Yermolayev Yer-2

History

The Yer-2 bomber was a distinctive aircraft with a unique design featuring a smooth, rounded fuselage and a glass nose. It had a low-mounted, curved wing and was powered by a powerful Charomskiy ACh-30B V-12 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 260 mph and cover a range of 3,400 miles. The aircraft was armed with machine guns and could carry a significant bomb load.

During World War II, the Yer-2 series of bombers played a role in targeting important German cities like Berlin, but their low-altitude attack missions led to high casualties for both the crew and the aircraft. The production of Yer-2s was temporarily halted in 1941 due to the German invasion of the Soviet Union, but it resumed in 1945 as the war progressed. The series continued to serve the Soviet Air Force until around 1950.

Variations of the Yer-2 included different engine configurations and experimental models, but the Yer-4, an improved version, only saw a single prototype produced and tested in 1943. By that time, the focus of Soviet Air Force plans had shifted away from the Yer-2 series, and its wartime history was largely concluded.

Specification

Basics

Year of Service :1941

Origins: Soviet Union

Status: Retirement

Crew: 4

Production: 365

Manufacturer: Ermolayev / Ermolayev OKB - USSR

Carrier: Soviet Union

Ground attack (bombing, strafing): The ability to conduct air strikes against ground targets using (but not limited to) artillery, bombs, rockets, rockets, etc.

Dimensions and Weight

Length: 53.9 feet (16.42m)

Width/span: 75.5 feet (23.00m)

Height: 15.8 feet (4.82m)

Cured weight: 23,049 lbs (10,455 kg)

MTOW 41,006 lbs (18,600 kg)

Wgt Difference: +17,957 lbs (+8,145 kg)

Performance

Installed: 2 x Charomsky ACh-30B V-12 diesel engines, each producing 1,500 hp, driving a three-blade propeller unit.

Maximum speed: 261 km/h (420 km/h | 227 knots)

Maximum: 23,622 feet (7,200 m | 4 km)

Area: 5,418 km (5,500 km | 10,186 nautical miles)

Weapon

Standard:

1 x 12.7mm UBT Machine Gun (HMG) mounted on a trainable stand at the nose position.

1 x 20mm ShVAK automatic cannon in the dorsal turret amidships.

1 x 12.7mm UBT HMG mounted on a trainable stand in a ventral, rearward position.

Optional:

Up to 11,025 pounds of conventionally dropped bombs can be dropped in the internal bomb bay.