Winterized Stuka

gustav · Post by **gustav** » Mon May 09, 2005 9:38 am

A few questons on the winterized stuka:

First, the symbol located just in front of the cockpit looks like a whale swallowing a ship, IMO. Plus there is an anchor. Was this plane primarily used in an anti-shipping role?

I checked Teamski's profile, and the plane was used in/around the Leningrad region. Thus, if the plane was being used to attack shipping, would its theater of operations be the Baltic or along the northern passages to Murmansk?

Lastly, Moshaisk is painted on the side also. What's that all about?

Thanks.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Mon May 09, 2005 1:10 pm

I'm not entirely sure about this, however, based on what I remember from a thread a long time ago about this same plane, I think it was metioned that the nautical theme behind the Winter Stuka's insignia came from the fact that the particular unit was origionally intended to be a carrier-based unit on Germany's only aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin. (O.K. I'm not joking about the ship - in fact there was a Revell model made of it, see below.) That project was thankfully never completed and the Stuka unit was reassigned to the Eastern front.

You can just make out the Stukas on the deck in the picture.

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Tue May 10, 2005 12:01 am

If my memory serves me correctly T-mans explaination of the winter stuka / german aircraft carrier is on the money correct. Kind of a cool story I think.

gustav · Post by **gustav** » Tue May 10, 2005 8:18 am

Good find with the model. Interesting story on the stuka's background. I would have thought the stuka a bit oversized for carrier duty.

Lucky for the Germans they decided not to build the carrier. If they had, its life span would have been rather short, because the Allies would have relentlessly gone after it.

Gunner · Post by **Gunner** » Tue May 10, 2005 9:53 am

However, imagine if it had been operational in 1939 (as originally intended), when British air, especially Naval Air, was still in it's infancy (remember, the BISMARK's rudders were damaged by a torpedo fired from a BIPLANE!)

Better yet, imagine a 1/18 Aircraft Carrier!!!