakes for the #Stuka #divebomber, but in July #1944 she played a key role in the #valkyrie bomb plot. 
Her extraordinary true story is told in my book #thewomenwhoflewforhitler
#histodons #WW2 #resistance

Great talking about #MelittaVonStauffenberg, aeronautical engineer behind much of the #Ju87 #Stuka #divebomber, & exceptional #nosedive #testpilot. Deeply conflicted, she was later at the heart of the 20 July 1944 attempt on Hitler’s life. See #TheWomenWhoFlewForHitler!
(It’s been a busy week!)
#ww2history #pilots #assassination #tvhistory #histodons #book

Ju-87 Stuka dive bombers on a production line in the hangars of Tempelhof airport are readied for assembly - Berlin 1943
#worldwartwo #worldwar2 #ww2 #worldatwar #secondworldwar #conflict #history #worldwartwopictures #war #worldwar2pictures #historyofwar #historyofwarfare #berlin #tempelhof #luftwaffe #stuka #ju87

A JU 87 B-2 gains altitude just after take off above the Soviet plains - Spring 1942
#worldwartwo #worldwar2 #ww2 #worldatwar #secondworldwar #conflict #history #worldwartwopictures #war #worldwar2pictures #historyofwar #historyofwarfare #luftwaffe #stuka #ju87 #easternfront #sovietunion