Historical photograph from summer 1943 showing Luftwaffe Stuka ace Hauptmann Hans-Ulrich Rudel using a wooden scale model of a Soviet T-34 tank to instruct pilots on anti-tank attack angles.
Hans-Ulrich Rudel Briefing Pilots with a Wooden T-34 Model Before Kursk (Summer 1943)
This remarkable archival photograph, taken in the summer of 1943 on a forward airfield in the USSR just prior to the Battle of Kursk, captures Luftwaffe ground-attack ace Hauptmann Hans-Ulrich Rudel conducting a tactical briefing for his pilots.
Using a handcrafted wooden scale model of a Soviet T-34 medium tank placed on a wooden crate, Rudel demonstrates precise aerial attack angles and vulnerable armor zones for crews flying the cannon-armed Junkers Ju 87G anti-tank aircraft.
Tactical Briefing: Hunting Tanks from the Air
The transition of the Ju 87 Stuka into a dedicated tank-buster required specialized gunnery training and a thorough understanding of enemy armor layouts:
- The 37mm Kanonenvogel: Equipped with two underwing 37mm Bordkanone BK 3.7 autocannons firing tungsten-core armor-piercing rounds, the Ju 87G was designed to neutralize heavy Soviet armor on the battlefield.
- Exploiting Weak Spots: Because the sloped frontal armor of the T-34 could easily deflect 37mm projectiles, pilots had to master steep, low-altitude approaches from the rear or flanks to strike the thinner upper hull deck, turret roof, and engine compartment.
- Field-Made Training Aids: In the absence of modern simulators, frontline units relied on detailed wooden models like the one seen here to visualize deflection angles, firing distances, and pull-out maneuvers under intense anti-aircraft fire.
📍 Location: Forward Airfield, USSR
📅 Date: Summer 1943
📷 Photographer: Unknown (German Frontline Archive)
📰 Primary Source: Luftwaffe Ground-Attack Squadron Records
Recommended reading:
- The Junkers Ju 87G Stuka: Evolution of the 37mm cannon-armed tank buster
- Air Power at the Battle of Kursk (1943): Close air support and anti-armor operations
- The Soviet T-34 Tank: Armor layout, sloped protection, and battlefield vulnerabilities