What were the "Jericho Trumpets"?

Short answer

They were the ram-air-driven sirens fitted to the Ju 87, officially called "Lärmgerät"; the Germans nicknamed them "Jericho Trumpets" and relied on the psychological effect of the noise to gain an edge over their adversaries. Two 0.7 m sirens mounted on the B-1.

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

Junkers Ju 87 StukaAd Meskens (scan) (CC BY SA), vía commons

Sirens Driven by Airflow

The "Jericho Trumpets" were the nickname the Germans gave to horns whose noise was expected to produce a psychological effect that would give them an advantage over their adversaries. Officially they were called "Lärmgerät", meaning noise device, and they worked using ram air. They consisted of two propeller-driven sirens, 0.7 m (2.3 ft) in diameter, fitted to the B-1 model of the Ju 87. They were mounted either on the wing's leading edge or on the front edge of the fixed, faired main landing gear legs.

Effect on the Ground and Propaganda Use

The howl that accompanied the Stuka as it dived from the sky to drop its load had a devastating effect on the morale of those on the ground. The device ended up becoming a propaganda symbol of German air power and of the Blitzkrieg victories of 1939-1942. For the Stuka pilots themselves, it also served as an audible reference for speed.

The Price in Performance

The sirens cost the bomber 15 mph in speed due to the aerodynamic drag they generated, a flaw that proved lethal against anti-aircraft guns and fighters.