Stuka JU-87B "T0+AY"?

[toay]

There is a famous photo of a JU-87B in a dive that just has released all five of it's bombs. The photo was taken from just below and off to the left of the Stuka in the dive. I am trying to figure out what the four digit code of the particular plane was and what color the third letter was. You can make out what is on the bottom of the wings though. The code on the bottom of the wings going from the planes right to left is "T0+AY". I know a lot of the Stuka Geschwaders started in "T6", but the second number on the bottom of the right wing definitely is not a 6. The problem is that in my research, I have not found a Geschwader that started with "T0". The photo is too grainy & dark to make out the code on the fuselage, but it is pretty certain that there is no fuselage band and the third letter is not white or yellow. I know that this is not a lot of information to go on, but I thought with the knowledge on the 12O'clock High board, I might get lucky. Thanks for any help you might be able to provide.



Tony B.

[G.R.Morrison]

There is a famous photo of a JU-87B in a dive that just has released all five of it's bombs. The photo was taken from just below and off to the left of the Stuka in the dive. I am trying to figure out what the four digit code of the particular plane was and what color the third letter was. You can make out what is on the bottom of the wings though. The code on the bottom of the wings going from the planes right to left is "T0+AY".

Actually, the Kennung is TD+AY. These photos, originally from motion-picture footage, first appeared in a summer 1940 issue of the propaganda magazine, Signal. There is also a small white "2" on the cowl and on the outer face of the wheel cover ('spat'), but this disappears in some prints. This machine probably belonged to the Stukaschule 1, and was photographed in company with others: "9" VK+FK; and "3" coded K (possibly an ex-St.G. 2 machine, with an earlier-style underwing cross); and "6". All have spinners with a white front. The ordnance consists of practice bombs. Several of the Ju 87s have a 3-digit Werknummern near the top of the rudder (not fin), but these are unfortunately illegible.

I know a lot of the Stuka Geschwaders started in "T6", but the second number on the bottom of the right wing definitely is not a 6.

Well, "T6" was used by St.G. 2, but this unit was dispersed early in the war, and while the I & III Gruppen went to Russia, the II/St.G. 2 was dispatched to North Africa, where it was incorporated into the St.G. 3 (which was created from several different Stuka Gruppen, and whose machines, at various times, might feature "2F" for the Geschwader Staff, and S1, T6, A5, and eventually S7 -- confused yet?) 'Luftwaffe' may be a German word for 'labyrinth' -- but that's part of the fun.

The problem is that in my research, I have not found a Geschwader that started with "T0". The photo is too grainy & dark to make out the code on the fuselage, but it is pretty certain that there is no fuselage band and the third letter is not white or yellow.

You're right about the lack of a Rumpfband, and this photo has been used many places and times, so your print may not have much left to discern.

Hope this helped,
GRM

[Rabe Anton]

As he usually does, George Morrison has laid out solid and important information for you about the Ju 87B
T O + A Y. You will note that George stated that this airplane belonged to a training unit. That fact helps explain the underwing code in which you are interested.

The lettering under the wings and on the fuselage of this Stuka is, in fact, not a unit code but a Stammkennzeichen, or "factory code." These codes can sometimes be used to identify the airplane's Werknummer, but probably not in this case. The machine in the photo is a Ju 87B-1 Stuka built before November 1939, thus its Stammkennzeichen is not part of a sequential block of codes. Luftwaffe training units usually either retained an airplane's SKZ or they restored it if the airplane came to the school from an operational unit. Regrettably, therefore, it's somewhat unlikely that you will be able to learn the Werknummer of the T O + A Y.

RA