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The first model of the Ilyushin Il-2 was a single seat attack aircraft incorporating 700kg of armour as a structural part of the aircraft and carrying cannon, rockets and bombs. It had just entered service in 1941 when Germany invaded the Soviet Union, causing production to be disrupted as factories were moved east. With encouragement from Stalin (who famously said that the Il-2 was as essential to the Red Army as air and bread), by the end of the war over 36,000 had been built: the most produced combat aircraft of all time.

Design of the Shturmovik evolved with key changes being more powerful guns, improved engines, and the addition of a rear gunner as the Il-2 proved vulnerable to German fighters. These changes can be seen in the numerous variants of the Il-2 available over Ranks II and III in War Thunder. Their cannon are effective against soft targets and thin tank armour; heavier tanks and pillboxes can be dealt with by bombs or rockets.

The Ju 87, with its distinctive inverted gull wings and fixed undercarriage, first saw action in limited numbers in the Spanish Civil War. By the time of the invasions of Poland and France they were an integral part of German tactics that became known as Blitzkrieg, acting as the aerial artillery of the Wehrmacht. The fearsome reputation of the Stuka, enhanced by “Jericho’s Trumpet” sirens, took something of a blow during the Battle of Britain when they proved easy pickings for RAF fighters, but they remained a crucial part of the Luftwaffe’s arsenal for the rest of the war. 

Earlier variants of the Stuka, to the Ju 87 D-3, are capable of destroying any ground target in War Thunder, with bombs of up to 1000kg delivered accurately in a dive. They are however somewhat limited after bombing, with only a pair of 7.92mm wing guns for engaging soft targets. The D-5 upgrades the wing guns to 20mm cannon for improved strafing, with the option of carrying more in gun pods. Finally, the Ju 87G Kanonenvogel (“cannon bird”) variants carry a pair of 37mm guns which are ideal for attacking tanks. Aim for the thin side or rear armour of heavy tanks and remember that the wing mounted guns converge at the “Gun targeting distance” you set before battles, so try to fire at this distance.

The primary mission of the Il-2 and Ju 87 was, of course, attacking ground targets, but they did occasionally tangle in the air; the Stuka was generally at a disadvantage against the cannon of the Shturmovik while the armour of the Il-2 gave some protection against machine gun fire from the Ju 87. In War Thunder, both aircraft are vulnerable to faster fighters but can surprise a careless opponent; a tight turn into an attacker can be an effective defensive manoeuvre. Do not rely on rear gunners but listen out for when they open fire, they provide a useful warning when an enemy is behind you (and sometimes manage a lucky shot). The cannon of the Il-2 series and Ju 87 D-5 are highly effective against other aircraft if you can line up a shot; the slow firing 37mm guns of the Ju 87G are difficult to use against fighters but can be useful against large, slow bombers.

Eliminating ground targets can make the difference between winning and losing matches in War Thunder and the Il-2 and Ju 87 series excel in this role in air battles and are formidable against tanks in combined arms battles. Like their historical counterparts, they operate best with a friendly fighter escort so bring along a squad mate or two if you can.

After World War II dedicated close support aircraft fell out of favour, the role largely being taken up by fighter-bombers, but in the 1970s the legacy of the Il-2 and Ju 87G was revived by new armoured attack aircraft: the US A-10 Thunderbolt II and Russian Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot.

Author: John "Zoso" Moore