Petlyakov Pe-2 (Pawn)

History of Petlyakov Pe-2 (Pawn)

During World War II (1939-1945), the Soviet Union lacked heavy bombers compared to Britain and the United States. Instead, largely because it will wage a short-range war with former ally Germany, it deploys a range of fighter jets and twin-engine light/medium aircraft. The Petlyakov Pe-2 is one such twin-engine development, the design of which is attributed to Vladamir Petlyyakov (1891-1942). Proving to be one of the best ground attack platforms of the entire war, its value was enhanced with 11,427 built.

These aircraft saw combat action by the European Axis and Japanese forces in Manchuria, and served on all major war fronts in the Soviet Union.

The Soviets and Germans were allies when they went to war. When Germany invaded neighboring Poland in September 1939, a year-long struggle began around the world. A few weeks later, Soviet troops arrived, effectively dividing Poland in two. The Germans then turned against the Soviet Union, as Hitler released "Operation Barbarossa" - the invasion of the Soviet Union - in June 1941 and officially began the Eastern Front.

While initially the Germans made huge gains and the Soviets suffered horrific losses, the ensuing winter and tight supply lines slowed the Germans on the outskirts of Moscow. The Soviets regrouped and began to push westward until the entire Axis war machine was destroyed in Berlin in April 1945.

Aeronautical engineer Vladimir Petlyakov was serving his sentence in a Soviet concentration camp before the war in 1937, when he and others were tasked with designing a new high-altitude fighter to escort new bombers. His team developed the VI-100, a two-seater twin-engine pressurized high-altitude craft with modern all-metal construction.

Progress then produced the first prototype with 2 x Klimov M-105 V-12 turbocharged 1,100hp engines. The first flight was recorded on May 7, 1939, and the design showed a top speed of nearly 390 mph.

A second prototype was later added, and the tests were so successful that the design was so promising that the aircraft was ordered by the Soviet Air Force for production.

By this time, however, the Germans had already started their "Blitzkrieg" campaign in Europe and demonstrated the value of using dive bombers (primarily Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka") for a focused, well-coordinated attack. While all nations are watching the progress of modern warfare today, many are trying to replicate this success on the battlefield, adopting similar platforms of their own.

For the Soviet Union, the design led by Petlyakov was chosen to be modified into dive bomber form.

Work began immediately, and with the introduction of the M-105K series engines, the turbos were eliminated (highly incapacitated, resulting in now no pressurized crew compartment and lower combat ceiling). A lattice-type dive brake was installed to delay the aircraft's dive, while a V-shape was added to the tail for improved stability.

A glass nose assembly was introduced, as was a third crew (now consisting of a pilot, bombardier, and a dedicated machine gunner). A rear position and another 7.62mm machine gun were added to the belly, rear facing gun position - this was aimed through the gunner's periscope.

General armament consists of 2 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns, fixed in forward position, pointed to the nose position to be controlled by the pilot. These were (later) replaced by 1 x 7.62mm ShKAS and 1 x 12.7mm UBT heavy machine gun assembly for greater firepower. Likewise, the rear gun position can be replaced with a larger caliber 12.7mm machine gun.

The aircraft's maximum bomb load is between 2,650 pounds and 3,500 pounds (depending on variant), including conventional throwing weapons placed in the internal bomb bay or externally.

Following these changes, the VI-100 was further developed into the "PB-100" prototype, and it was this design that was officially adopted by the Soviet Air Force as the Petlyakov "Pe-2". Two prototypes with changes were completed and tested. Externally, the aircraft features a traditional twin-engine design.

The engine is housed in a slender nacelle on the leading edge of each wing. The wings are straight appendages with rounded tips, mounted directly amidships. The cockpit, despite its heavy frame, is placed very forward in the design, usually providing excellent visibility for this type of aircraft.

The three crew members are lined up and protected by 9mm armor plates. The fuselage is long and streamlined with a tapered tail. The empennage consists of a split rudder configuration extending outward from a single horizontal plane along the rear side of the fuselage. The landing gear is fully retractable, in a "trail" arrangement, consisting of two single-wheel main legs and a tail wheel.

This gives the aircraft a distinct "nose-up" appearance when stationary.

