Stukas is a 1941 German aviation film, directed by Karl Ritter and starring Carl Raddatz, which follows three squadrons of Luftwaffe dive-bomber (Stuka) flyers.<br /><br />Stukas was an officially commissioned film (Staatsauftragsfilm). Like all Ritter's films, it was meticulously prepared using storyboards in advance of shooting. (The storyboards survive and include a sequence not present in the film, entitled "dream dance".) Shooting took place at UFA in Babelsberg and around Berlin between 18 November 1940 and mid-February 1941. As in Ritter's previous film, Über alles in der Welt, miniatures and process photography were by Gerhard Huttula. In order to show the Junkers 87 in as many of its combat applications as possible, documentary footage was included. (Documentary footage from the wartime Bayreuth Festival, attended by large numbers of convalescing servicemen, was also used.) The film was approved for release on 25 June 1941 and premièred on 27 June at the Ufa-Palast am Zoo in Berlin.<br /><br />Stukas was awarded four distinctions by the Ministry of Propaganda: Political Value (staatspolitisch wertvoll); Artistic Value (künstlerisch wertvoll); Volk Value (volkstümlich wertvoll) and Value to Youth (Jugendwert).<br /><br />The film was a success with the public, grossing 3.18 million RM in the seven months prior to January 1942 on costs of 1,961,000 RM. The declining fortunes of the Luftwaffe made it "the last major NSDAP aviation film".<br /><br />Released 27 June 1941<br /><br />You can watch or download this film for free at<br /><a href="https://archive.org/details/cttrh" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://archive.org/details/cttrh</a>