History Main / StukaScream

[[caption-width-right:350:The Stuka-Siren: standard issue on every aircraft in Fiction Land.]]

In media, when something -- usually a plane, but it can be something else -- is diving, crashing or otherwise swooping, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObJV_PITRjA a gradually-rising mechanical scream]] that climaxes in a distinctive shrieking sound is often applied as a sound effect. This StockSoundEffect originates from a siren (named ''Jericho-Trompete'', or [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "Jericho Trumpet"]]), which was fitted to [[UsefulNotes/NazisWithGnarlyWeapons German Ju-87 "Stuka" dive-bombers]] in the [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Second World War]] as a [[LoudOfWar psychological terror weapon]] designed to inflict panic on enemy ground forces.

[[caption-width-right:350:The Stuka-Siren: standard issue on every aircraft in Fiction Land]]

* French World War II documentary ''Film/DeNurembergANuremberg'' uses the sound with both appropriate footage of Stukas... and inappropriate footage, such as with Japanese Kamikaze in the Pacific.

* As mentioned above, the Stuka's famous scream was due to a siren installed in the airplane (either in the leading edge of the wings or on the landing gear). This was phased out in later models because equipping a bomber with an air raid siren proved to be counterproductive once the enemy got over the initial shock (though they did also provide audible feedback on the plane's dive speed to the pilot). Moreover, the Jericho Trumpet added a fair amount of drag, reducing the Stuka's performance somewhat. The pilots also hated the siren, only some of the later models could actually be turned off during flight and acording to Wiki/TheOtherWiki similar devices were often installed in the bombs instead. Otherwise the pilot had to listen to the damn thing for the entire flight.

* In Film/Batman1989, just after the Batwing does an Immelmann maneuver apparently just to make a Bat Symbol out of a FullMoonSilhouette, it screams into a dive back toward Gotham City using this sound effect.

* ''VideoGame/CompanyOfHeroes 2'' has the StukaScream go off for the Stuka Bombing Strike commander ability wherein, well, a Stuka JU87-D plane dive bombs in a 50kg bomb to a location. The StukaScream is actually used in the Stuka Bombing Strike for gameplay purposes since unlike other artillery or airstrike abilities which [[NoticeThis have red artillery flares fall onto the location]] before they hit the target to give players a chance to order their units away from the location, the Stuka Bombing Strike has no visual warning. No other airstrike abilities use the StukaScream as they either do not use a Stuka plane or the Stuka plane isn't dive bombing in this different ability.

* As mentioned above, the Stuka's famous scream was due to a siren installed in the airplane (either in the leading edge of the wings or on the landing gear). This was phased out in later models because equipping a bomber with an air raid siren proved to be counterproductive once the enemy got over the initial shock. Moreover, the Jericho Trumpet added a fair amount of drag, reducing the Stuka's performance somewhat. The pilots also hated the siren, only some of the later models could actually be turned off during flight and acording to Wiki/TheOtherWiki similar devices were often installed in the bombs instead. Otherwise the pilot had to listen to the damn thing for the entire flight.

At some point, somebody decided that this would make a great sound-effect for ''any diving aircraft''. While it has become a staple of World War II films (whether they feature the aicraft or not), it is by no means restricted to them and can be used in conjunction with anything from a crashing civilian airliner to [[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow a wheelchair rolling down a slope at high speed]].

* ''Film/EnemyAtTheGates'' has Stukas at the beginning of the film strafing and bombing boats in the Volga River off Stalingrad. They are making this noise with each run they make, but they actually shouldn't, by the time of Stalingrad the siren had been removed from the dive bombers to improve flight performance.

* ''Film/EnemyAtTheGates'' has Stukas at the beginning of the film strafing and bombing boats in the Volga River off Stalingrad. Of course, they are making this noise with each run they make.

* ''Film/JamesBond'':

* Used as the signature sound of the Stand named Aerosmith, which is shaped like a RC fighter plane, from the anime adaptation of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureVentoAureo''.

** In the ActionPrologue of ''Film/{{GoldenEye}}'', when Bond can't pull a plane out of a dive.

At some point, somebody decided that this would make a great sound-effect for ''any diving aircraft''. It has become a staple of World War II films, it is by no means restricted to them and can be used in conjunction with anything from a crashing civilian airliner to [[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow a wheelchair rolling down a slope at high speed]].

* Israel's Harop kamikaze drone makes a similar sound as it dives on targets.

At some point, somebody decided that this would make a great sound-effect for ''any diving aircraft''. It has become a staple of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII films, it is by no means restricted to them and can be used in conjunction with anything from a crashing civilian airliner to [[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow a wheelchair rolling down a slope at high speed]].

At some point, somebody decided that this would make a great sound-effect for ''any diving aircraft''.

A staple of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII films, it is by no means restricted to them and can be used in conjunction with anything from a crashing civilian airliner to [[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow a wheelchair rolling down a slope at high speed]].

* Used in Creator/DmitryPuchkov's {{Gag Dub}}s of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' films, most often during the appearances of the Nazgûl on their flying beasts, replacing the ear-splitting screech. The dubbed dialogue specifically calls them "Messers" (i.e. Messerschmitt). Also appears in the scene with Gandalf and Balrog falling (the one where they first appear falling in a giant cavern with a lake).