As every schoolboy growing up in the 40’s 50’s and even 60’s knows, the Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka dive bomber was a two-seat German ground-attack aircraft with a pilot and rear gunner.
It was a plane that was capable of terrifying 80-degree acrobatic dives, and its high pitched whine while diving, known as the ‘Jericho Trumpet’, was imitated by schoolboys in the playground for generations to come.
Hitler’s plan was to conquer Europe one country at a time using Germany’s mighty military power. Hitler believed that to accomplish his designs he needed a powerful air force. He commissioned Hermann Pohlmann to design the Stuka which first flew in 1935 and made its combat debut in 1936 as part of the Luftwaffe’s Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War.
The Stukas also struck the very first blows of World War II. On September 1st 1939 at 4:34 a.m. a three-man wing group commanded by 1st Lieutenant Bruno Dilley of the Luftwaffe attacked the town of Dirschan, Poland in an attempt to prevent them from blowing up a huge railroad bridge that spanned the Vistula River. The aircraft enjoyed many early “Blitzkrieg” victories between 1939–1942, but its lack of speed and manoeuvrability ultimately proved no match for the Spitfire.
So much for history, what in the world does it have to do with watches? Well, nowadays Junkers is well known throughout Europe and the U.S. for their high performance watches. Every model in the Junkers line has some connection to the aircraft designed by Hugo Junkers in the early age of aviation.
Hugo Junkers cannot be blamed for the infamous Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers that terrorised Europe during World War II. He had already been ousted by the Nazis from his own company before the production of the aircraft but you can find watches named after various designs in which he was involved such as Cockpit JU 52, IronAnnie JU 52, and the 150 Years Hugo Junkers. The Corrugated Sheet JU 52 models all have corrugated dials reminiscent of the corrugated metal sheet used on the JU 52 aircraft. There is also a Ju 87 commemorative watch on the market, but it’s unlikely to have been made by the Junkers Watch company.
But what about the other famous aircraft from World War II, the Spitfire? It’s been immortalised too. The PB MD188 Spitfire Pilot’s Watch comes in a limited edition of 4950, and each has a certificate of authenticity.
If you are looking for watches commemorating important military aviation history these are highly collectable.
