What does "Stuka" mean?

Short answer

"Stuka" is short for Sturzkampfflugzeug, which in German means "dive bomber". That was the nickname for the Junkers Ju 87, which dived at angles of 60 to 90° while holding 500-600 km/h (310-370 mph) with dive brakes deployed, increasing accuracy.

Published: November 4, 2026 · Updated: November 4, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-646-5188-17, Flugzeuge Junkers Ju 87Richard Opitz (CC BY SA), vía commons

A Shortened Name

"Stuka" is the shortened form of Sturzkampfflugzeug, which in German means "dive bomber". The aircraft dived at angles of between 60 and 90°, maintaining a constant speed of 500-600 km/h (310-370 mph) thanks to the deployment of dive brakes, which increased accuracy.

From the Kestrel to the Jumo

During trials with the K 47 in 1932, twin vertical tail fins were introduced to give the rear gunner a better field of fire. The Ju 87 was to be powered by the British Rolls-Royce Kestrel, a liquid-cooled V12. Junkers ordered ten of these engines on 19 April 1934, for a sum of £20,514, two shillings and sixpence. The V1, with a Kestrel engine and twin tail, crashed on 24 January 1936. In March 1936 the second prototype, the V2, finally received a Junkers Jumo 210 Aa, which a year later was replaced by a Jumo 210 G.