The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka became one of the most recognizable aircraft of the early Second World War, not only because of its inverted-gull wings and fixed landing gear, but because of the wailing sound associated with its diving attacks. That sound did not come from the engine. On aircraft fitted with them, it was produced by small wind-driven sirens mounted on the landing gear.
The Jericho Trumpet
The device became known as the Jericho-Trompete, or Jericho Trumpet. Airflow turned a small propeller as the aircraft accelerated, driving the siren and producing the rising howl associated with a Stuka dive. The effect was especially dramatic during the steep diving attacks for which the Ju 87 had been designed.
Sound as Psychological Warfare
The siren added no destructive power to the aircraft. Its value was psychological. A Stuka attack was already highly visible and direct; the siren made the approach audible as well. During the campaigns of 1939 and 1940, that combination helped build the aircraft's fearsome public reputation.
Why the Sirens Disappeared
The devices also created drag, and they were not fitted universally throughout the Ju 87's service life. As the war progressed, many aircraft operated without them. The Stuka itself also became increasingly vulnerable when it faced modern fighters without adequate escort. Later versions remained useful in ground-attack and anti-armor roles, but the famous scream became less representative of day-to-day Stuka operations.
The Jericho Trumpet nevertheless became inseparable from the aircraft in popular memory. It is a useful example of how a relatively simple device could shape the identity of a combat aircraft far beyond its technical importance.
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