The Ju 87 D-3 took to the skies in 1942. The D-3 was a ground-attack variant of the Ju 87 D-1 Stuka with more armor to protect its crew for its role. A total of 1,559 D-3's were built and saw extensive use in North Africa and on the Eastern Front. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/FL837HMXMAALo-o.jpg