Stuka Siren!

[plan_D]

I'm sure there was a group of British troops running for cover while hearing those sirens and saying "what an inspired way to scare you enemy, it was absolute genius............" and the other replying, "Yes, quite."

[Erich]

yes stupid is the right word from about 1942-43 on the Ost front when getting shot up by Soviet AA.................here we come, let us have it....

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Originally Posted by plan_D

I'm sure there was a group of British troops running for cover while hearing those sirens and saying "what an inspired way to scare you enemy, it was absolute genius............" and the other replying, "Yes, quite."

i honestly wouldn't be supprised if that exact thing happened............

[Udet]

I agree the siren could "help" the attacked ground positions or troops being more alert.

Also i agree the siren could have begin losing its psychological effect as the war progressed.

However, i do not think 1942-43 made a period of high losees of Stukas, at all. 2 remarkable battles in such period in the ostfront can be of help in the issue:

(i) Stalingrad (second half of 1942), losses of fighters, bombers and stukas over and around the city in the Volga were low for the Luftwaffe, being moderate in the worst case scenario.

The brunt of the disaster suffered by the Luftwaffe in Stalingrad, was suffered by the transport branch, losing more than 500 transports and a number of bombers pressed into service as transports during the airlift.


(ii) The Kuban air battles of 1943 where the Stuka flew many many missions in very large formations. Perhaps it was the last place where the Stuka flew in massive formations in world war II.
It was either april or may of that year, in that area, that a 460 Stuka strong formation attacked soviet positions in the western tip of the German bridgehead, losing only 6 Stukas, to soviet AA mostly.

(BTW, a casualy rate far lower than the one the USAAF`s heavy bombers were accepting in western europe).

Early 1943, saw the Stukas gutting US military convoys and grund positions in North Africa, in an environment where the USA did not have air superiority.
(BTW, to those who claim and claim over and over again the Stuka was "obsolete" by even 1942, you should read a bit more on the experiences of the US soldiers being pounded by the Stuka in North Africa)

Does anyone know if the Stukas which pounded the US army in North Africa were fitted with the sirens?

[Crazy]

It seems to me that you (plan_D, Erich, and lanc) are missing the point. In the situation it was designed for, it was a brilliant idea. Of course British troops weren't doing that, or at least the Germans Flying the Stuka's hoped that they weren't. The idea was to scare them witless and lower the infantry's morale, which it did quite effectively

[Erich]

I do not think so. True with overwhelming superiorirty in manpower/equipment the Wehrmacht could be almost indestructable in Poland, Holland, France and the first year in the Soviet Union. After 1942 the Soviets used more and more ground flak pieces many of them mobile with their Tank forces. This is proven in STG 2's log-books for one unit which harrassed Soviet MT and armor through the whole war.

[Crazy]

You still seem to miss the point I'm making. They certainly weren't as effective against targets that could fight back, but they weren't designed to be effective in that situation. It's like saying "the He-111 was a terrible fighter" well yeah, but it wasn't designed to be a fighter, but it did well in the role it was made for, as a bomber. Likewise, the siren did well in the situation it was designed for, against the early-war, relatively defenseless infantry.

[Udet]

Crazy:

To some extent i have said what you commented here.

Several guys here argue the Stuka was "obsolete"; it only had a lethal performance in Poland, France, Low Countries and the first months of Barbarossa -the only "gap" in such period being the Battle of Britain-.

1942, when the Wehrmacht launched Blau, the Stuka performed as lethal and destructive as it had done in the previous months and years. The VVS units launched to the battle in that period were, to an important extent, destroyed by the Luftwaffe.

I will not repeat the same stuff over and over again. Had Germany won the war the Stuka would be the "greatest ground attack plane ever"; just like the IL-2M is considered by many guys in here; the IL-2M was virtually helpless when intercepted as well; slow, clumsy... but the Shturmovik belongs in the victors club.

[Erich]

am not sure Crazy where you are going now. I agree that the siren which is the original topic header was a pure psycho weapon in the early war years but once the enemy-allies were used to the sound, all ant1-aircraft guns were directed to the sound. The case is that the sirens were removed and actually whistles were used later even on the bombs as a psycho killer threat to put terror into the lives of ground troops. the Stuka was a wild machine and it's day useage was dying by 1945 since it was being replaced by the more nimble Fw 190F and G series fast attack bombers. Still the G-1 Kanonvögel was something to be reckoned with as the Panzerstaffels still used the old crate till war's end, and also the night ground attack gruppen who preferred it due to its slow stalling speed, easy banking, excellent dive characteristics and could still deliver a pretty decent payload to the target.

are we now on the same page ? here's a pic for ya

[cheddar cheese]

To me, the siren is makes the Stuka what it is (intimidating) With airspace, it was effective - without, it wasnt.

Superb pic BTW Erich

[CharlesBronson]

Color video of attacking Stukas.

It need Divx.

[cheddar cheese]

Sounds good...shame about the size though. Ill try it next weekend

[hellmaker]

Actually yes it was... The siren was the most devastating an allied millitary man could hear... The german loved that siren... they used it as propaganda... It was everywhere... in movies, on the radio... EVERYWHERE... it is what had made the STUKA a star... It was indeed a weak airplane but it was huge propaganda machine...

[cheddar cheese]

The siren actually came about in the earlier models, a similar noise was produced by the extended airbrakes. They removed them later in in the war though, a wise choice!

[the lancaster kicks ass]

ok i've just watched that video and it's amazing!!