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German History in Documents and Images
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Junkers Warplanes being Assembled (June 1941)
Hitler gave high priority to building up the Luftwaffe, since it played an essential role in his “Blitzkrieg” strategy. This propaganda photo shows the assembly of a series of Ju 88 warplanes. The Ju 88 was a twin-engined bomber built by the Junkers firm. It had been in production since 1936 and was the Luftwaffe’s most modern standard warplane. The photograph's official caption reads: “Dive-fighters galore. Part of a series of Ju 88 now in construction. These planes, which are being put to the test yet again in the battle against Russia, are built in enormous factory halls.”

After the Luftwaffe was defeated in the air war against Great Britain, proving no match for the technical and tactical superiority of the Royal Air Force, it was scheduled for deployment in the war against the Soviet Union, but failed to produce the hoped-for successes there as well. Thanks to more technically advanced warplanes, more highly developed radar systems, and better trained pilots, the Allies had gained almost complete supremacy in the air by 1944.