Warbird Information Exchange

Can someone explain how the mechanism automatically pulled the Stuka out of it's dive even if the pilot blacked out?

I wasn't aware the Stuka had any such mechanism (could be wrong though) I know they deployed the dive brakes in a dive but it was still the pilot's job to pull out after bomb release.

I remember reading Hans Ulrich Rudel's book titled "Stuka Pilot". He describes several near-fatal dives where he barely escaped hitting the ground after releasing his bombs. One instance even had him returning to base with birch branches and leaves in his undercarriage.

John

I stand corrected!

John

"The Stuka had a dedicated autopilot system that automatically brought it to a dive when the pilot extracted the dive brakes, prevented damaging pilot stirring during the dive while not limiting the pilot's ability to aim, and then automatically pulled the aircraft out of the dive and back to level flight when the bomb was dropped. Since the G-suit was not yet invented then, pilots could temporarily lose consciousness because of the high G force during the pull out of the fast near-vertical dive, and crash to the ground, but the autopilot prevented that from happening."

That was quick! Thanks