The accepted version was powered by a Klimov M-105R inline piston engine producing 1,100 hp when driving a three-bladed propeller. Top speed is 336 mph, while cruising speed is 266 mph. The aircraft has a service ceiling of up to 28,870 feet and a range of up to 932 miles.

Overall, the Pe-2 proved to be a fast aircraft and agile performer, requiring a steady hand in control. The first production-grade Pe-2 first flew in November 1940, and the line was officially launched in limited quantities in 1941.

By the time of the German invasion in June 1941, the Soviets were managing a Pe-2 stable of about 458 aircraft, and deliveries were slow - a handful of aircraft of this type made up the entire dive bomber fleet. In addition, there were few trained aircrews available for deployment, and the aircraft did not become available in large numbers until August 1941.

Prompted for action, the Pe-2's given role on the battlefield did not disappoint. A strong pilot/bombardier combination and a capable machine gunner proved very effective in the "defensive" campaign launched by the Soviets in the months following the German attack.

In fact, the Pe-2 contributed a lot to the advancement of the Soviet army after numerous humiliating defeats against the Germans. This led to their increased deployment on all challenged fronts, and together with artillery and armor, they could conduct Soviet blitzkriegs against beleaguered Axis infantry units and armored columns. The Pe-2 was eventually used in famous campaigns in and around Leningrad, Kharkov, Kursk and Stalingrad.

The Pe-2 fulfilled its original role as a dive bomber, serving as a reconnaissance platform, fighter-bomber, light bomber, and night fighter depending on the situation. The sturdy airframe (required for the original bomber role) and cockpit armor make it usable in any way imaginable for a desperate commander.

The original Pe-2 provided considerable rear reconnaissance crew coverage, providing Soviet engineers with an improved type of springboard. Additionally, the unexpected arrival of new, faster German Messerschmitt Bf 109F models pushed the limits of the Pe-2s, forcing them to increase their typical horizontal bombing caps, which in turn reduced bombing accuracy. In response, this led to the development of the Pe-2FT variant of the Klimov M-105PF engine in late 1942, which also upgraded the rear defense armament from the original 7.62mm to 12.7mm caliber and increased armor protection (which considerably reduced the a little). performance). From mid-1942, machine gunners could fire additional 7.62mm guns through the midship side and stern hatches for added protection.

The diving brake was removed and the glass on the nose assembly was reduced. Pe-2FT proved to be the final Pe-2 variant.

Over time, the line became popular with two dedicated fighter-bomber models, the Pe-2I and Pe-2M, which were equipped with 1,620 hp VK-107A series engines. These variants expand the role of the Pe-2 so they can now play a strike or anti-fighter role in combat. A special reconnaissance platform was subsequently launched under the name Pe-2R. All Pe-2 crews were trained in a special dual control Pe-2UTI and Pe-2S Instructor format.

The Pe-2-2M was a prototype using the VK-105 series engine with a larger bomb bay. The Pe-2B was a standardized bomber model introduced in 1944. The Pe-2D was a three-seater bomber powered by 2 VK-107A engines. The Pe-2K uses a radial engine, and production is limited.

The Pe-2MV added a 20mm ShVAK gun and 2 x 12.7mm machine guns, located on the underbody. The Pe-3 is a related variant of the Pe-2 for the night fighter/heavy fighter role. Limited production of the related Pe-4 was also noted.

From the beginning of operations on the Eastern Front in 1941 until the end of the war in 1945, Pe-2 lived a healthy life. In fact, due to her versatility and importance to the Soviet effort, she was likened to the famous de Havilland Mosquito in the British cause that won the war. The Pe-2 went on to be one of the best twin-engine models of WWII - although it was often overshadowed by the more popular Ilyushin Il-2 "Shturmovik" twin-engine ground attack series.

It was partially replaced by the Tupolev Tu-2 medium bomber as early as 1944.

Wartime use was not limited to the Soviet Union, as Czechoslovakia became an official, albeit limited, operator. Finland uses only captured Soviet examples. The Pe-2 was exported to Bulgaria, China, Czechoslovakia (additional units), Hungary, Poland and Yugoslavia after the war. The Pe-2 model was not phased out until 1954. Its last operator was Yugoslavia.

Today (December 2013) few are preserved as museum exhibits.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes